A PRINCE IN PARLIAMENT

Shannon News, 19 July 1929, Page 2

A PRINCE IN PARLIAMENT

KING EDWARD'S INTEREST

MARRIAGE REFORM BILL.

A now volume of reminiscences by the Marquis of Huntly, who is in his eighty-third year, contains an interesting passage, showing that the late King Edward, who*'was strictly a constitutional monarch, and accepted the advice of his Ministers, when Prince of Wales and a member of the House of Lords, did not hide his interest in various measures.

"He seemed to chafe ait not being able to join in the debates,'.' writes the Marquis of Huntly, "and at last an opportunity was found for him to address t the House of Lords. He. took great 'interest in the Marriage with Deceased Wife's Sister Bill, and supported the Second reading of the bill after presenting an enormous petition in favour of the measure from the eastern counties of England. The bill was defeated by a narrow margin, and I voted with the majority against it. "This brought me a letter from His Royal Highness, dated from Marlborough House, June 14, ISS2:. —'My dear Huntly,—l was glad to see you looking so well in the House of Lords on Monday, not having seen you for a year, but I regret that you voted against your party! I admit that the bill was a social and not a political one; still, the Liberals have always voted for the bill, and I wish another year you would feel inclined to vote with me on a question in which I take so deep an interest.. I am, yours very sincerely,' Albert Edward.'

"I had just returned," adds the marquis, "from a long'tour in Greece, Albania, Aurkey, the Caucasus, and Southern Russia, so that not having seen H.R.H. for 12 months, I had no idea that he was so interested in the deceased wife's sister."