Evening star., 1951-10-04

pleasant superstition hope tina
This is the second Of three ortieIes by Nj
Steinkopf, who hos covered Londo
royoIty since ls47.
Princess Elizabeth. about to visi
Canada and the United Statei
with her husband, the Duke O.
Edinburgh. will bring good for.
tune to the British Common.
wealth of Nations. The Common.
wealth could use a little luck.
The journey to North America
by the Princess. who almost GER
tainly will be Queen some day, i
regarded by many as another anc
a highly important step in the
training of prospective severe
ign.
Recall Elizabeth and Victoria.
When the British speak of lucky
Queens they think. first of all. O.
Elizabeth and Victoria-Elizabett
who reigned in a lusty age of ex-
ploration and expansion, and Vic
toria who ruled more than hall
a century and made the prestige
of the empire an aWesome force
in the world.
Princess Elizabeth. it is hoped
might be another Victoria glori.
flying the realm, and there was
some ground for speculation that
making due allowance for changed
times. Elizabeth will emulate thu
formidable Queen of whom Rud
yard Kipling wrote:
Walk wide O. the widow al
Windsor
For 'alf O creation she own"
There are striking Similarities
Both Victoria and Elizabeth
were thoroughly prepared, by ed
ucation and spiritual condition
Ing" for their duties.
Both Married Foreigners
Both married foreign-born men
Victoria the German Prince Al
bert and Elizabeth the Greel
Prince Philip 1t was a Low,
match in each case. Both Sc
royal examples by starting to rea.
families promptly.
Victoria just never stepped ou
OF her role, and was sustained /,
1t by a strong sense of responsi
bility. She even cut her honey
moon to two days because sh,
couldn't trust the Prime Ministe
and Parliament alone in London
The sovereign today doesn'
have to worry about the Prim,
Minister and Parliament is com
pletely out of hand. The sovereign
does not need, in fact does no
dare, to manage details of admin
lstration. But Elizabeth has
sense of responsibility which
promises to be as powerful a
that which inspired Victoria. l
takes somewhat different direc
ton.
A Solid Example
Elizabeth, in the changed
world, could not concern hersel
with the material, day-to-da,
affairs Of the commonwealth
But she seems to hold, with Vic
torian zeal, that it is up to he
to provide firm spiritual leader
ship. She is the constant example
the champion of the solid British
virtues-industry, loyalty, faith
1ulnesS in private and public re
lationShips, fear of God, the clear
life. At the age of 25 it is a sobe
view to take. She is a great com
fort to the Archbishop of Canter
bury.
There are other reasons suggest
Ing that the Duke and the Prin
Cess Who probably will Be Queer
will set up modified and modern
lied Victorian sort of household.
Duke and Princess are thirt
cousins, and both are great-great
grandchildren of Queen Victoria
Elizabeth descended down tn,
male .ine-Edward VII, Georg
V and George vi The Duke cam
down the female line-Princes
Alice Princess Victoria and Prin
cess Alice of Battenberg. So ther,
is authentic Victoria blood il
both.
Victoria ruled many years will
an able consort at her side, Primo
Albert. If Elizabeth becomes tn
sovereign she. too, will have a con
sort, tut there are indications tina
the luke of Edinburg will be {;
different sort of consort. Alber