The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-14

Almost As Much Perturbed As
When Serious Suggestion
Was Made of American Wife
KING IS SYMPATHETIC
Influential People in London
Have Profoundly Advocated
''Britishization" Of Empire
BY PATRICK GALLAGHER

Nv PATRICK GALLAGHER
Written Expressly for Universal Service
LONDON, Jan. 1.-THE Primes
Of Wales wants to marry q British
bride and do the picking, the court,
ing and the asking himself.
The very idea has Mortified the
uftra-conservatives in British court
circles, almost as much as the sug
gestfon - seriously and earnestly
made by venerable privy council
Ior-that IAN American marriage
would be a good Investment for the
imperial crown in more ways than
one"
This information has Just reached
Washington.
sAlthough little more than hints
have been permitted to appear IN
print. 1t has been known here Tor
unite some time that influential
people in the British Empire have
been advocating the "Britishizatio
of the royal family.
KING Is '.SYMPATHETIC."
The war and the relationship OF
the crown to enemy crowns and
coronets merely intensified strong
popular feeling already in existence.
ment into account.
King George and other members
OF the royal family are said to be
'ssensitively sympathetic"
Also, the European upset has
caused q sad dearth Of eligible
royaf misses" because many
things have to be considered in
picking a bride for ''the little pink
prince"
Apart from rank and race. re
tigion has to be taken into account.
Some people close to the throne
would like very much to jump the
religious hurdle as well as aboisn
the coronation oath, which has been
edited and revised during the pres
ent century. in Difference to the
feelings of Catholics and others.
King Edward called the corona
ton oath "a monument of n1edieval
Madness because il insulted mil
lions OF British subjects. 1t is highly
unlikely, however. that g non-Prot
esfant would be chosen, although Il
- certain that an attempt is being
made to erase the religious line from
the foot of the throne.
CHARACTER THE POINT.
Character is usually the point
emphasized in selecting brides FOL
royal heirs. Department comes
next. Looks have to be considered
Henry the Eighth and George the
Fourth turned up-e their noses and
turned their backs on royal picture
brides when they failed to come UP
to expectations and the portrait
painters too clever 'beautification.'
The present heir to the British
throne is said to have quite a royal
eye for the lovely lasses, and what's
the use of being prince If you
can't marry the girl you love?
The elder statesmen OF England
or some Of them, shake their heads
Their thoughts are going back, just
now, to "the war Of the roses" the
other famous chapters Of English
history.
II would be good thing, they
say, to choose a British girl to be
the mother of future Emperor Of
the British Commonwealth Of ma
tons, but they fear 1t might be q
dangerous experiment.
COURT RIVALRY is BAD.
Court rivalry is bad enough, al
1t is, but there might be the deuce
marQuises and the earls, II thu
next princess Of Wales is picked
from any Of the noble houses tina
came over with the conquerori
In 1865 or the still older British
families that lost their lands to thu
Normans and look down on mert
plantagenet, just as the LIE Vere'
and the Towards and the Now
hal,
monocles and lorgnettes at still
age.
Thus, it has come about, I un
derstand, that Canadian or Ameri
can alliance has been advocated il
the highest court circles. 1t is no
suggested that Ambassador Georg'
Harvey has been approached OF
the subject, silk Knockers to tn,
contrary, notwithstanding.
Still, sometimes il is done tina
way; and there are wags who viii
have 1t that this-and not repara
lions, allied debts or European con
tinental commotions-accoun 70
the wrinkles on the brow OF tn,
editor>envoy. It is no easy thinj
to pick princess for a prince VIII
Is probably as good a picker a
ever picked for himself.
Untitled girls who might be will
ing to consider the prince as
lover and husband may be in
terested in knowing that Gf chosen
they would first be given requisit
rank before being led to the alta
1t Westminster Abbey.
There are presidents galore an
all tests aside stranger things haV
happened and are happening. Tha
- what people are saying who ca
every morsel Of the gossip fror
the Court Of st. James.