Four Women, One Prince, Many Plots

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 874, 18 January 1930, Page 18

Four Women, One Prince, Many Plots

Intrigue in Balkans . . . Is Queen Marie of Rumania Planning to Place ExCrown Prince on the Throne ? . . . Significant Moves Cause Much Gossip In European Diplomatic Circles . . .

i CCORDING to rumours circulating in Europe active negotiations are gWstill being carried on Urc3lkr»J with the idea of restorm ing ex-Crown Prince Carol's rights to the throne of Rumania, and that there is a very good chance of him making a triumphant and spectacular return. Carol's second sister, Queen Marie of Jugoslavia, is the moving spirit in these negotiations, writes R. S. Kendrick from Paris, and is using all her influence in his behalf with Rumanian politicians and her own family. She arranged a secret meeting recently between Carol and their mother, the resplendent DowagerQueen Marie, at Klagenfurt, in the Austrian Tyrol. At this meeting there was a complete reconciliation and the Dowager-Queen agreed to support her son's claims against his son, the baby King Mihai, although there is no question of eliminating him entirely. The reasons for her dramatic change of heart —she has been furious against Carol since he abandoned the throne several years ago and ran away with Magda Lupescu—are that she is being pushed into the background in Rumania and hopes that with her son’s support she could again play a powerful political role in her country. Carol also had a secret meeting in Munich a few weeks ago with hi 3 youngest lister, Princess Ileana, who has also helped to bring about a reconciliation in the family. This was not a simple family reunion. Princess Ileana brought him an important message from her mother. The Queen, who is closely watched by her enemies is very careful about whom she trusts. The mysterious murder of the Rumanian officer, Captain Serdici, who was Carol’s closest friend, in a de luxe train between Bukarest and Belgrade, in September, was another phase of the intrigue now going on. Serdici, who was Carol’s best man •when he married Zizi Lambrino in 1918, had carried a number of confidential messages to Carol in Paris, to Queen Marie in Belgrade, and to other members of the Hohenzollern-Sigmar-ingen family abroad. He was followed from Bukarest on his last trip and was killed and robbed of his letters. The murder clearly revealed that the ex-Crown Prince's enemies would stop at nothing to prevent his return. As the situation stands in Rumania today, the army, which has considerable influence, has never wavered in it 3 loyalty to Carol and its desire for Ills return. The Peasant Party now in power, is entirely willing to repeal the laws that stripped him of his rights and invite him to come back and ascend, the throne, providing the majority of the people wish him as King, and also providing that he is friendly to the Peasant Party. The regency, consisting of the Chief Justice! of the Supreme Court, the head ct the Orthodox Church and Prince Nicolas, will do what the Government wishes. The people at large seem to long for Carol’s return—if he will abandon Madame Lupescu. The one power that stands between the ex-Crown Prince and his father’s ihrane today is the Liberal Party, which was led by the late Jon Bratianu for many years and is today

directed by his brother, Vintila Bratianu. Carol resented Jon Bratianu's dictatorship and the deadly enmity that grew up between them eventually led to the young Prince’s downfall. The exact circumstances of Carol’s final escapade in renouncing the throne, abandoning his wife and running off with Magda Lupescu are still shrouded in mystery—the Rumanians simply laugh at the suggestion that an infatuation for the Lupescu woman was the principal cause of it—but a sensational bit of unwritten history has just leaked out in Bukarest that throws much light on the subject. It develops now that Carol actually tried to make a coup d'etat in the summer of 1925 to overthrow Jon Bratianu, who was Prime Minister at the time, and apparently King Ferdinand hiffiself. From that day Carol was a marked man in Rumania, if not before. His every movement was watched. Bratianu realised that the Crown Prince was his mortal enemy, and, according to people who know, sought iu every possible way to make him leave Rumania. The King and Queen also lost the little confidence they still felt toward their eldest son, and began to make other plans for the succession. On the other hand, many influential persons in Rumania had much sympathy for Carol. They felt that he had considerable justification, and that it was perfectly normal for a strong-willed young prince to resent the Bratianu dictatorship. It was also considered that he had many good qualities. He had run off with Zizi Lambrino because he wanted to make a marriage of love rather than of State, and he clung to her for years, in spite of all the traps laid to separate the young couple. What caused the final break between Carol and his parents, and his refusal to return home after attending Queen Alexandra’s funeral, is still a secret. The Rumanians who are “in the know” smile sceptically at the widespread belief that the rupture resulted from his infatuation for the beautiful red-haired daughter of the Kishineff furrier, Wolf, also known as Lupescu. If he wanted to have her as a companion, he could have kept her without leaving Rumania, they say. Carol had broken off relations with his wife, Princess Helen of Greece, months before. That had been a marriage of State, forced on him by Queen Marie, and had proved very unhappy. The rumour of his combat with Prince Barbu Stirby, manager of the Royal domain, and life-long friend of Queen Marie, is untrue. So why did he finally abandon the throne, and leave his native country? What caused the final clash? The insiders say that when the truth comes out, if it ever comes out, it will be very startling. At the present time the ex-Crown Prince is living at a small estate at Belleme, about 60 miles west of Paris. There is no doubt that he is anxious to return to the throne he abandoned. Confidential couriers come and go continually. Delegations of prominent Rumanians call frequently to pay their homage. He himself makes frequent visits to his sister in Jugoslavia. who is directing his campaign. Magda Lupescu is still the hostess of his little chateau, hut she is not

an obstacle to his return. Carol became infatuated with her at a time when he needed much consolation. He still keeps in with him because he feels that he has compromised the young woman, and that it would be highly embarrassing for/ her to return to Rumania. But the infatuation passed months ago. When he wishes to go home he will install her in a little villa in Paris. The family situation of Carol at Bukarest is far more complicated. So far as his mother is concerned, he would be highly welcome. For years and years Queen Marie played a powerful role in Rumanian politics, and liked it. She dominated King Ferdinand, and often dominated Jon Bratianu. Since the King died, Queen Marie has been pushed into the background, stripped of much power. A new crisis may be near in Rumania. The cause of the present struggle is a quarrel between Queen Marie and Premier Maniu, who has denied her the place in the regency made vacant by George Buzdugan’s death. As a reason for his refusal of the Queen’s request for this position, Premier Maniu cited a ruling to the effect that only one member of the Royal family could serve oh the Regency Council. Thus Prince Nicolas, Queen Marie's son, would have to resign if th« Queen was to have a place. Following this statement of virtual refusal by the Premier, Queen Marie is reported to have attacked him vigorously, in an interview in the newspaper “Universal.” Delighted applause from Maniu’s opponents, the Bratianu Liberals, answered the Queen’s attack on the Premier, and a loud cry was raised that Premier Maniu resign. The Premier emphatically denied any such intention. The peasant government now in power regards Queen Marie as friendly to the Bratianu faction, and limits her influence wherever possible. On other hand, the Princess-Mother Helen has become more and more popular. She is highly respected, and it is felt that she has borne her cross with much dignity. Princess Helen has undoubtedly usurped much of Queen Marie’s popularity with the people, and the latter finds this situation intolerable. If Carol recovers the throne, Queen Marie may recover some of her lost authority, and help to make and unmake governments. For this reason she is working day and night in his behdlf. But what will Princess Helen do if Carol returns to Bukarest? That is one of the most difficult things to arrange in the present intrigue. After having been abandoned by Carol, even though the couple were not in love, it would be intolerable for her to remain in Rumania. If she goes to some other country, she would insist on taking her son, King Mihai, with her, but the Government would oppose that. Although the majority of the Rumanian people probably wish the ex-Crown Prince to return, they would bitterly resent any affront to Princess Helen, who certainly desires to remain in the country.

And then there is King Mihai, Carol's handsome little son, for whom the regency is now ruling. Do the people desire Carol sufficiently to take away his son’s title?