The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11
EUROPE'S OLDEST ROYAL WOMAN LOSES PENSION BY THE WAR.

London. September 26.-(Special.) )-Eu- fupe's oldest royal woman, Queen Mary's aunt the Grand Duchess Augusta Caro- line of Mecklenburg- -Streitz, may have to economize bit from now on, the British government having just cancelled the pension of sl5.0o0 year which, as a member of the royal family, the grand duchess has drawn from the British ex- chequer for exactly T years.
 This action on the part of the govern ment, which was announced by the chan cellor of the exchequer in the House of Commons this week, has been taken un- der the trading with the enemy emer- gency act which forbids payments to Il person living in the country of the enemy. It's moral effect on the wonderful old grand duchess who at 9l. is still sur prisingly brisk, is likely, however, to be greater than the actual loss of the money, her son. the regning grand duke, being one of the richest princes in Europe, for she always has been proud of the fact that, although. born in Hanover, she is an English princess, and in days gone by her English ways and ideas were the subject of much tart criticisms by the inhabitants of Neu-Strelitz.
 Born tn 1922, she is the last of the Geogian princesses, and the only living grandchild of George III, against whose rule the Thirteen colonies reVolted. She was the junior by only three years of her brother, the late Duke of Cambridge, (of mo nonsense about merit' fame) and was Il years older than her sister, Queen Narys mother, the late duchess of. Teck. It was on her marriage with the late William Frederick Grand Duke of Meek loiburg-Strelitz. in 1S43 that she was granted all annuity of $l5.0oo, and she tas, therefore, drawn from the British treasury well over Sl,O00.000. Her married life. which was uncomrnonly happy, lasted 61 years, the grand duke having died in 1895.
 The grand duchess has witnessed three coronations, those of William ", Queen Victoria. and King Edward. In her youth too, she knew both Peel and Pal merston well She was an intimate friend of Queen Victoria, and the great Queen enjoyed nothing better than a chat over former days with her cousin King Ed ward, too, was always on the best of terms with the grand duchess and was often entertained by her at Mecklenburg House, the fine old mansion. which she used to occupy in London, at Buckingham Gate, close to the palace Ever since she Wat a child Queen Mary has been the cs pecial pes of her aunt with whom, in her younger days, she spent many happy hours.
 
 Up to the time of King Edwards death, the grand duchess kept up a regular cor respondence with him and with several other crowned heads. including the Kaiser and the Emperor of Austria, and her col lection of letters from royal personages Of one degree and another is one of the most remarkable that has ever been got together. For many years past, too. her royal highness has collected a considera- ble mass of material regarding the inner history of the royal houses with which she is connected either by descent or marriage. It always has been understood that at her death, these papers are to pass into the possession of Queen Mary, and it will then be left to her majesty tc determine how far they shall be made public The grand duchess also possesses wonderful collection of miniatures, painted in ivory, of members of the royal houses of Europe, and it has been un- derstood that these, too, would like wise become eventually the property of Queen Mary. Now, however, one is not so sure.