Divorce a la Mode

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 934, 29 March 1930, Page 18

Divorce a la Mode

Princess Xenia Bids Friendly Goodbye to Millionaire Husband and Departs for London . . . jngmggFr* O tlie intense surprise ol | her friends and the pubj Lg&jV j lie it is announced that j i divorce has been granted to Mrs. William B. Leeds, formerly ; ‘ Princess Xenia of Russia. ! The decree was signed by Mr. Jus- j ! tice Strong, of the Supreme Court of Justice, at Huntingdon, Long Island. The award, he said, was based on the j findings of Mr. Percy Stoddard, the ! referee in the action. No further information is available. : When it was sought at the Leeds counj try estate on Long Island cousider- ' able surprise was expressed at the j news of the divorce. The former I Princess Xenia and Mr. Leeds were i said to be in Florida. ‘ Mr. Leeds is a son of the late Wilj liam B. Leeds, known as the “Tin ; plate King” because of the huge for I tune he made through the raanufae--1 ture of tinplate. After the death of; I his father Mr. Leed’s mother married * I Prince Christopher of Greece, and it ! was while visiting his mother in j Athens that young Leeds became* en- ! gaged to Princess Xenia, the daugh* j ter of the Grand Duchess Marie and i a niece of King Constantine. | At the back door of a little house ! in New York the young millionaire j bade farewell to tlie Princess Xenia, with tlie remark, “We part the best of friends.” She replied with a smile and a nod of the head, the two of them laughing 1 over their peculiar mode of parting. He then kissed her, saying, “Goodbye. Tommy, see you soon,” to which she replied, “Good-bye, Bill, see you soon.” Then she slipped away and looked for a taxi-cab. “There’s a wonderful lady for you,” was Mr. Leed’s final comment. A small army of reporters and pho tographers had laid siege to the front : door of the Leeds house in Washing- ; ton Mews, and so, creeping stealthily

out at the back. Princess Xenia began her new life. “No Quarrel” The couple were married in 1921 Mr. Leeds was then IS years of age’ and tlie Princess was 17. Thev denv that they have quarrelled. While she will have the care of their child Nancy he will have the fight to visit the little girl at any time he chooses. The financial terms of the separation are not disclosed. NeiUier will admit any intention of remarrying The princess will spend her time tween Europe and the United States, and Mr. Leeds, t is believed, is about to go abroad. The reasons for their friendly divorce are still kept secret. Even the judge declares that he has not read the papers. He ordered them to be sealed and they have been filed away at the County Court of Mineola, Long Island.