The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-03-14
Rumanian Royal Youngster Re,
ported Engaged to ComeIy
Spanish Princess
llEANA STILL LOVES 'LEXY'
Prince of Wales Scuttled GOSSIP
of Himself and Princess
With Few Words
BY MILTON

WHICH nave touched the royal faTni
, of Rumania, the speculative odds a
| about even now as to whether Il
} DoWager Queen Marie is to see h
younger o safely married into II
ruling house of Spain. For gossip
European capitals is rife these da,
to the effect that an engagemel
soon will be announced betwee
young Prince Nicholas and the II
tanta Maria Christina.
Other queen-mothers of moder
Europe have been blessed with fair]
~tractable offspring in matters matri
monial. But not Marie. First he
elder son., the former Crown Primo
Carol. accepted disinheritance rathe
than forego his attachment to a Ger
tain red-headed charmer. Scarcel
had talk Of this died down than Mich
olas, also reported to be most respon
sive to feminine appeal, departed 70
Paris to keep rendezvous with
blonde.
Ordered Nicky Home
Mama Marie didn't hesitate thi
time. One naughty boy in the famil.
was enough. So she delivered an I'll
timatum to Nicky. He was to com,
home, and at once, and be very good
or he would meet Carols fate Of dis,
inheritance. Nicky went home.
Next was announced the engage.
ment of Princess 1leana, fairest Of al
Europe,s royal maidens, to Count AL.
exander Won Hochberg. Of Germany, 9
glorified commoner. But something
went wrong. and the affair still Is
ranging between contradictions and
counter denials.
This Nicholas Maria romance. how
ever, seems to be the real thing, and
II it is it will unite two youngsters
who not only are distant cousins but
who are both blood relations Of King
George OF England. Their mothers,
Queen Marie and Queen Ena, are first
cousins Of the British monarch. and
the children had English Quotations
Nicholas and Elton and the Infanta
by an English governess and frequent
trips to London.
But Maria Christina is the daugh-
ter OF an Inflated royal family on it's
Spanish side. To 60 no farther back
than her own grandfather-he died
OF tuberculosis. A posthumous child
was born to his widow. so that Al
fonso X1I1-itself an unlucky number
is the only reigning monarch who
has been king from the day of his
birth.
On the morning alfonso was mar
rled in Madrid to his fair-haired Eng
lish bride a bomb was tossed at their
carriage. Neither was injured, but
they were spattered with the blood of
less fortunate victims. Ill luck pur-
sued them. Their eldest son, heir to
the throne, Is suffering from an ILL
about which secrecy always has
3een maintained. For many years the
second brother has been afflicted with
deafness.
Escaped tho Jinx
The two daughters. however, the
.nfanta Beatrix and the younger
Maria Christina, seem to have escaped
he jinx. Both arc tall, strong, fair
haired girls who excel at outdoor
ports. Maria has won minor cham
'ionships at tennis. and not long ago
eceived a prize for her dancing at a
london charity ball.
AS Is the custom will, queens with
'retty manageable daughters, Marie
olemnly paraded Ileana about
Rumors were as numerous
s definite developments were scarce.
he Prince OF Wales scuttled some !
1ost interesting gossip when he called
er "a nice little kid" Then her
anne was ~variously linked with those
T Prince Amadeo. son OF the Duke !
+ Aosta Of the Italian royal house;
rchduke Albrecht. whom some are
outing for the throne of Hungary:
, bachelor King Boris of Bulgaria.
What the goSsips did not know was
1at during a shopping trip in Paris
le met a tall. fair-haired young man
no won her fancy. It was two years
ter while visiting in Munich that
re met him again. and it was then
lat she is reported to have said to
er mother:
1T will be Lexy or nobody. I don't
ant to marry a king. I don't want
marry a royal prince. I want to
in Rumania. and I would rather
We there than be a queen in any
her country"
'Lcxy' Half English
"Lexy" was Count Alexander Won
ochberg. The name sounds suffi- !;
emily German, but he really is half
His mother was the famed
auty. Daisy Corvallis West, who
arried the Prince Of Pless. AS Prin-
SIS Pless, she, vas one of the beauties
the German court and a very great
vorite Of ex-Kaiser Wilhelm. He
friended her while many in Pots
m viewed her askance because she
Is English.
vas christened at the {
,yal Chapel III London, the god
n OF King George and Of the
Queen Amanda. He was
ut to Christs College. Oxford Uni $
rsity. and later put to work in an ,
lglish bank. He enjoyed consider :
lie social position. but little money. : :
The Count left Bucharest and word :
S Issued that Princess Ileana had =
minated her !. engagement. The :,
Ter day. on a yachting cruise, she :
aled 1t, declaring she still intended :
marry Alexander. =
Ind she may, II she chooses to do i,