The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-17
'ENelAAD's next QUEEN
/ May Be AMERICAN GIRL
BY WILLIAM J. BUTLER.

London, Feb. ls.-The~ next Queen
Of England may be An American girl,
The Prince of Wales shortly will visit
the United States and may return with
An American bride. King George him
self. understand, on excellent author
ity. liz not averse to this.
The war has narrowed the field of
choice for royal marriages on the old
II z y~S-s~4~tr-iy ,As>@itAan -apd nysna--
dent. There Is a Keen deAire here
that the prince SHOULD be allowed to
choose for himself an American wife.
The enthusiasm on both sides OF the
Atlantic would be unbounded and the
union would go far toward cementing
the bond OF friendship, now closer
than ever between the United States
mad Britain
The fact la there Is nothing to pre-
vent an unmarried sovereign OF Great
Britain marrying whom he chooses,
providing the proposed consort is
not a Roman Catholic. The idea of a
royal caste exclusively marrying with
in itself is no part OF English law and
forms no written part of any CONT
mental constitution.
1t existed only az part OF the
house laws" of the different leu
tonic dynastic@. member Of the
lcastc could only marry within It All
inca pablo Of royal inheritance.
But the democratic principles of
real lighting herman" like the Prince
OF wales can't see this unwrttten
royal tomfoolry interfering. and
Canadian officers who have fought
and worked with him on the western
front give 1t to me first hand that he'll
marry whom he pleases and make her
his queen sans morgantic. sans his
torfc precedent
why, mes a real man. There's
none OF the aristocratic bunk about
him. Dye know, while 1 was with
him on the western front We had a
helluva time keeping him out OF the
front line trenches. He'd try to sneak
into 'em, and fight with the boys, OF
course we couldn't let him risk the
chance of capture. because there
would be one big German hulla.balo
and raising of tho Boche morale, but
IL goes to show where that kid stands.
And when il comes to marrying / got
1t from him straight: he'll pick out
girl he loves no matter whether she's
a princess or the daughter of the
butcher, the baker or the candlestick
maker"
Thus Lieutenant Jack GiIlea. of
Detroit, characterized the Prince of
Wales. He's an outstanding. clean
NHdVen. athletic type Oh SOunBSler IN
his early twenties. and during the
war he has been connected with the
Royal Air Force as an officer.
The exact date OF the princes trip
to the United States and the Domtn-
ions has not been decided, but / UNI
derstand 1t will be soon and may prob
ably result in a romance. the exam
pie of which would be infectious and
doubtless open Up dramatic possibili-
ties .-.....,
Already in London It is whispered
the embryonic romance centers about
a young American heiress at New
port, while there are other mentions
OF "eiigibies' in New York, Chicago,
Boston and other American centers
There is a story that when Great
Britain declared war on Germany the
Prince OF Wales first remark to his
! sister was heartfelt Thanksgiving
that they would both be spared Ger
man partners
| But there are still marriage cable
princesses in other European coun-
tries The name of Princess Yolanda
OF Italy has been particularly mon
toned during the princes visits to
that country; but she Is a Roman
Catholic, Marriage with Roman
Catholic would involve the forfeiture
of the right of succession except by
special act OF parliament
| Princess Marie of Rumanta, Prin-
cess elizabeth of Rumania, or Prin
cess Margaret OF Denmark might be
chosen. but the prospect would arouse
| little enthusiasm. Princess Helena of
Greece is no longer talked OF as a
future queen.