Evening star., 1932-03-27
No More Royal Worviies for alfonso
Spain, Whob Is Happy in Exile, 1
Himself to Business and Sports;
Who Is Sure HIS Banishment
From Throne Is Temporary and
Expects History to Repeat Itself

beamed. He is Santa Claus without a
beardi"
Sports, which formerly occupied such
great place in the life of the King of Spain,
do not play the same role in his life as an
exile. Not very long ago Alfonso still played
several rounds of golf each day, reyeled in the
dash and zest of fast polo game, burned up
the road in his superb cars. hunted and played
an excellent game of tennis almost as good a
game as the royal champion, Gustave King of
Sweden.
Today he contents himself with assisting in
the tennis and golf parties of his daughters.
The children, Beatriz and Maria Cristina, are
excellent golfers and still better tennis players,
who do not miss chance to perfect themselves
in matches with the great champions. Since
great sporting meets frequent at Fontaine-
bleau. the young ladies have played with
Cochet, the champion of the world and most
of the English and European crack players.
IT Is true that the worries of state trouble
j the Kings tranquility no longer but he has
new worries, those of business. Alfonso XIII
has transformed himself into a business man,
directing fortune of $40 900 000 and he takes
this occupation very seriously. His immense
fortune is placed for the greater part, in indus
trial enterprises, which the King likes to watch
near at hand. He is very prudent man of
affairs, and though he listens to the advice of
counselors, likes to act for himself. He travels
frequently to other countries to ascertain true
business conditions. +.
His majesty is economical NOWADAYS Formerly
he never travelled except in a special train. But
that was during the epoch in which the state
paid the expenses. Today these sums must
come from his own pocketbook. and ir place of
a special train Alfonso reserves one compart-
ment which he shares with his major domo,
Prince Miranda, and his first secretary, who
accompany him upon all his trips.
Although the royal family does not really
feel at ease in the hotel of Fontainebleau it is
not eager to acquire chateau Several times
there have been rumors of such a purchase
but the affair has never been concluded-al-
ways because of too high price Recently it
was believed that Alfonso XIII was going to
buy the chateau of Gotivier for 10000 900
francs. but atethe last moment his majesty
abandoned this project, not wishing to convert
such large sum into real estate. Moreover
1t has been revealed by one of the intimates
Of the King that his majesty has no Intention
of choosing a permanent residence, for he con-
siders the migration Of the Bourbons as
transitional period and wishes to emphasize
this attitude by living in hotel. ,'-i'.'
In the Hotel apartment at Fontainebleau the
life of the Spanish court is carefully followed
out, though upon modest scale. In the great
dining room one finds not the gareons Of the
hotel, but the lackeys Of the court of Madrid
ana olnner is served every evening with the
traditional pomp of the old days. No matter
how exciting may be the attraction of the
afternoon every member of the royal family
must be present for it is the will of the King"
After dinner, the royal family and its guests
remain together for a long time. Etiquette
relaxeS slightly The Queen plays mahjong,
her fayorite game, if she succeeds in finding
opponents. The children, like the King prefer
bridge. which forms part of the order of the
day in the refuge of the eXiles
On Sunday the court chaplain, r, p. Don
Uriza,. celebrates mass in salon of the hotel
which has been transformed into chapel No
one can evade this ceremony, neither the
members of the royal family nor the aristocrats
who accompanied the King into exile nor the
domestics, Alfonso XIII himself makes sure
that every one is present.
Apart from Sunday mass and the daily
ceremonial dinner, the members of the family
are left to crafty their favorite whims. The
Queen reads many books and INDUCES in her
pet delight-shopping In company with
her daughters or lady of the court, she visits
the chic stores of the Rue de la Paix almost
daily and is frequently to be seen in the modest
stores of Fontainebleau -
The royal family often goes to the theater.
The boys, Don Gonzalo and Don jaime, are
habithes of o'clock teas at the chic hotels;
with their professors of military instructors
they attend parties and enjoy dancing, though
they have" rigid instructions not to visit night
clubs. -s,. 80. = -s9;-' -'.' -. i
Their father has much more democratic tastes
in regard TO amusement. He is friend of the
great boulevards and likes TO enter little shops
or sit on the veranda of cafe and listen to the
talk Of wandering pedders. He finds much
pleasure Qin this diversion and buys often.
although he scarcely deludes himself in resard
to the value of the merchandise. When he is
in good humor, he willingly allows himself to
be photographed in the street.-the who has such
horror of official photographs. 4.i.sa ~ ..