LADY'S CLAIM TO THRONE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1681, 22 February 1913, Page 11

LADY'S CLAIM TO THRONE.

"HEREDITARY EMPRESS OF CONSTANTINOPLE."

The strango romance of a lady's claim to bo "Hereditary Empress of Constantinople unci Hereditary Princess of the iEgean Isles" was unfolded in an interview with Princess Eugonio Paloeologtw, who hag beon visiting London and who has sent an appeal to each of tlio delegates at the Peace Conference "for restoration to the thrano of her Byzantine ancestors." .. "I am," she said, "the only person whoso descent, can bo tTaced from Constantino tlio Great down to Constantino Paloeologus, and I am tlio last descendant and representative of tho House of Paloeologus. I am directly descended from John YII, Emperor of Constantinople. "My father, Theodore Cristoforo Paloeologus, was in ISG!i proposed as a candldato for the Greek Throne. Ho lost it becauso there was one document missing which would have proved his genealogical d<h scent to bo correct. That document was afterwards found hidden in a cupboard in the mouth-of a'well, and my father gave it to me on his death-bed. I am tEb only dircc-t descendant, of tho former rulers of tho iEgean Isles, and I have documentary ovidencft to prove that tho isles are mine. "I have been told that tho worst thing against my claim is that I married a British Army officer. lam proud of having married an Englishman. I have been called the Woman of Destiny. I appeal to the people of England to beliovo that mv claim is just and shall in the end prevail. There-is a legend about my claim. It is an old verse, which run's:— When the Cock and the Bull shall unite, Tho Crescent shall wane; , And the Cross will regain its own again. "My father's crest was a cock,' and my mother's a bult "If I am not made Empress of Constantinople/1 ought to rule in the iEgean Isles." ' 1