New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-15
DUKE OF ROXBURCHE
Royal Romance Recalled by His
Arrival Here Tomorrow.

The Duke of RoNhurgfe who arrives in
New York tomorrow by the German liner
Crown Princess Ceciie with his American
wife. formerly Miss Nav e-oeiet this being
their first visit to the United States since
their marriage seven years ago bears a
mama and title familiar to book lovers
and hihliorhiles all the world over For
the third duke. on account Of q romantic
love affair with royal princess Of one of
the reigning house of Germany. pledged
himself TO a life of celibacy and sought
consolation for his sorrows in the coilec-
ton of q world-faned library which after
his death was sold d auction in London.
The sale lasted not less than forty-two
days. and attracted collectors from the
United States and from all over the CONT
nent of Europe. among the most notable
treasures being the sNaldarfer Boccaccio, =
printed in Venice in 1471 and which. after
passing through the hands of the late
Duke of Marlborough and Of the late Earl
Spencer. is now. I understand. III the pos
session OF J. Pierpont Morgan.
The romance which led the third Duke
OF Roxburghe to live and die unmarried is
but little known, yet is worthy of being
placed on record In the year 1851 this
duke set out on the grand tour of Europe,
with all the ponp and circumstance befit-
ting his rank and the stateiness of his
time He was handsome, gallant, and
twenty-one- On his way back from Mos
COW he halted for a time at the little court
Of Srrelitz, which was then ruled by the
dowaser grandduchess, to whom her son,
the reigning duke. Frederick Adolph ",
and his brothers respectfully deferred. She
had two daughters-Princess Christine, a
| lovely girl of twenty. and Princess Char
| lotte, small and frightfully plain. the ugly
duckIing of the family. The young Duke
OF Roxburghe fell violently in love with
Christine. and she not only smiled upon
his suit. but promised him her hand her
mother and eldest brother looking upon the
match with approval.
Then strange thing happened-nothing
less than formal demand on the part of
George III of England for the hand of the
homely Princess Charlotte. which was, OF
course, at once granted, along with the &C
ceptance Of the stipulation made by the
British government that 10 member of the
Mscklen burg-Strelitz family should marry
a British subject This dashed to the
ground all the hopes of the Duke of Rox-
burghe and put an end to his plans for a
union with Princess Christine. He left
StreIitZ at once. and for the subsequent
forty-seven years which ella psed until his
death spent his life in virtual retirement,
devoting himself entirely TO his books and
never appearing at court. The standard
''Peerages'' accord to him the briefest pos
sible mention. merely alluding to him as
having been & knight Of the Garter But
for his sake Princess Christine of Mecklen-
brIrg-Strelitz remained unmarried until her
death. rejecting all offers of marriage, find
ing no yooer who could compare with the
gallant and handsome Scotchman who had
won her heart before her homely sister
Charlotte had become Queen Of England
Il is only fair to King George III TO ex-
plain that he had no voice whatsoever in
the selection Of his consert, who was
chosen for him ny his mother. the Princess
Of wales and By her universally detested
favorite and Prime Minister, the Marquis
Of Butte with the object Of preventing the
infatuation Of the young monarch for the
fascinating Lady Sarah LennoS leading
him into inviting her TO share his throne.
When this third duke died the honors
and estates devoived upon his remote kins-
nan. William Ker descended from a
Younger son Of the second Earl of RoX-
hurghe who had f1ourished at the court of
James II. He too, died without issue, and
then there were a number Of claimants Of
.
the dukedom. But eventually the Commit
tee on PRIVILEGES OF the House Of Lords
awarded the dukedom and the minor
honors and the ordinary tribunals OF
Scotland assigned the ducal estates to Sir
lanes Innes Norcliffe. Bart. although
popular opinion in Scotland, we'll as a
number OF geneaiogists, protested against
this decision. insisting that it should have
been made in favor of Major General Wal
ter Ker, of Littledean. as heir male of the
kers of Cessford. The general was re-
duced TO the direst poverty, completely
ruined by the legal expenditure in con-
nprtion with his claim 70 the dukedom,
and his estate Of Littedean was sold. and
now forms part OF Lord Pollworth's beau
tfful place in Berwickshire. on the banks
OF the Tweed The legal proceedings lasted
for q number Of years. and among the
claimants was q Robert Hepburn ker, a
laker al Kingston. Jamaica, to whom at
one moment the Committee on privileges
seemed inclined to award the dukedom.
Floors castle. on the Tweed, the prir-
cipaI home of the Duke of RoxbUTghe.
which has been beautifully restored, re-
furnished and equipped with all the most
modern Iuxuries since his marriage, is a
little over two hundred years old, and
VAS HUliI aCCtTulLlS ~ tIiC tccAssii> III N,lt
John Nanbrugh. the architect of Blen-
helm 10 take the place Of old Roxburghe
Castle. one OF the most important strong
holds in the border struggles all through
the Middle Ages. The old castle, the pict-
uresgue ruins of which remain, was the
home of the princes Of NorthumbFia be
fore Earl David became King Of Scotland.
/ Long after Northumbria had been severed
from Scotland the castle continued To be
the principal residence Of the kings OF
Northern Britain. Court, councils and par
lfaments were held within its walls. q
ro,-sI mint was esta blished there, and 1t
vas the seat Of the government until the
end Of the reign Of Alexander Ill Subse-
oue0tIv- in the possession Of the Kers, ii
became the headquarters sometimes Of foes
of the Crown, and Snarled holly tree
marks the spot where James II OF Scot
land was killed by arrow while be-
sieEing the castle Of Roxburghe- Within
thirty feet Of this holly nourisles the SPLEEN
did oak planted by Queen Victoria on the
! occasion OF her visit 70 Floors Castle
! shortly after her marriage. the Duchess
! Of RoxburGhe of the day, grandmother Of
the present duke, having been lady-in-
waiting mistress of the robes and the ear
! lest of the intimate friends of the late
I queen.
The present duke Is childless, and the
next heir to the dukedoni and estates is
| his younger brother. Lord Alastair Innes