Evening star., 1915-10-17
WILL PRINCE MARRY AN
ENGLISH NON-ROYAL MISS?

NOV that the Prince of Wales is re-
AN turning to the front the London
| club gossips have been busy consider
| ing the possibilities of his future mat
| rimonial affairs. OF course, 1t is gem
| orally agreed that the former likeli-
hood that a wife would be found for
him among the minor German royalty
| Is no longer possible Public opinion
| in England, for good many years to
come, would stand in the way Of such
| a development. even IL King George.
or rather Queen Mary, who seems to
have the final say in matters of this
| kind. were so disposed.
This new condition of affairs, how
ever, makes a decision on the inlpor-
tant question an extremely difficult one.
At one time there was considerable
talk. understood to be founded upon
| something far more substantial than
| mere gossip, that the prince had de-
cided for himself that the Grand Ouch
ess Olga, eldest daughter of the Car
| of Russia. was the best candidate avail
able. 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 iden-
tfty OF his future wife for himself, 1t
was believed that Queen Mary had ac-
| tually consented to negotiations being
opened in an unofficial way with Petro-
| grad.
| There were those. however. even at
that time. who found reasons for
doubling the very circumstantial sto-
ries that were whispered about. These
| doubling Thomases then said. and con-
| tinue to repeat today. that the English
| consort has made up her very obsti-
| nate mind that the heir shall never
VIII readily be seen that this restric-
| ton. il it exists, reduces the available
royal princesses almost to the vanish
ing point. and it is this condition with
| re- httSt
In short, it is held that the prince
VIII have to marry in England. and
| that he will, moreover, be reduced to
| the necessity .of wedding a non-royal
| miss. There is no doubt that such
| development would not only be ex-
tremely popular in England, but it i'm
| medfately would restore to the throne
| the great popularity which it enjoyed
under King Edward, and which, be-
cause of the more diffident and re-
| served personality of the present king,
1t now lacks. There is no doubt that
one of the wisest moves of the royal
was the sending of the young prince
| to the front in Flanders. Undoubtedly
the great war has been, contrary to
many people who saw in 1t a danger to
| royalty and an impetus to democracy,
the best thing for royalty that hah hap
pened in many long day 1t has brought
out and focused all the latent loyalty
that undoubtedly exists to a large ex-
| tent not Only IN GFeat Britain proper,
but in the colonies as well. The forma-
ton of enormous armies and the prac-
tice of swearing the recruits to the
person of the king. instead of to the
| country and the flag, has undoubtedly
widely spread the intense loyalty to
the ruler which exists in the regular
army in time Of peace. and which was
so strikingly exemplified at the time
of the Curragh affair and the threat
| ened Ulster rebellion
| II 1t should be finally decided to pick
bride for the Prince of Wales from
among the many charming debutantes
of ducal or noble families of England.
| to no outsider will fall the honor. In
other words. the affair will be kept as
| nearly as possible ''in the family" and
| the choice of Queen Mary will fall upon
the daughter of some noble who is in
| the closest and most intimate relations
with the crown. There are. of course.
| several obvious possibilities in this rek
| spect. but it would be the merest guess
work to pick one: and 1t Is not the in
| tention of the writer to raise hopes
that may be rudely shattered In roval
matrimonial affairs Cupid hasn't even
an outside chance. and is usually wise
| enough to keep himself at a safe dis
| tance.