Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-08
alistellaneous Rmding.
STORY Or A ROYAL WOOlNG.
Courtship of Princess Ena and Al
fonso XIII.

The inside story Of a royal court.
ship makes very pretty reading
at least when the lovers were Alfonso
XIII. and Princess Ena and the his
tcrian is NJ. Navier Paoli. whose pro-
fession for many years has been tC
guard European royalty when travel
/ ling.
NJ. Paoli tells first of Alfonso's visit
to England, when everybody expected
that an engagement to Princess
Patricia of COnnaught would result
The two did not take to each other
however. But Alfonso not only ask
ed who a certain fair unknown was,
but on being introduced to her as the
Princess Ena of Battenberg danced
with her and sought opportunities of
talking with her. But he said moth
ing then-at least, not to NJ. PaOli,
whose connection with the real court
ship began one morning in January,
1906.
That day" writes NJ. PaOli in Nc
Clure's, II received a letter from Miss
Minnie Cochrane, Princess Henry of
Battenberg's faithful lady in waiting,
telling me that the Princess and her
daughter. Princess Ena, were leav-
ing shortly for BiarrtZ to stay with
their cousin. the Princess Frederick
of Hanover. and inviting me to ac-
company them This kind thought
is explained by the fact that | had
known the Princess and her daugh-
ter for many years. l had often seen
Princess Beatrice with the late
Queen Victoria, TO whom she showed
the most tender filial affection; |
had also known Princess Ena as a
little girl. when she still wore short
frOcks and long fair curls. and used
to play with her doll under the fond,
smiling gaze of her august grand
mother. She was then a grave and
reflective child; she had great, deep.
expressive blue eyes, and she was a
little shy. like her mother.
When at Calais l beheld fresh
and beautiful girl, unreserved and
gay, a real fairy princess whose face.
radiant with gladness, so evidently
reflected a very sweet, secret hap
piness: when on the day after her ar
rival at Barritz I saw King Alfonso
arrive Unexpectedly in a great state
Of excitement and surprise the first
glance that they exchanged at the
door of the villa-then | understood.
II was therefore not in the least
astonished when Miss Cochrane,
whom | had ventured to ask if it was
true that there was a matrimonial
project on foot between the king and
the princess. answered with a sig
nificant smile:
81 think so. 1t is not officially
settled yet. 1t will be decided here
"The Villa Mouriscot, where the
princesses were staying. was pic
turesque Basque chalet. elegantly and
comfortably furnished. 1t stood on a
height. two miles from Biarritz,
buried in luxuriant and fragrant gar
dens The king came every day.
Wrapped in a huge cloak with a mo-
toring cap and goggles, he would ar
rive at 10 o'clock in the morning
from San Sebastian in his double
Panhard phaeton, which he drove
himself except on the rare occasions
when he entrusted the steering wheel
to his excellent French chauffeur,
Antonin. who accompanied him on
all his excursions.
His friends the Marques de Viana,
the young Conde de Villalobar, cOun-
sclor to the Spanish embassy in Lon
don: SenOr Quinones de Leon, the
charming attache to the Paris en-
bassy. and the Conde del Grove, his
faithful aide-de-camp. or the Mar
quS de PachccO. commanding the
palace halberdiers formed his usual
suite. AS soon as the motor had
passed through the gates and stopped
before the door, where Baron Won
Pawel- Rammingen. the Princess
Frederica's husband. and Col. Lord
William Cecil. Princess Henry of
Battenbergs comptroller. awaited
him. the king would hurry to the
drawing room. where the pretty prin-
cess sat looking out for his arrival,
as impatient for the meeting as the
king himself.
After the king had greeted his
hosts at the villa he and the princess
would walk in the gardens, eXchang-
ing much lively talk as they strolled
about the paths in which, as Gounod's
song says. lovers lose their way
They would return in time for the
family luncheon. a very simple repast
to which the kings tremendous APP
petite did full honor. He used often
to send for Fraulein Zinska, the
Princess FredericaS old Hanoverian
cook. and congratulate her on her
culinary ability. a proceeding that
threw the good woman into an &C.
stasy of delight.
After luncheon the young people,
mpanleu Dy MISS COCnfane as
chaperone went out in the motor,
not returning until nearly dark. On
rainy days of course there was no
drive, but i'm the drawing room Of
the villa the Princess Frederick had
COntrived sort of re-
cess, furnished with a sofa, i'm which
the engaged couple could pursue
their discreet Irritation at their ease.
lin the evening, at dinner, the
suite were present. The king chang
ed into evening clothes. with the col
lar of the Golden Fleece. At half
past ten he left for the station and
returned to san Sebastian by the sud
express.
after few days. although they
wer" not officially engaged, no one
doubted that the event was near at
hand.
"'She's nice. isn't She the king
asked me. point blank.
"A significant detail served to show
ME how far things had gone. one |