CAN A QUEEN BE HAPPY?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 18 (Supplement)

CAN A QUEEN BE HAPPY?

TRAGIC LIVES OF ROYAL WOMEN. SORROWS OF MARGHERITA. HER ROYAL HUSBAND'S INTRIGUES. . (By LARRY RUE.) The stories of Royal households, stripped of the glamour with which the public imagination surrounds sovereigns, are frequently unhappy ones. You have only to recall the black shadows which hovered over the Dowager Empress of Russia, the exile and apprehensions of Zita of Austria, the patient suffering ol Victoria, wife of Frederick 111. of Germany, and the scores of other tragic lives of Royal women to realise how often unhappiness is the handmaid of queens. And these queens are but a few .of those sad women who sat in tears at a ruler's side. ' \ -~ The sorrows'of all those Queens have been common knowledge. A singular ■ parallel' to their unhappy lives, due to similar causes, is found in the career of the late Queen Margherita of Italy. This raises the question whether a queen has the same chance for romance and happiness as her less favoured sisters. Here is Margherita's story. Maria Margherita Teresa Giovanna di Savoia," this very Christian Queen, Mother of Modern Italy, was entombed in a niche once consecrated to a pagan god in one of the most famous pagan temples of the world, the Pantheon at Rome, now a Catholic Church. This tribute symbolises her triumph in religion and state. , In being buried next to King Umberto she achieves in death what she failed to attain in life—unshared nearness to her husband. For although her influence was great in the Church and supreme in the State and home, she was humiliated and heartbroken by love. Her political achievements and charitable works would fill a-volume. Even at the age when most grandmothers sit drowsing by the fireside, the vigour of her mind and interest in the State was unimpaired. The sheaf of red flowers sant by. Mussolini to "the adored Queen Mother" alone a'dorned her coffin from the villa to the station, and bore testimony to the great fact that the tremendous experiment of Fascism, which for good or evil has irretrievably changed the destiny of Italy and may possibly influence the world, is in a large measure due to' the restless temperament and the aspiring vision of Queen Margherita.

Background of Sordid Tragedy. But in her private life sha was not so successful. Her story reads like a dramatic novel with a Royal background and an unspeakably 3ordid love tragedy. ' ' ' " In 1868, at the age of 17, when she became the wife of.Prince Umbcrto, all the kingdom rejoiced, and when the future Queen arrived at court, the people declared that there never was a lady of more grace and beauty than she. Margherita's tenderest and fondest hopes were for her' gay and dashing Umberto." With his dreamy eyes and flowing moustache he seemed to, her an ideal prince. She dearly loved him and for a time marital bliss was reflected in her radiant face. But she was destined to be the victim of that most relentless of despots—love. In Rome at that time there was a beautiful Countess who had Leen the mistress of Napoleon 111. and was tlien the mistress of King Victor Emmanuel 11., Umberto's father. It was whispered behind fans that, as Napoleon's favourite, the beautiful and ambitious Countess, had played as important a political role as the famous Countess Casrigliono. The beautiful Countess was like a gorgeous siren in the, Wagnerian operas. Princess Margherita had seen her when attending opera with her Viennese governess, Baroness * Rosa Kor dc Rudelsdorft. Because of her ancient and distinguished family the lovely Countess was received everywhere. Her husband, bore the noble title of Count de Torrecusa. She was a tall blonde with luxuriant golden hair and skin like peachy blossoms. The Princess heard it whispered that no man could resist the charms of this siren. When Umberto became lie ■bestowed upon the Count the more imposing title of Due de Cito de Tifomarino as a sop to the lafcter's reticence and connivance in the relationship of the Countess and the monarch. . Malicious whispers reached the ears of. the Queen, but she did not lose her poise, although the scandal was enhanced by the fact that the beautiful Countess was not only her husband's mistress, but had played a similar role in the life of his father. This was the Queen's first disillusionment. Angry words were exchanged between the Royal pair. The Qiieen was barely nineteen. The suffering of childbirth, her own disappointment in love temporarily dimmed the beauty and broke her own moral to the point where she was forced to obey the command of .the King and accept her rival, the Duchess; as her lady in waiting. Wins Back Her Husband. .Though'her' young heart was broken, she affected an indifference to the liaison. She immediately turned her attention elsewhere, finding solace in religion, her children, politics, and in self-develop-ment, cultivating a varied interest in books and art. Her assiduity soon .created for her a reputation a3 "one of the most charming and gracious hostesses, of her time. She was all woman. She revelled in exquisite clothes. She had a passion for pearls, heeding not the Italian superstition that they mean tears. • . The devout figure of the Queen, her head veiled in black lace, kneeling on her pridieu, before her private altar, clasping her crucifix to her heart, was immortalised in pictures. It is the pose which she herself liked best and throughout, the kingdom this-picture became a favourite with her people. And her prayer was answered. There vere cynice who remarked that it was because the people knew for what ehe was praying that the King was forced to end this scandal and accede to public opinion. It is certain that divine providence was aided by her delicate femininity. At any rate, she won her husband's from this, blonde goddesa. .Already she had become, through her individual hold upon her subjects and her influence in her husband's ministry, a power to be reckoned with. It was not long before she managed to have the erstwhile power behind the throne of three generations banished from the court entirely.

> A period of comparative happiness followed. If her husband strayed, he did j not flaunt his unfaithfulness before her eyes. During this respite from the humiliation of competing for h,er .husband's love she was often seen in the Borghese with her children. Sometimes she read to them. . . I It' has been remarked that she was particularly fond of English literature; Thackeray, Dickens, Browning were especial favourites. In later life as her beauty began to wane she again lost her husband, and this time she never got him back. He had fallen in love with Countess Piccolomini. Frantically Queen Margherita sought beauty cures and an elixir to restore her youth. But, the lack of her husband's caresses kept the lustre from her eyes. And all her efforts \o restore her youth and beauty or to win him back were wasted. Umberto Accepts a Challenge. So violent was the King's passion for his new mistress he threw discretion to the winds. In utter disregard to the feelings and reputation of her husband, he would leave his carriage waiting outside her door for hours. This public affront was too much for Count Piccolomini. In true Italian fashion he challenged the King to a duel. With public bravado the King accepted. Seconds were appointed. Just before the time set for the clash of royal swords the King withdrew. He wa,s reminded that although he might have a liaison with their wives, none of his subjects were permitted to meet him on terms of equality which the etiquette of duelling implies.. Queen kept .her sorrow to herself. Failing to win back her husband, she turned with fanatical ardour to the Church. She was known to stay -for hours an her knees in her private chapel. This time her prayer was not answered. King Umberto gave the last of his life to the Countess Piccolomini. In spite of an overwhelming sense of propriety, the bitter facts of life overcame Queen Margherita and she resigned herself ta the affaire d'amour which ehe could not break up. Her Majesty even permitted the Countess Piccolomini a moment alone Avith his body when it was lying in state in the palace. Possibly because she herself had been, cheated out of love, she adopted a cynical attitude toward the love of others and relentlessly, sometimes even with cruelty, destroyed -love's young dream among members of the court. Such was her destruction of a real romance between the American girl Katherine Elkins, of Washington, and the Due d'Abruzzi. Both continents hailed this proposed match as a victory of love. But the Queen was adamant. She insisted it was beneath an Italian prince to marry one not of rjyal blood— and the Prince obeyed her' j instructions. The Queen Mother's villa on the Italian Riviera was presented to convalescent soldiere. Its walls were stripped of the brocades and pictures. But the spirit of that brave and noble lady must linger to cheer and console the poor soldiers who in the future may see the far-away smile and think of Queen Margherita's motto— "Tutto e sempre por la patria." (."Star" and Anglo-American N.S. Copyright.)