Evening star., 1923-12-10
BY TINE MARauIsE DE roNrENoY.

ihE MANAGISk DE FONTENOH.
Capt. Basil Brooke OF the Royal
Navy. who has just been appointed
by King George to succeed Wing
Commander Louis Greig as con-
trolier of tho household of the Royal
Duke and Duchess OF York. won the
English distinguished service order
and the cross Of the French Legion
OF Honor, as well as q number of other
as one of the commanders
of the channel patrol during the great
war, and is a grandson OF the late
Sir Arthur Basil Brooke and OF the
Honorable Lady Brooke, who, As a
young girl, was one of the favorite
maids Of honor OF Queen Victoria.
The Brookes of colebrook are an old
family of Ireland, which settled in
the Emerald Isle in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth. when Sir Basil Brooke
served her as governor OF Donegal
and received large grants of land in
County Fermanagh. where the head
Coleorook. The elder brother of
Capt. Basil Brooke used to be in the
diplomatic service. and 4 cousin, Col.
Ronald Brooke, D. s.. o., of the
11th Hussars. has an American wife
IN the person OF the daughter of the
late Orville Horwitx Of Baltimore,
formerly married to Claude G. Pom
sonby. whom she divorced In 1907.
Capt. Basil Brooke formerly served
on board the royal yacht, both prior
his retirement from the navy last
year. and, rs such, was brought into
intimate contact with the king and
queen and their children, and may be
said to have further strengthened the
regard in which he is held by them
through his marriage with the daugh-
ter of the late Capt. Cunninghame-
Grahame Of Ardoch and Gartmoore,
one OF the favorite members OF
the household Of the late King Ed
ward. Indeed. Mrs. Brooke Is god
daughter of Queen Alexandra.
X 4 x
Queen Marguerite OF italy has just
sustained a very severe loss through
the death Of one OF the Oldest Of her
ladies and closest friends, who had
been q member of her household since
her marriage, namely, Dona Torosa
Massimo, Duchess OF Rignano. by
birth q member OF the historic
princely Roman house Of Doria. She
was, in her middle age, a beauty OF
worthy Of the brush Of Titan. and
wasrunique In this respect, that Queen
Marguerite insisted upon her continu-
ing to remain a member OF her house
PEELED to separate from her husband.
consequent upon his incximinatton In
q most disgraceful public scandal
which entailed his universal ostracism
and his disappearance from society as
one Of its outcasts. The duchess re.
hn an
popular leaders Of the great world
Of the Eternal city, and her palace
on the AFRO Coeli Square was one OF
the meeting places OF both the Papal
and ouirinal society: Her cousin; the
wife had an American mother. in the
person Of the late Princess Brancaccio,
daughter OF Hickson Field of New
York, Is one OF tho principal lay
disnitaries of the pApacy. The Mas
snnns are eaaes rsaesa oe se
FaSrizzio Massimo being married to
the Royal Princess Beatrice of Bour-
bon, while the iato Prince Carlo
Massimo, head Of his house. hao as
mother a princess OF the now reign
daughter Of the Royal French
The Massimos claim to be the most
ancient family in Europe. tracing back
their descent, in an unbroken male
line, to Quintius rAbius Maximus, the
Roman conqueror Of the Carthaginian
general Hannibal. When Napoleon
aaked, with = sneer. Of the great.
Grandfather Of the present head OF
the house OF Massimo. whether he
was really descended from the cele-
brAted Roman general, the prince re-
piled: well. they have been saying
10 here for the last thousand years
or more" The Msssimo palace Is one
81 the best known landmarks of the
Eterral city, and Is known as the
Palace of the Columns. which latter
har It Is the masterpiece and the
last work OF the great architect Ball
dassare Peruzzi, and is thrown open
to the public only once alyear. on
the anniversary OF = miracle that
m, = small room, Prince PAolo Mas.