THE DUKE OF EDIN BURGH AND HIS WIFE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1703, 4 November 1887, Page 4

THE DUKE OF EDIN BURGH AND HIS WIFE

The marked coldneas with which tha Dake of Edinburgh was trtated, nut only by the people, bat also by his relatives, daring the recent Jubilee festivities m London, has aroused mo eh comment, and it Traa noted that not a single member of the royal family considered it worth hia while to be present at the railway depot when he left England on his return to Malta. It appears that m addition to hit numerous obj =ctioaabl« and unpleasant habits the Duke has lately taken to heavy drinking, a fact which has served to render the relations between the Duchess and her husband even more than usually strained. The Imperial lady is far from being as ungracious as popular report and her somewhat glum appearance would suggest, and is m reality a kind-hearted and singularly seDslWe woman, with what may be politely termed an extraordinary firmness of disposition. She is the only one of the Qaeen'i daughters-in-law who, on account of her wealth and exalted rank by birth and character, Is able to stand her ground or meet Her Majesty on eqaal terms. The Qjeen has * great respect and even lilting for her Russian daughter-in-law. When the latter arrived In Ecgland after her marriage the sovereign so far exerted herself as to greet her son's bride at the railway station, instead of waiting for her In the Oastle— an unheard of attention and one that produced its effect. The only painting whioh hangs m the Queen's private breakfast room at Windsor, besides a portrait of the iate Prince Conic rt, is an excellent picture of the Duoheas by Angeli The name of " Mario "ia far more frequently on Her M; je«ty' 8 li pB than that of the Princees of Wales, who doas not stand high m thd Queen's favor, and the old lady is repotted to enjoy nothiDg more than to liaten to the racy and slightly aoid descriptions of mutual acquaintauc- 1 as given by her Kussian daughter-in-law, even occasionally becoming quite quizzcal herself. It moat, however, be added that the two ladies scarcely see enough of each other to get on bad termß.— Correspondent "flew xork World,"