The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-05
THE DUKEDOM
OF SAXE-COBURG


Britons. who cannot forgive him that
no preferred 10 be reigning Duke OF
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, than to remain
Duke of Albany. with no prospects for
him or his progeny other than a royal
British title and some life tenure. subject
to the will OF the King.
Karl Eduard Albert, nevertheless, is as
good a Brlton as his cousins and the
entire royal family; for the dukedom.
though IN Germany, belongs to the Brit
ish royal family by right Of inheritance
and as some one must rule over IL, II Is
far better. under the circumstances. that
he be an English prince than 10 give
Emperor William the same chance that
the internal strife over the succession in
the Duchy OF Brunswick gave the Ho-
henZollern King. and which he was not
al all slow 20 grab. making one OF his
kin protector" and later ruler, or, in
other words. tying up that dVchy so fast
with Prussia that nothing but the sword
would be able to sever the knot
Duke Karl Eduard. at any rate, did
nothing worse than what his uncle did
before him. when the then Prince OF
Wales. later King Edward. refused 10 ac-
cept the Saxon throne. and his brother,
the Duke Of Edinburgh. gladly took H.
or course, Albert Edward did have pros
poets. though perhaps had he known
how long his royal mother. Victoria,
would live and keep the crown from his
head-perhaps. quien sabe7-he might
have decided differently.
The Duchy Of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
was the inheritance of Queen Victoria's
husband. the Prince Consort Albert. after
the death Of his brother without direct
issue. The next heir was the royal pairs
frst-born, the Prince OF Wales, who. as
just stated, declined the honor, being un-
willing 70 adopt Germany as HIS father
land, which, for an heir 10 the British
crown, was quite out Of the question. His
brother Alfred. Duke OF Edinburgh, had
no such scruples. He repudiated his
British nationality, but declined 10 give
up his annuity Of 10000 as a prince
royal When Alfred died the throne was
offered 10 his brother, the Duke OF Con-
naught. but he was too much of a Brit0n
10 accept. SO the honor went 20 his son.
the present Duke OF Connaught. bur ne
declined also. He told King Edward. his
uncle, who urged him 10 accept, that be-
ing an Englishmsn was quite good
enough" for him. Thus II came about
that the title went 10 a boy (elere being
none else 10 offer il tor. the Duke OF Al
bany. the posthum0us child Of Duke
Leopold, who died two years after his
marriage 10 Princess Helene OF Waldeck-
Pyrmont, She. a German princess. placed
her boy under the direct care Of the
Kaiser. making Of him German prince.
Hence his loss OF popularity among the
English. who go So far as 10 ignore him
at his rare visits 10 his native land
The loyal inhabitants OF cold Chester
town" are asitating 10 have the heir ap-
parent % the British throne invested
with the old title, Earl OF Chester when
he visits CarnaTvon next year 10 De in
stalled as Prince OF Wales with pomp and
ceremonial
This recalls that it was at Chester
that the first Prince OF Wales received the
homage OF the Welsh freeholders. In honor
Of the occasion. as well as a mark OF im-
perial dignity. he wore a chapIer Of gold
on his head and a golden ring on hts
finger, while he held a silver scepter IN
his hand.
This interesting ceremonys took place IN
1891, more than 6a years ago when the
prince was but seventeen years old He
il was, who as Edward II. assembled the
in
daughter Of King Philip " OF France
Edward was an unfortunate monarch.
being deposed by Parliament January :.
1897 and was murdered at Berkeley
Castle iu September Of the same year
and buried az Gloucester.
At the time OF his investiture at Ches-
ter he was just as Old as the present
Prince OF Wales VIII be when his in
vesuture win take place at Carnarvon
next year.
There is prospect that another
American lady in time may become a
British peerless, Mrs Maldwin Drum
mond. she thai was Mrs Marshall Field.
jr., in this country. Her husband is
grandson of Baron Muncaster. who
though created a peer in the United
Kingdom as late as 1SgS. is OF very an
cient Lineage, the family descending
from Sir John de Pennington. knight Of
the household Of Henry ", 10 whom
that unfortunate King gave a curiously
shaped glass cup with a prayer that the
family ever should prosper and never want
a male heir as long as they should retain
the cup unbroken- The cup. It IS need
less to add, still Is carefully preserved.
The Drummonds are among the most
hospitabIe Of entertainers. Their town
house Is on Carlton House terrace, where
they have as neighbors Mrs. John Ward.
Mrs. J. w MaCkay. Mrs. William Wal
dorf Aston, and Mrs. Potter Palmer It
is the identical dwelling which Mrs. ken
pei, two years ago. expected to receive
as a Christmas present when her designs
We're frustrated by premature disclosure.
Mrs. Drummond has retained her love
for her native country and for Ameri-
cans. She also is a social favorite. She
Is strongly interested in the woman's
suffrage movement. and last June was
grand marshal Of the great parade at the
OF the suffrage campaign.
Court circles gossip that the Queen
Dowager Alexandra. always known rs
the royal match maker. has been sue
cessful- once more. This time the parties
mentioned are Prince Christophoros OF
Greece, sixth child and youngest son OF
King George of the Hellenes, and Lady
Alexandra Dun, the pretty daughter OF
the Duke of Fife. son-in-law to the late
King Edward, that IS, Queen Alexandria
own grandchild
The Lady Dun had a chance to wear
the thorny crown of Portugal, but de-
clined the honor; small blame to her. and