The Washington times., 1913-06-15
DUKE AND DUCHESS
ARE NEAR DIVORCE
Wesminster's Domestic Woes
Are at Crisis With the
Likelihood of Heir.

LONDON, June 15.-The matrimonial
differences of the Duke and Duchess OF
Westminster are proving much more
serious than was at first supposed, and
divorce is now considered unavoidable
and imminent. The first intimation the
public had of any difference between
the richest duke of England-sometimes
called the Astor of London, because he
owns more than half the property In the
district of Northumberland his wife,
was recently, when she attended a Sc
lect function given by the King and
Queen at Buckingham palace. but at
which the duke did not appear.
The duchess attended the dance in the
Westminster state carriage, but when
she returned to Grosvenor house she
found the doors of her own home barred
against her, the duke having given Or
ders to the servants in her absence that
she should not be admitted.
All this was recounted at the time,
and the reason given was that the duke
had not been invited to the soiree by
the royal couple, the queen having pur-
posely excluded him to show her dis
approval of married men, even OF dukes,
who were notoriously unfaithful to their
marriage vows.
Older Than Husband.
The Duchess of Westminster Is five
years her husbands senior, and people
of their set are recalling the conditions
of that marriage, and are very much
disposed to throw their spmpathies on
the side of the duke. The story of that
marriage, 1t appears, is this:
Some years ago, during the war, the
nd q
went off to South Africa, where he dis
tinguished himself for his bravery and
democratic bearing toward his COM
rades. Not far away from the field of
battle there waited and watched a
woman, Mrs. Atherton, famed for her
beauty.
The duke wrote back home to his
mother, Lady Grosvenor, that he was
going to marry Mrs Atherton. At
once the irate mother rushed off to
her best friend. Mrs. { Gorge Corn
wallis West, to take counsel.
A conference was held, in which 1t
was said the late King Edward par
ticipated. Just before tn ehome-com-
ing of the young duke his engage
ment was announced, not to Mrs. Attn
erton, but to Constance Edwina Corn
wallis West, the beautiful daughter
..
was Miss Jennie Jerome, of New York.
Knew Nothing of 1t.
It was understood that the young
duke knew nothing of all this: that
a wife had been chosen for him by
his mother and his proposed mother
in-law until his arrival in England.
For a time the marriage seemed to
be a successful one. Two children,
girls, were born to, the Duke and
Duchess of Westminster. But the
gay duke, young and enormously
wealthy, got his name all too fire.
quently mixed up with various stage
favorites, notably Gertie Millar. His
duchess, at last tired of occupying
the position of the faithful and un-
loved wife. herself began taking on
admirers, and her flirtations soon
became almost as much discussed as
those of her husband. These were be-
gun, her friends say, solely in the
hone cf haking her husband jealous,
and with the intention to win him
back.
Now things Of the deepest import
are hinted. The duchess, 1t Is said,
expects to become a mother again
shortly. And the duke has gone SO
far as to notify by letter the heir to
the dukedom. Lord Arthur Grosvenor.
that in case this child is boy 1t Will
be disowned. and that he hord eros
venor) need have no fears that this
child will interfere with the success
sion to the Westminster titles and