The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-03

time there was considerable talk under stood to be founded upon something far more substantial than mere gossip. that the prince had decided for himself that the Grand Duchess Olga, eldest daughter of the Czar of Russia, was the best can didate available. Although those who knew the prince and his ways then laughed at the idea of him deciding even such an essentially personal matter as the idetnits of his future wife for him self, it was believed that Queen Mary
 had actually consented to negotiations being opened in an unofficial way with
 Petrograd
 There were those, however, even at that time. who found reasons for doubting the
 very circumstant.al stories that were
 whispered about. These doubling
 Thomases then said, and continue to re-
 peat today, that the English consort mas
 made up her very obstinate mind that the heir shall never marry any but a Protestant consort Ii will readily be seen that this restriction. if it exists, re- duces the available royal princess almost to the vanishing point, and it is this con dition with which the sossips are now busy.
 In sort, 1t Is held the prince will have to marry in England and that he will moreover, be reduced to the necessity of wedding non-royal miss. There is no
 doubt that such development would not ! only be extremely popular in England,
 but it immediately would restore to the
 throne the great popularity which it en- Joyed under King Edward and which. 1 because of the more diffdent and reserved personality of the present King, it now lacks There is no doubt that one of the wisest moves of the royal pair since they
 ascended the throne was the sending of l the young prince to the front in Flanders. ] I1n0nuhtedlv @ ba
 contrary to many people who saw in 1t a danger to royalty and an impetus to democracy, the best thing for royalty that I has happened in many long day. Ii I has brought out and focused all the | latent loyalty that undoubtedly exists to a large extent, not only in Great Britain proper, but in the colonies as well. The formation of enormous armies and the practice of swearing the recruits to the person~of the King instead of to the coun- | try and the flag has undoubtedly widely 1 spread the intense loyalty to the ruler which exists in the regular army in time | of peace and which was strikingly | exemplified at the time of the Curra gll affair and the threatened Ulster rebellion. | If it should be finally decided to pick a bride for the Prince of Wales from among the many charming debutantes of ducal or noble families of England. you may make up your mind that to no out 1 sider will fall the honor. In other words the affair will be kept nearly as possi- ble Tin the familvs. and the choice oi Queen Mary will fall upon the daughte, of some noble who is in the closest and most intimate relations with the crown There are, of course, several obvious pos. abilities in this respect. but it would bt the merest guesswork to pick one. ent it is not the intention of tn, present writer to raise in any maid ct hnf hn 1AaIx shattered. In royal matrimonial affairs Cupid hasn't even an outside chance and is usually wise enough to keep himsell
 at a safe distance.