ROYAL HOBBIES

Shannon News, 21 May 1929, Page 4

ROYAL HOBBIES

- Royalty has some interesting hobbies. As most people know, the King takes the greatest interest in his stamps, and he has also a collection of watches (says a Daily News writer). The Queen’s interest in dolls’ houses is known, and the Prince’s chief interests arc in sport, though he has a line collection of old prints and models of ships. \ The Duke of Gloucester amasses stage properties which he has picked up on his various visits behind the scenes.

I think King Alfonso of Spain’s collection is somewhat morbid. He has kept things which have endangered his life, such as a large stone, on which he struck his head as a child, and the skin of. a horse which was killed drawing the royal coach by a bomb thrown at the King on his wedding day. King Victor Emmanuel of Italy has a magnificent collection of coins; the ex-Ivaisef, I remember, used to collect sc-arvcs and ties from the humblest cotton to the costliest silk; while the "mad” King of Bavaria had hundreds of hats of all periods and countries.