Evening star., 1942-08-26


England and the dukes oldest BROTH
er, the Duke of Windsor, in the
Bahamas.
Messages from all corners of the
world flowed into London British
editorials stressed the death as proof
that Britain, from her highest
family to her most humble, was in
the war to the finish.
"He would not have wished for a
better epitaph than that so con-
cisely written for him in the Air
Ministry communique, Killed on
active service" said the Daily
Sketch.
This war has left no family un-
. scathed," said the Express. "The
, homes of the poor have been
, bombed. Buckingham Palace, too
The mothers and wives who have
already lost their menfolk on active
service will personally share the
grief of the royal family"
Because of the wartime necessity
for secrecy concerning the move
ments of the royal family, the flu
neral is expected to be private.
Began as "Sailor Prince"
- The Duke of Kent, christened
George Edward Alexander Edmund,
Ewas chosen by his father to carry
on the family tradition by being "a
: sailor Prince" but he turned out to
be instead the most air-minded OF
the four royal brothers.
Born December 20, 1902. he en-
tered the Royal Naval Training Col
lege at Dartmouth, England, a few
months before his 14th birthday.
He passed as a midship-
man in 1921 and spent eight
years with the Mediterranean and
Atlantic fleets, the China squadron
and also did duty on the America
and West Indies station.
But i'll health and not over
strong constitution forced him much
against his own wishes to relinquish
a naval career in March, 1929. He
was then attached to the Foreign
Office in order to gain knowledge of
administration and the work of the
department of state.
Thus Prince George, as he was
then called, became the first civil
servant in the royal family.
His duties at the Foreign Office
were undertaken with the view Of
fitting him for the position Of gov
ernor general Of one of the do
minions.
Ill Health Interferes.
But ill health again interfered
with his plans and in July, 1929,
he was given an indefinite leave of
absence from the Foreign Office
owing to digestive troubles.
Flying, hunting, dancing, music
and motoring all attracted him and
he was acknowledged to be the best
car driver and the best dancer in
the royal family.
A certain shyness which made it.
self apparent IN his public appear
ances added q special charm to his
personality.
While he was in the navy he took
the opportunity of visiting Mary
Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks at
their home in Hollywood.
After visiting Norway in Decem-
ber, 1880, to represen. the King and
queen at the celebration of the 25th
anniversary of King Haakon's ac-
cession, the Duke (still Prince George
at that time) set out on one of
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undertaken-an 1900 mile tour Of
South America with his oldest
brother, the then Prince Of Wales
who was later to become Edward
VIII.
On his return he made series
Of tours through industrial Britain.
Engaged in Five Days.
Early In 1884 he made 81, 1,000-
mile tour of South Africa-Rhodesia
the Belgian Congo and Portuguese
territory.
This was to have been followed by
a visit to Australia for the Victoria
centenary celebrations, but it was
felt the strain would be too great,
Notwithstanding that his physique
had improved so much that while in
South Africa he had climbed Table
Mountain.
Instead of Australia he went to
Yugoslavia, visit which eliminated
in the announcement in August of
his betrothal to Princess Marina,
youngest daughter of Prince and
Princess Nicholas of Greece.
A month before his marriage he
became the Duke of Kent, Baron
Downpatrick and Earl of st. An
drews-the first Duke of Kent since
1893.
The marriage, in November, 1884
was the outstanding social event OF
the year. The ceremony in West
minister Abbey was broadcas'
throughout the empire, North anc
South America and Europe.
The courtship had been rapid
Five days after the Duke arrived il
Greece on holiday he sent mes.
senger to Buckingham Palace to ash
for formal permission to become en-
gagged. The consent was given b,
telegram.
Thoughtful of Others.
Thoughtfulness for others was on
of the Dukes characteristics and i
was not surprising that he and hi
bride made their first public appear
ance after the wedding by attendin,
a mot Forgotten" Association
Christmas tea party for disabled ex
servicemen at Buckingham Palace.
The Duke filled every moment Q
his time after the outbreak of tn
war in the performance of a variet
of official duties, including persona
visits to war victims, the wounde
and the bombed.
He was in personal danger man
times from bombs, shells and ma
chine-gun fire. Only a week ag
while he was staying on the sout
coast enemy raiders bombed an
machine -gunned the town he wa
visiting. In November, 1910, Germa
shells from the French coastal bat
teries fell in Dover during his vis
there. During the battle of Britai
he missed bombs dropped on
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