The Press. SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1903. ROYAL MESALLIANCES.
Events follow each other qmcldy in the Royal family of A<nstria, LiMSe more ttaa a month ago two of its member* broke away frcen tlhe circle and relinquished thek righte aaid privilege» for ti» desire of their hearts. Now we hear of another w3» wishes to follow tiheir example, renounoe his dignities and birthright, and many a tradesman's daughter. One might fear for the future of tine Austrian Royal family, this habit of making mesalliances seems so infectious, were it not tihait there etill remain some seventy odd archdukes and archduchesses, of all ages, some close enough in kinship to the bead of the family, the Emperor, to be in the direct line of succession, while others are so remotely connected as to be little more than hangejs-on to the fringe of Royalty. Since King Caphetua wedded the beggar maid, •Royalties have, ever and anon, developed a. habit of "marrying ibeneath them," as th« phrase goes, though in some cases it has been true only so far as the rank of the- Royal suitor was concerned. The history of the House of Hapsburg could doubtless snow incidents of this kind ever since its foundation, but probably at no time in its annals iLave tiiey been «o frequent as of Late. The pioneer in recent times may be assumed to be the Archduke John S&lvator of Tuscany. The grand-dukes of Tuscany are the hfade of a non-regnant branch of the Hapsburgs, and the precise relationship of the Archduke Jdhn to the Emperor is to be found in the pages of the "Almanack de Gotha" by those who are curious in genealogies. In 1889 the Archdake, renouncing hits α-ask, adopted the name <f "'John Orth," and married an ex-actress in London. . Having always had a taste for the sea, he became captain of a merchant vessel, and has never since been, heard of. It is ibelieved tliat his ship foundered with all hands off Caipe Horn, but for years stories were current as to the ex-Arohdrake living on adventurous life in South America.
The Archduke Leopold Ferdinand, the eldest brother of the Crown Princes* of Saxony, who joined her in her recent flight, is a nephew of "John Orth," whose dislike for the conventions he eeenu to have imitated closely. Hie romance is also connected with a girl of humble birth, for whose sake he forsook the Court, returned all his Orders, resigned his colonelcy, and relinquished hje claim, to all his privileges, save his share of the family fortune. The young kdy of his heart is the daughter of a post office official, and ia extremely beautiful. Rather more than six years ago the Archduke fell violently in loro with the daughter of Don Carlos, the Spanish Pretender. The close connection between the Austrian Royal Family and that of Spain prevented any marriage takI ing place, and both the young people were" plunged in despair, from which the lady, escaped by eloping with an artist, while the Archduke commenced a career of diseipa/tioa and embraced Anarchist doctrines. His vein of eccentricity developed until, after .trying to many « waitress, he w»s placed in an aeylum. On restoration lo liberty ihe at once fell in love with xbe young woman with whom he has just eloped. Tftir relations at length came to the knowledge of ,the Emperor, who forbade him to see the girl aga-n, and refused to consent to the morgajna 4 b marriage upon which the Archduke was bent. He was ordered to travel to "divert hi* thoughts," but ihe paid no more attention to fchi» command! than, to tie other and the - end of the matter came when, openly sympathising with his sister, Vsie' Prliiccw LooLse of Saxony, !he and his" inamorata shared in her flight with the French rutir." In future he will be known as Uinr L«o----,poJd Wolfling, hie name will be obliterated from the family records, and he is forVdden to eet foot on Austrian soil. The fact that another Archduke desires to relinquish his rank end marry a tradeaman's daughter shows that these punitive measures fail in their object. After all, one need not regret these incJdenta, for marriage with commoners are much better than the inter-n»arriagee wiodob may be .pantiy responsible for come of the Hapeburg eccentricities and the - many seneational scandals connected with that Royal House. .x
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Press, Volume LX, Issue 11496, 31 January 1903, Page 6
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731The Press. SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1903. ROYAL MESALLIANCES. Press, Volume LX, Issue 11496, 31 January 1903, Page 6
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