OBITUARY

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1920, Page 1

OBITUARY

EX-EiMPItESS EUGENIE. (AUSTRALIAN it N.SS. CABLE ASSOCIATION] LONDON, July 13. The “Daily Mail” understands the late Empress Eugenie bequeathed her mansion and grounds at Farnborougb to Prince Victor Napoleon’s wife, Clementine, and also a large legacy to her god-daughter, the Queen of Spain. Her remains will be planted in a large granite sarcophagus, and interred in the crypt of the Church of St. Michael Farnborough, beside her husband and son (the Prince Imperial, killed m the Zulu war). Madrid, July 13.—Ex-Empress Eugenic; died a painless death. One of the contributing causes was a hearty meal of chicken on Saturday last.

The career of the ex-Emprcss Eugenie affords one of the most fascinating royal romances of I.9th century history. Her grandfather was a Scotchman, William Kirkpatrick, of the Closeburn family, in Dumfriesshire. The descendant of Robert Bruce, as he proudly claimed himself to he, ultimately settled at .Malaga, Spain, as a fruit and wine merchant, and prospered exceedingly, not the least of his assets being three daughters, admired for their uncommon beauty. The youngest of these, Donna Manuela, found a husband in a Spanish grandee of very high lineage, and became the Countess of Montijo, the third child of the union, Eugenie, being horn on .May ot.h, 182(>. When Eugenie was eight years old, her mother went to Paris. For five years the Countess and her children spent most of their time in tlu' heart of a brilliant circle Eugenie’s early education was watched over hv Prosper Meriineo, the witty and showy French writer, and she soon became distinguished at the various entertainments given at the Tuileries by the dignity and elegance of her demeanour, and by great personal beauty. In this brilliant life she was the recognised queen of beauty, and had many suitors. She. took a keen interest in polities, and il is said that when a Spanish statesman declared to her that women should not meddle in politics, “ for if things came to the worst, you would not have the nerve to face cold steel,” she replied, “ Would 1 not i ” and snatching a knife from the table she inflicted a stab on her arm. In course of time Mademoiselle do Montijo attracted the very marked attention of the arch-adventurer, Napoleon IT, Emperor of the Eri-nch. \\ iu*n it became. known that the Emperor intended to make the Spanish beauty his wile there was considerable surprise and angry opposition Iron) his advisers. The Emperor, however, was determined to have his way, and the marriage was celebrated with much magnificence at Notre Dame, in 1853. Tn the years that followed her elevation to the throne, the Empress was the most brilliant and observed of royal personages in Europe. The Empress delighted in presiding at the great halls under the Empire, which lasted from January to Lent, the invitations often numbering four thousand. The masked halls which she gave at the Tuileries were open to a good deal of objection, and, in fact, were loudly condemned by an ahhe who preached before 1 lie sovereigns in the chapel ol the Tuileries. Tne Empress was oi a quick, inquisitive mind, extremenly fond of reading, and somewhat given to mysticism. She caused some scandal by the extraordinary credence she gave to the spiritualist medium, the Scotchman Hume, a naturalised American, who was a nine days’ wonder at Court and in society, and disappeared from Paris as swiftly as he came.

Napoleon 111. and his consort i\ere extremely fortunate in securing the friendship of Queen Victoria, who, in company with Prince Albert, paid them a State visit in the fifties. This visit was noteworthy, as it was the first formal recognition by a European Power of Napoleon’s position in France. Probably the most brilliant event of the Empress’s life was her tour to the East to open the Suez Canal, constructed by the famous engineer Do Lesseps.. All the gorgeousness of Oriental luxury attended her progress, and a railway line was even laid down to the Pyramids in order that she might visit the famous monuments. There is no doubt that the Empress in the later days of the Second Empire contrived to get a good deal of power into her hands. At the ; outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war she j was appointed regent, consequent upon ■. her husband leaving for the scene of ( hostilities. Everyone knows the result of that campaign—tlm humiliating defeat at Sedan and the surrender of the Frencli Emperor to his foes. After the abdication of Napoleon, the Empress found a refuge in England,, at Chiselhurst, where the Emperor joined | her, his death occurring in 1873. The J overwhelming sorrow of her widowhood , was the death of her only son, the j Prince Imperial (horn March 16th, | 1856), who fought in the British Army | in the Zulu War, was highly praised for j the courage he displayed, and was killed in action there. His body was brought to England and buried at Chiselhurst, with military honours. Among the wreaths was a most beautiful one from Queen Victoria. The great English Queen was a constant friend to the Empress, and she it was who encouraged her to visit tile fatal spot in Zululand on the anniversary of her son’s death. In 1881 the Empress took up her residence at Fnrnhorough, in Hampshire, an estate consisting of 2-57 acres. Of Tate years she added a museum to her mansion, where she kept relics of her son and of her past glory. At this residence she received visits from the Emperor of Germany and other notables. She several times crossed to the Continent and to France —whero, in the pathetic figure of the Comtesse de Picrreponds, aged and decrepit, few would recognise the once dazzling Empress Eugenic.