OUR NEW QUEEN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 813, 10 May 1910, Page 3

OUR NEW QUEEN.

A VEILED PERSONALITY.

: When Princess Alexandra became Queen Alexandra she was welcomed to her new rank by the people whose idol she had been ever sinco the day when enthusiastic London outdid itself in acclamation of the Prince's choice, and took tho fair-haired daughter of the Sea King to its heart. . But-with the accession of the new King people are 'realising that there has come, as Queen a woman, of whom, though she is Eng-lish-born and English-bred, they know comparatively little. Very little has ever been written about her, and when one comes to think of- it for years very little has been said about her, and this not because she is a woman in any way devoid of personality. No one could look at her and doubt for a moment she was a woman of great, probably of dominating, character. Portraits of her have never been pleasing, they give an impression of coldness, reserve, lack of interest, almost lack of individuality, whereas the reality is very different, and some of those who watched her-as she drove through the streets of Wellington will never forget their surprise at the first sight of her face, and their instant realisation that here was a woman of intellectual force, and uncoinmon strength ,of character.,, Coming after one's long acquaintance with .those unsuccessful portraits the sight of the real Princess was the more striking, and one realised with a thrill of sudden interest, that here was a very living human woman with- very distinctive qualities .and powers. No. it was not the effect of the crowd, tho accumulation of the excitement, and interest, felt at' the, same moment by hundreds, that gave that thrill; it was the revelation of a personality. No one denies it. The fact of which everyone who knows anything of the New Qneen is assured, is just that; Bhe is a woman of strong personality, of immense roserve force. Yet it is a personality veded, and she comes to her new . position among vague conjectures and kindly prophecies no less vague. Brought up in Royal poverty, Bhe spent a childhood and girlhood of seclusion, at. the ' White Lodge, trained as England likes to see its princesses trained, in all the domestic arts, taught to be charitable, to care personally for certain poor folk, well educated, and always subject to the care of her mother, that buoyant, genial, imperious Princess, the Duchess of Teck, who was always vastly popular in England, and who was eometnuea referred to, with more affection than reverence, as "Jolly Mary."

All her life it had been the lot of tho. Princess May to be closely associated with women who took tho supreme placo, and to play, herself a secondary part. The Duchess of Teck, Queen Victoria, and Queen Alexandra, these were a noble trio, and their'age no less than their position accorded to each in turn the first place. \ It is well known that the late Queen Victoria held the Princess May in very high esteem. It is to be supposed that from the first she had interested herself in the child's education, and in the trend of her development, while as tho years went by it became Her Majesty's dearest wish that after Alexandra, Princess May should become O.ueen of England. The engagement of the Duke of Clarence pleased the Queen intensely, and when after tho bitter sorrow and disappointment caused by his death, Prince George's engagement and marriage assured tho -fufilinent of her great desire, Queen Victoria was satisfied that England would have a Queen worthy of her great position and, far-reaching influence. Tho part of tho young Princess, whoso life like those of most princesses had primarily to be influenced by national considerations, wat> a difficult one, but she bore herself with dignity, and from the time of her marriage to tho heir to the English throno, sho has been steadily growing in popularity with tho Enulish people. Those who met Princess May when she visited New Zealand were much impressed with her charm of manner, her tact, her vivid interest in affairs, and by tho suggestion of great reserve force, but there are thoso hero who know more about her than that, who have heard of her as she appears among her own circle. The training of her early days has influenced the Princess's later life, her ' Court has been characterised by b

standard of simplicity, and her' children have been brought up as simply and carefully as she was. Little Princess Mary has been taught the housewifely arts dear to the hearts of tho English Queens, and tho plain.little holland frocks in which tho child is so often seen might have been copied with great advantage by tho mothers of other little girls. The thrifty little soul has been taught tho value of a savingsbank, and ever) month she may be seen driving in her little pony carriago to tho post office, where she deposits a certain portion of her month's allowance. It was at one time said that, like her brothers, Princess Mary would bo sent to some English school, but this plan may not have been carried out. One of tho greatest friends of the new Queen is the young Duchess of Norfolk, cousin and wife of the premier duke of England,,whose marriage only took placo a short timo ago, but one does not hear much of her other friends; except that she and her husband have not chosen their friends from the same set as the late King and Queen. She is a woman N of scholarly tastes, and has a love for the arts, her knowledge and appreciation of music being especially thorough and keen, in fact, it is said that her presence at tho first night of an opera is regarded as an even greater compliment than that of tie late King and his Queen, as she is such a fine critic. Like Queen Alexandra, the wife of the new King has always interested herself greatly in oharities and in philanthropic matters, and she has been a very kindly visitor to many a hospital ward and charitable institution, while pleasant, stories are told of her sympathy and consideration in individual cases. She has been better known in London than in any other part of England.' She is not a 'great traveller, but prefers to remain in her own iiqmo, and so most of her time of later years has been spent at Marlborough House; while when her sons are at Osborne she takes frequent opportunity to go down for the week-ends to be with them. To those who do not know her or only meet her officially, the new Queen may have appeared somewhat reserved and somewhat stern, but : those who know her well say that as a matter of fact she is very shy, and that in her own circle the appearance of sternness disappears. There she-is the 'ideal English gentlewoman, cultured, interested,_ unaffected, and considerate. "She is liked," says one who 1 has an opportunity of knowing, "by the ladies of her own Court,, and it is they who tell of her kindliness and consideration, and the shyness that hides her real character from the public gaze." It is to be supposed that as Queen of England she will give fuller expression : to tho personality that has hither-' to been partially veiled, and she will be known at last as she really is. .