PRINCE OF WALES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 851, 24 June 1910, Page 5

PRINCE OF WALES.

« THE TITLE REVIVED. CONFERRED ON PRINCE EDWARD. A CHARACTER SKETCH. By Tolcffroph—l?r&33 Association— Copyright. London, Juno 22. It has been officially announced that tho Heir-Apparent, Prince Edward, Duke of Cornwall, has boon created Prince of Wales. PRINCE EDWARD'S CAREER. Princc Edward Albert George Andrew Patrick David Christian, tho oldest son of tho new King, was born at the White Lodge, Kiehmond Park, on tho evening of Juno 23, ISfll; and, though he then stood only third in the direct line of succcssion to the throne, tho news of his birth was received with enthusiasm throughout tho Empire. At York Cottage, Sandringham, where, for tho most part his earliest years were spent, he and the brothers and sister who came after him, wero submitted, as f-oon as they became old enough, to a course of kindergarten training which enabled tho little Prince to show that he was, in the words of his grandmother, tho late Duchess of Teck, "extraordinarily precocious." lie became impressed in a childish way very early indeed with a sense of tho responsibilities of his rank; and his punctilious attention to returning tho salutes of sentries, and careful study of drill, g;ive rise to many amusing stories. When he and his brother, Princo Albert, became old, enough to leave the nursery and to bo placcd under the care of u tutor their education proceeded on broad lines.

The Princes wore both diligent students; but the class-room was not allowed to occupy mbro than its proper share of their attention. A model frigate was launched for. them on Virginia Water that they might learn something of tho rudiments of their father's profession. A taste for field-sports was carefully fostered,, and many cricket matchcs were arranged for them, \Htli boy.i of their own age from Eton, in the Homo Park at Windsor. Tho two Princes'were not altogether free from a boyish longing to "punch each other's head" occasionally; and their father, finding them thus ongaged on one occasion, is said to have declined to interfere. '"Let them have it out; they will make the better men for it!" is the opinion ho is supposed to havo expressed. And at Santlriugham, when they were only nine and eight years old respectively, they wero taught to throw a lly scientifically. Queen Victoria's. Dream. The young Prince, who, in tho domestic circle, has always been known as "David" —it was a fond belief of Queen Victoria, by tho way, that tho Empire would somo day bo rilled by a King David who would suipass his Hebrew namesake in tho glory of his reign- went to tho Royal Naval College at Osborne as a cadet three years ago, at the ago of thirteen. There, and since, at Dartmouth, ho has followed the ordinary course and lias' lived tho ordinary life of a cadet. When an epidemic of illness broke out at Osborne somo time ago, in fact, and he fell a victim 10 it, trie Prlncead refrained from visiting him at a time when tho mother of any other cadet would havo been excluded, lest he should seem to have any advantage over his colleagues. He has worked hard there, and is said to bo a promising young officer, well grounded in the study of engineering, of practical mechanics, and of navigation, •in appearance the young Prince is fair, blue eyed, and sturdily built. He resembles his mother in feature, and has a bright expression that seems to indicate tho. possession of a keen sense of humour Tho other children of tho now King and Queen are Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, bonron December 14. 1895; l'rm cess Victoria Alexandria Alice Mary, born on April 23, 1897; Prince .Henry William Frederick Albert, born on March 31, 1900; Prince George Edward Alexander Edmund, born on December 20, 1902; and Prince Jolm Charles' Francis, born on July 12, 1905.

ORIGIN OF THE TITLE. The title "Prince of Wales," with which is also usually associated that of "Duko of Chester," is not hereditary, ana is conferred by Royal Letters Patent on each holder. King Edwnrd was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, a month after _ho was born, and King George was given the title nine months after his father succeeded to the Throne. The Heir Apparent is by right Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage of England; and Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and l'rinco and Great Steward or Senesciial of Scotland; also Knight of the Garter. Addi-tional-titles of Duke of 1 Saxony, Princo Saxc-Coburg and Gotha are borne by tho Prince in inheritance from his greatgrandfather, tho Princo Consort. The Letters Patent given the Princo of Wales testify thai he has been confirmed in the title by the "ensigns of honour, tho girding on of a swol-d, the delivering of a cap, and placing it on his liend, with a ring on his finger, and a golden staff in his hand, according to custom," all at the hands of his Royal parents. The Prince is a born member of the House of Lords, and minority in his case does not count, though King Edward did not take his seat until he had attained fid I age. Seven Hundred Years Ago. Sir H. Nicolas notes six Royal Princes born Dukes of Cornwall who were never created Prince of Wales, namely. Kings Henry and Edward the Sixth, two sons (besides this latter) or Henry tho Eighth (who died at birth or in infancy), an infant son of Charles the First, and tho "Old Pretender," to whom, however, somo-do assign the title. This title of Princo of Wales was originally borne by those mitive rulers of that territory who governed it as suzerains. of the English Crown; and the commonly received, though not wholly undisputed, story of tho transfer of this title to the heirs of the Inller is that Edward the First, when expecting the birth of bis second sou, promised tire Welsh to give them a Prince "free from any blemish upon his honour and nimble to speak n word of English;" and that he then send at once for Queen Eleanor, whose child was duly born at Carnarvon Castle. The title thus practically dates from tho year 128-1, and was at first wholly unconnected with heirship to (he Throne of England, though in itself .intended' .to bo hereditary, the King's lands in Wales having in 1301 beeh formally settled upon tho then Prince and his heirs; but upon that Prince ultimately succeeding to the Throne as I'dwanl the Second (his elder brother Alplionso having died) the litle became merged in tho_ Crown, mid from that diiy if has in every instance born mad" u distinction of veriauul invceti- , two.