Evening star., 1923-10-31
BIZ THE MARauIsE DE FoNTENoY.

BA 1AE MARQCISE DE FONTENO1.
Lord Athlone's appointment to the
governor generalship of the au-
tonomous South African Union can
only be described as felicitous For
while as the youngest and favorite
brother of Queen Mary he is suf-
hciently near the throne to compel
Kim to remain aloof from all politi-
cal partisanship, both in the United
Kingdom and in it's oversee do
minions, and to maintain the same
degree of impartiality in this re-
spect as his only sister yet he is, in
no sense Of the word, royal. He is
not an English royal prince, nor
even A foreign one. He does not
lave to be addressed as sir or. as
''highness." He is a British peer
and a very gallant soldier, who was
born in England. educated at Eton,
received his military training at
Sandhurst. and has served as an
officer in the 7th Hussars and in
the Royal Horse Guards seeing
good deal OF campaigning against
the Mataheies in 1896, winning the
! distinguished service cross under
quarter of century ago. taking part
in the relief OF Kimberly and of
Maafking, and in nearly all the inn
portant actions in that South African
campaign, while. in the last great
inter ia tional conf1a graft he was at
the front in Belgium and in France
throughout the entire four years of
fighting, during 4 portion OF the
time as chief of the British mission
at Belgian headquarters.
He is tall, soldierly man. who has
inherited, in an exceptional degree
the good looks of his father. and also
Of his mother, the universally be-
loved Royal Princess Polly" of
Cambridge. who in her youth. and
before being overtaken by embon
prinoesses OF Europe. Her father,
Adolphus. Duke of Cambridge. was
the youngest son of King George
III. Lord Athlonc's father, the late
Duke of Teck, fought against the
Prussians. and in 1866 Won distinc-
at the battle of Sadova, was the son
of the Royal Prince Alexander of
Wurttemberg and of the Countess
Rhedey, whose ancestors at one time
reigned over Pennsylvania. In 1917
Lord Athlone relinauished the
Wurttemberg title of Prince of Teck,
which he had inherited from his
father, as well as the style of high
ness" to assume his mothers pa
tronymic of Cambridge and to be-
come peer of the British realm as
Earl of Athlone and Viscount Trema-
ton. the latter title being now borne
by his only son, now boy OF sixteen.
x y x 4
incidentally. it may be mentioned
that the earldom OF Athlone, created
by King William III-"Dutch Will
liam'-in favor of his trusted re-
tainer, Frederick Reinhardt van Reed
er became extinct with the death.
without issue, Of the last earl in 1874
Lord Athlene is married to Princess
Alice, only daughter of Queen Victoria's
youngest son, the late Duke of Albany,
and she is generally regarded as the
comeliest of all the members of the
reigning house of England. She is ex-
tremely sunny tempered, bubbling over
with "joie de viyre," and is bent on
amusement--in fact, she is extremely
fond of gayety. In spite of her reten-
ton Of her rank as royal princess, yet
she has always dispensed with the state
maintained by the other members of
the reigning house. She has no ladies
lains or eQuerries, and this freedom
which she has enjoyed OF the perpetual
attendance and escort Of members OF
the court has given her an independ-
ence of character and a simplicity OF
manner that are very captivating and
that will go far to win friends for her
in South Africa.
In one respect the new governor gem
eraI and his wife will differ from their
predecessors in South Africa. Prince
!. Arthur OF Connaught is well off, while
his wife, the Duchess OF Fife, is very
rich indeed, having inherited not only
the fortune Of her banker father, the
late Duke OF Fhe. but also the bulk OF