The Royal Marriage Treaty.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 242, 30 June 1874, Page 3

The Royal Marriage Treaty.

(Home News.) The treaty between the Queen and the Emperor of Russia for the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna has been presented to Parliament, and printed. The treaty, which consists of twenty-one articles, was signed at St. Petersburg on the 22nd January, 1874, and the ratifications were exchanged on the 29th January. Article three provides that the Ducbess is not to be in any way hindered in the full, free, and unrestrained exercise of the religious profession of the orthodox church, but shall nevertheless of her own free will accompany the Duke to chapels and churches of the Established Churches of England and Scotland, and other Protestant churches and chapels at all times when it shall be fitting that she should assist at ceremonies and other public acts which may take place therein. Children born of the marriage are to be brought up as Protestants. By article five the Emperor assigns to his daughter the usual marriage portion granted to emperors’ daughters of 1,000,000 roubles (about £150,000), which is to remain for ever in Russia, and bear interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, which will be paid halfyearly to Her Imperial Highness, who is to have the separate and exclusive enjoyment of it, and is to be at liberty to dispose of it by will. The Emperor also, “as a mark of his particular affection, and which is not to be considered as a precedent for the future,” grants to the Duchess an annual sum of 75,000 roubles (£11,250) for life, which her Royal Highness is also to be at liberty to dispose of according to her own free will and pleasure. The Emperor also assigns to his daughter a special marriage portion of 1,000,000 roubles (£150,000), to be dealt with in the same manner as the ordinary marriage portion. Her Royal Highness retains possession of her private capital, amounting, when the treaty was signed, to 600,000 roubles (£90,000). There is only to be one household for the Duke and Duchess, and Her Imperial Highness is to be at liberty to make any contribution she may please to the expenses of the joint establishment, but the debts and obligations of the Duke and Duchess are not to be common to both. If Her Royal Highness should become a widow, she is to have £6OOO a year from the English revenues, and is to be at liberty to live in any country she pleases ; and at her death, whether she die before or after the Duke, the marriage portions and interest and her private capital are to be appropriated for the benefit of her children. In the event of Her Royal Highness dying before her husband and leaving no children, the Duke is to have the enjoyment for life of the interest of the ordinary marriage portion of the Duchess, and at his death it is to revert to the Emperor of Russia, The special marriage portion would at once revert to the Emperor in the event of the Duchess dying before her husband, and without children. The only sum which would go absolutely to the Duke would be a sum of 250,000 roubles (£37,500), which is to be taken out of the marriage portion mentioned in article five, the interest on this sum being deducted from the interest on the i marriage portion, whiph, as already stated, His Royal Highness is to receive during his life.