Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-22


THERE is no question that the grand
wedding Of Mrs William B. Leeds,
widow Of Americas late Tin Plate
King" to Prince Christopher, younger
brother of the exiled ex-king Of Greece,
was very largely spoiled for the bride and
bridegroom by the surprisingly unbrother.
ly conduct of the former monarch and his
resentful and America-hating wife The
former Queen of Greece, it will be remem.
hered, is the sister OF the former Kaiser
OF Germany.
Prince Christopher, IL is we'll known,
has been eager to make the very rich Mrs
Leeds his bride for several years; that is,
from period antedatng the war. That
catastrophe. which brought so much
trouble to his family, necessarily deferred
the happy event. When, the war at Inst
over. tho announcement o. the forth
coming nuptials was made, it was sup
posed OF course that Prince Christopher
mad secured his once-auguSt brothers con-
sent, and that the ceremony would be
sraced by the presence Of the ex-King and
ex.Queen. Certainly Mrs. Leeds thought
so and hoped so-for Constantine and his
wife, though eNiles. are still great person
ages in the host of cXiled royalties who
live in Switzerland.
But the wedding took place and neither
came Nor did they send congratulations.
good wishes or even the smallest wedding
present!
The reason for this has just leaked. =
The kicked-out King of Greece didn't go
TO his younger brothers wedding because
his Queen. Sophia, wouldn't let him.
What" the once royal lady is said to
have cried. "You promised christopher
you would go! Well, you won't! Don't
You know she's an American, and II it
wasn't for America and that hateful Pres.
ident Wilson we'd still be on our thrones
and dear brother Wilhelm would still he
on his? Go to an Americans wedding, en-
courage an American. Nicht!"
And so Constantine did not go. Further
more to keep peace in his own family he
hes semi-publicly declared that he wouldn't
have gone. anyway, and has broken off all
relations not only with his brother for
marrying an American but with his
mother, the Dowager Queen Olga, Tor at.
tending their wedding
Besides the handicap Of the war to this
notable international romance, Prince
Constantine, since the very beginning OF
the struggle, has had to face the disap.
prevail OF his shrewish.tongued. dominoer-
ing sister-inaw, who declared that as long
as she was Queen OF Greece she would
admit no American to the royal circle
Everybody knows that the Queen was
tho most active agent during the war in
HoihinS tot ner pTotner, the Kaiser. IN
Greece Her husband, King Constantine,
endeavored, with considerable dexterity,
TO hold neutral position between the
Allies and the Central Powers, but his en-
crgetic wife was always pushing him TO
fight for the Kaiser She made Greece a
centre for German espionage and war nc
iivities and enabled German submarines
to obtain supplies and information on the
Greek coast
Finally the Allies and the Greek politt.
cal leader. Eleuthcrios Venizelos, forced
Alng Constantine to abdicate his throne,
and then Greece entered the war on the
Allied side. Constantne's second son
Alexander. was chosen King. because his
oder brother, George, Duke Of Sparta, had
shown positive tendency to follow his
1mperious mothers political views.
Even When Constantine abdicated under
iofce and left Greece on an Allied warship.
his aggressive wife up TO the last moment
roundy abused him for his s,,hrnjss,on
and declared that ne should have died
Hgnl'ng Tor the kaser's interests. which
sne SAID were identical with those OF ali
kings. No queen OF the present day hos
shown anything like the pugnacious shirt
OF this eNiled royalty.
When Constantine was detbronea o,a
exilcd, neither he nor his wife had anu
power to forbid the marriage Of Pr;nca
christopher and his American bride Tbe
iaiien monarch and his Queen wen, TO live
IN luxurious villa OF the shores of bean.
tiful Lake Constance. and here tbev moin.
tanned form OF royal court althoueb IN
the soil OF republican Switzerland. oA
Ex-hing Constantine who ia not with.
ont amiability, looked tolerantly on tho
love analr OF his young brother, hut hIa
queen continued her opposition as h ,ns
terly as ever "S oil-
The Prince endeavored to placate b,s
angry sister-in-law, hut only to bring don ,'n
storm OF condemnation on himself
Finally the day of the wedding was aXod
"ne Prince, 1t was said, had secured the