The Washington herald., 1912-02-06
THE LATE DUKE OF FIFE.

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The Duke OF Fife. husband Of the Fis-
ter OF King George OF England. the
Princess Royal Louise Victoria. and who
died In Upper Egypt while on his way
with his family to khartoum 70 attend
the conservation ceremonies OF the ca
thedral erected IN memory OF Gen. Cor
don. was the equal In blood to, any
! reigning house, though only created n
duke after his marriage to the late
King Edwards daughter.
The lineage OF the Earl OF Fife IL of
ancient, almost legendary. repute among
scotland's historic families. He was
Viscount Maedun before he succeeded
to the earIdom on the death OF his father
in 1873, and as such he visited this coun-
/ try in the year OF the Centennial Ex-
position at Philadelphia. The late duke,
who was born in 1Sls was enormously
wealthy. having a yearly income OF no
less than half a million dollars lie
owned many seats in Scotland and
England-Duff House. Banff; Balvenie
Castle, Dun Town; Auchintoul House.
AberchIrder. and Rotilsemay House.
Huntiy. Banftshire: Inness House, FL
gin; Western House. Moray; Mar Lodge,
Brsemar; Skene House and Eden House.
Aberdeenshire, and Sheen House (now
occupied by the Count Of Paris, near
Richmond. Surrey.
From 1879 until 1855 he sat in the House
OF Lords as Baron Skene. In that year,
the late Queen Victoria having her eye
upon him for a possible family con-
nection-the old lady knew the value TO
the reigning house Of having royal prin-
cesses marry into the high nobillly-hIs
heretofore Irish peerage OF Fife was
made one Of the United Kingdom. which
opened the way for the marquisate and
dukecom- In his youth he was a mem
Der OF Parliament for the county OF
Elgin. He held a number of high posi-
tlons In Scotland, but 1t is not so well
known that he was also in the banking
business as a partner OF the firm OF
Sir Samuel Scott & Co. Of London.
The late duke was Dun, first and last.
for he was descended from Macduff, Earl
OF Fife. who contributed to the destruc-
tion OF Macbeth and restoration OF NAL
colin Ceanmohr. When in 1850 the thir-
teenth OF that line died, the title became
extinct, but the representative of the
Dun family in 17s2 was again raised
70 the peerase by the Queen Regent
Caroline. On his mothers side the late
duke was descended from King William.
Nv, the uncle and predecessor Of Queen
Victoria. Dorothy Bland. VINO was born
at Waterford, Ireland. about I762, made
her appearance in 1855 at the Dru-y
Lane Theater. London. where she entoyed
became the mistress of the Duke of
Clarence (sfterward William w, 10
whom she bore five sons and five dauRh-
ters. who took the name OF Fitz-Clsrence.
This connection was broken on by the
duke in ISL. and Mrs. Jordan retired to
France, where she died in 1916 in poverty.
In ISIS the duke marred Adelaide, daugh-
ter of the Duke OF Saxe-Meiningen. BY
her he had two daughters, who died in in
fancy. Most Of the Kings natural chfl-
dren survived him. In 1881, the year
after he ascended the throne, the King
who held the title OF Earl Of Munster
In ireland-created his eldest natural son,
George. Earl Of Munster. Viscount Fitz-
Clarence, and Baron Of Tewkesbury. all
IN the peerage' Of the United Kingdom.
and raised Sophia. Mary. Elizabeth, Fred
erick. Adolphus, Augusta. and Augustus
10 the precedency Of sons and daughters
Of a marquis.
This Earl OF Munster was a general in
the British army. lieutenant Of the
Tower, and governor OF Windsor Castle.
Elizabeth Fitz-Clarence in IS2l married
the seventeenth Earl OF Enroll and died
in 1855. The second daughter of this
earl married James Dun. fifth Earl of
FIFE IN 1886. Her only son was the late
duke. One Of her daughters became the
wife Of the fifth Marquis OF Townshend.
Another was divorced by her husband.
Elias Hupe, in 1St2, owing 70 her inti-
macy with an attache Of the Austrian
Embassy In London. A third daughter
was married three times. Her first
husband was Viscount Duffiin, the eldest
son OF the Earl OF KinnouH. who dis
carded her in 1875. her name being
coupled with the then Duke OF MARI
borough. The story Of the Marchioness
OF Townshend is still fresh in our men,
ory. She ran away with Lord Henry
lhNnne. "A Of h.
Bath, but concluded to return to the
marquis after he had given her para
mour a sound thrashinE.
The ancestral home OF the CeciIs. Hat
held House. in the vicinity OF London,
rien IN relics OF the Jacobean era, made
an ideal setting for the grand bali given
by Lady Salisbury in honor OF her
daughter. Lady Beatrice Cecil, who. as 4
told in these letters the other day, has
decided to leave the social whIrl for the
more serious occupation OF a hospital
nurse. The scene was an exceptionally
brilliant one. The dance was preceded
by a dinner for the members of the large
house party. which was served in the
great oak dining-room- Guests arrived
by the central gateway. known as the
strangers entrance. reaching the mansion
by way Of the oblong court. upon which
opens the large timbered room where
Queen Elizabeth dwelt, especially in her
youth.
Lady Salisbury received IN King James
room. an apartment sixty feet long,
adorned with exquisite carvings and con-
tanning a nfe-size statue OF James 1 hold
ing scepter. The long gallery was used
for sitting out the dances. and here the |
guests were able to examine numerous
historic treasures, such as Queen Enza-
beths cradle, suits OF armor, and relics |
OF the great Armada. Much interest was
evinced in the fine collection OF pictures. |
one of the most notable being Euckaru's |
portrait OF Queen Elizabeth wearing her |
extraordinary jeweled headdress, with |
wide transparent wings. and the exquisite |
yellow gown embroidered with mouths |
eyes, and ears. serpent on her sleeve. 1
and rainbow in her hand, and which
is inscribed Mon Sine Sole Iris" Ac-
cording 10 tradition. queen Bess was
seated under a famous oak in HATFIELD |
Park when she received the. news OF |
Queen Mary's death. The oroe6-primmed /
garden hat she wore on that occasion
was on view in a cabinet in the library /
The company in the ballroom, in addi-
ton to the host and hostess, included l
their son, Lord Cranborne. Lady Beatrice
and her sister and their cousins, Lady |
Mabel Ogilvy and Lady Winifred Gore,
Lord Titchfield and Lady Victoria Caven-
dish -Bentinck. children of the Duke and
Duchess of Portland: Lord Windsor and
Lady Phyllis windsor-Clive (children of
Lord Plymouth, Miss GrenfeIl. with her
7 Il