The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-01

MI many efforts the queen of Spain
L 4 has effected reconciliation be-
tween King Alfonso and Princess Henry
of Battenberg, who have not spoken to
each other since last fall, when the Span
jsh monarch left Osborne cottage in
huff. When the King and Queen visit
England the latter's mother will be on
hand to welcome them as if nothing had
occurred to mar the relations between
Alfonso and his mother-in-law.
This reconciliation draws the attention
to a fact which has become more and
more apparent of late years to all those
who have been in close attendance upon
Alfonso. There is no court in Europe
where the influence of women is so pre-
dominant as at the court of Spain. 1t is,
as King Edward once remarked, "a Ro-
man-ruled court" which means that the
King of Spain in most affairs is a woman.
ruled monarch.
King Edwards comment was made on
the occasion Of the appointment of the
Due deMandas as ambassador for Spain
to the English court. At the time there
was a dipomatist at Madrid who, by
virtue of his abilities and experience,
ment. His name was Senior de Villa Ur-
rutia. King Alfonso, whose personal
sanction is necessary to all diplomatic
appointments, had, as a matter of fact,
promised the Spanish embassy in London
to this particular diplomatist, and the
matter had gone SO far that the latter's
name had been forwarded to the English
foreign office. Then suddenly and with
out any apparent reason the Due de
Mandas wanted to go to London. One
of her greatest friends was the Duchess
d'Arion a beautiful woman who is one
of the most considerable influences at
the Spanish court. The King of Spain
became godfather to her son, a peculiar
1y high honor for the Spanish monarch
to confer a subject The Duchess
d'Arion promised the London embassy
to her friend and couple of weeks later
the Due de Mandas was appointed to the
vacant embassy
The appointment was an absurd one, for
the Duo de Mandas had never held an
important diplomatic post previously. He
did not hold the position long, however;
he was a little later recalled and the en-
bassy was given to Senor de Villa Ur-
rutia.
court was evidenced in an even more re
markable manner few years ago during
a visit of the King and Queen of Spain
to London, when their maiesties stayed
at the Ritz hotel On this occasion their
majesties were to have stayed as the .
guests of King Edward at buckingham
palace. week so before the visit,
however, lady at the Spanish court who
was to accompany the Queen of Spain
took 1t into her head that she would
have much more agreeable and freer
time of it in London If the royal party
stayed at some hotel instead of at Buck
ingham palace, and the Queen Of Spain.
to whom she suggested this change Of
plans, herself liked the idea,
But for a sovereign to cancel the ac-
cepted invitation of another for no OBJ
vious reason was an unheard of breach
of etiquette and King Alfonso when the
Idea of doing was put before him at
once negatived the proposal. However
in some fashion known only to those pet
ticoat plotters the ady-in-w waiting got her
way and the visit was spent. not at
Buckingham palace, but at the Ritz hotel
Had the late King been a less tolerant.
easy-going man Of the world than he was
this might have caused trouble, but as Il
was his majesty was much mere amusel
than annoyed at the occurrence
For various reasons the queen OF Spain
tolerates. If she doesn't actually approve,
OF theSe feminine influences over the
King. She knows that her husband is
not in the ordinary meaning of the word
in love with any of the women wLo eXer-
cise so much influence over him. No one
has ever accused King Alfonso of carry
ing on any intrigue with the ladies at
court, but King Alfonso is extremely sus-
oeptibie to feminine Influence, especially
the influence of beautiful women. This
Queen herself. if she cannot lay claim to
much beauty, is nevertheless certainly
rot the least of these "inAuences," AMI
# her majesty cannot always get her
way at court she can get it in most al
fairs of any real importance.
The Duchess d'Ari0n, one of the most
powerful women at the Spanish court, is
one of the Queen os spain's most intimate
friends and in the exercise Of their infu-
ence over King Alfonso these two are
mutually useful 10 each other. for. II the
influence Of one is not sufficient TO induce
the King to yield his majesty never fails
Atp do so when the ini1enee of both is
brought to ear on him.
These feminine Influences though, on the
whole harmless are certainly exercised
f-on tire 10 time in, unwise direstioas
For example, the household appoint