ROYAL SCANDALS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 271, 11 July 1932, Page 6

ROYAL SCANDALS

visit to india GERMAN CROWN PRINCE NOT ' QUITE SO BAD AS PAINTED. EX-GOVERNOR'S STORY. Sir John 'Prescott, who was Governor of the United Provinces at the time of the German Crown Prince's visit to India in 1910, declares that the Duke of Manchester, in his candid recollections, has exaggerated what occurred on that occasion. The Duke stated that while at Agra th'e Prince spent his time in the company of low women in the bazaars, and that he was dragged out just in time to attend an important review. Sir John says the whole story is preposterous, but adds: "However, II am not going to deny that in many ways the Crown Prince caused his entourage a good deal oi trouble. In some resp-ects he was a complete barbarian, but I would describe his conduct as outre without being outrageous. "What actually happaned was this — and I think you may take it that this is the incident which formed the basis of the Duke's story: At a ball ] given by the Middlesex Reigment in Allahabad the Crown Prince met a ; charming young Burmese girl, by whom he was much attracted, and with whom he 'sat out' a good deal. Romantic Journey. "Soon afterwards the Prince went to Lucknow, where a very important evening function was arranged in his honour by the Talqudars (Barons of Oudh). But on the morning of the day on which the reception was to take place he suddenly decided to return to Allahabad to visit the Burmese lady. "Without telling anyone he left in his car, accompanied only by a chauffeur. The road gave out at the Ganges, where he abandoned the car, managed to get himself ferried across the stream, and completed his journey by ekka (a two-wheeled horse vehicle) to Allahabad. He spent a pleasant evening with his friend, and took a late train back to Lucknow. Distracted Staff. "Meanwhile his staff was in a state of panic at his disappearance. A.D.C's were rushing hither and thither, and a large party went off to Cawnpore to look for him. A telegram from Allahabad sent another exp-edition off post haste in a special train. "They passed the Prine on his way back, travelling in an ordinary fourberth carriage, still clad in jodhpurs (riding breeches). One of his fellowtravellers recognised him and offered him a lower berth, but he refused it. "He arrived back in Lucknow at six in the morning, and woke me up to apologise to the outraged Taluqdars later, and the affair was smoothed over. The Kaiser's Spies. "At Agra, however, where he spent only two or three days under canvas with me, his behaviour was unexceptionable. It is incorract, too, to say that his Indian trip was cut short. His projected visits to other Eastern countries were, indeed, abandoned, but he continued on his Indian tour and later visited the Viceroy. "He had a large staff, both British and German, looking after him. The late Sir Harold Stuart was chief of his British entourage, but the man he loathed was Count von Treuther, a close personal friend of the Kaiser, who had been sent to play the part of private detective and 'shadower,' and who sent back long confidential reports to Germany by every mail. "He also reportecf on the various officials who acted as host to the Prince. I am glad to say," added Sir John smilingly, "that I was informed later by a German diplomat that his dossier of me was not tmfavourahle."