PRESS SENSATION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1929, Page 6

PRESS SENSATION

ENGLISH BOYAL LETTERS

BARTERED IN BERLIN

(United Press Association—By ElectricTelegraph— Copyright).

BERLIN. January 28

A private letter written by Queen Mary cm the ISHIi of June, 192(5, was auctioned for 230 shillings. Another dated 1 SDH. was sold ifor 125 shillings. A letter from King George dated April Ki. 101(1. I'ctdied 225 shillings, and one written in 1893 fetched 89 shillings. The “ Morning Post’s ” correspondent states that some of the letters were bought by a German Prince, and others by a Berlin dealer. The intention in both eases is to send the letters to England. The letters

are in nowise* seiiational being merely comments on current events. Family affairs texts are not being published.

pending inquiries. A furore lias been created in newspaper circles by the receipt of a News Agency despatch from Berlin, describing the auction of intimate letters allegedly from King George. Queen Mary and the Princ of Wales to relatives in France. Extracts from letters, particularly from one written bv Queen Mary when she evidently was under a great, emotional stress after the death of the Duke of Clarence in the year 1893. and from another written after the King’s illness in 1925, were transmitted to London immediately. At least one London editor took steps to secure the suppression of the extracts in England, on the ground that Their Majesties’ private correspondence should not be disclosed without tlieir consent, and that lurtliormore, Their Majesties should be spaied the pain of seeing tlieir family confidences in the public press at a time when the King is lying ill and the Queen is occupied with great domesticanxiety. Lord Claud Hamilton, the King’s Equerry, interviewed by the “ Daily News” at Buckingham Palace, said: It was impossible, oil' hand, to decide whether the letters were genuine, but it is exceedingly probable that they are authentic-. I lie Queen's letters about the Germans, for instance, . inrate- with the feeling ol that time. I expect that the Germans were writing and feeling much the same about us at that time (that of the death ol Lord Kitchener). There’s nothing we can do. If those letters have been sold and paid for they are now the purchasers’ property. We are powerless.” Later the News Agency withdrew the quotations for 24 hours at the request of Lord Claud Hamilton, who omaking a statement to-day. LONDON. January 29. King George and Queen Mary’s 19F' letters were written to a. relative in France.