ROYAL LOVE TRAGEDY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3329, 6 November 1919, Page 6

ROYAL LOVE TRAGEDY.

SECRET ‘OF CZAR’S DAUGHTER

DIES WITH HER

WOOED BY A PRINCE.

The tragic love story of the Russian Grand Duchess Olga, who met a terrible

‘death at the hands of Bolshevik soldiers, forms one -of the’ greatest Royal love stories of all time. The lady was the beautiful dzrnghter of the late Czar, and, had she chosen, might have been alive to-day as Queen-Regent of the new Serbia which has arisen, phoenixlike. from the ashes of the old_ Prince Alexander of Serbia loved Olga, and sought her hand. The Czar ‘left. it for her to decide. What was Olga’s reply? Did she say “No.” to the wooing of Alexander?" Or did she say “Yes,” and the world-war which broke out six mont‘-hs afterwards, come to defer the wedding to what they thought would be a. happier time?

Out of the ruck of the war and the" ruin of dynasties comes this -love story, writes Mr William G. Shepherd, the well-known correspoxident, iii 3 message from The I-I€lgu;'e"] It is not often that a Royal love story" is told of fully as this ono.| All the Crown Prince Alexander’s side of the story is found in an official record which has‘ just. come to liglit in Holland. Olga’s side hasiperished with her and with her family. A grey-haired’, gl'ey—\\'lliskel'e(l old Serbian statesman, who was Premier of Serbia in 1912, travelled to Russia to talk to the Czar about Alexand-; er’s love for Olga. He was Pashiteh,J a leading statesman” of Europe. ‘

E The visit was iirzrdo at Petrograd on | February 2, 1914, six months before the lhuropean war broke out. For half an hour 15ash-itch talked to the Czar about the Balkan situation. The Czar, little kirowing what. ‘the 'gr‘ey-bearded old Serbian had in his inind, entered on thusiastically info the discussion, criticising Austria, -Montenegro, Ferdinand of Bulgaria, and expressing his love [for Serbia and the need of friendship “with Greece. Then Pashitch told of Alexander’s love story to the Czar. I am ‘able, from Bogitschevick’s book, “Causes of the War,” '-to give Pashitch’s report as he wrote it himself: “Thereupon I referred to the matter of the marriage of our heir to the throne‘, in the following words:—‘l pray Your Majesty may graciously permit me to propose a. wish and a request of our King, and not to be angry if I do so.”’ ' - ‘ Pashitch seemed to realise that he was asking‘ on behalf of the Crown Prince of a tiny coulltry~—Cl-owz: _'L’:~ince by virtue of assassination—‘the hand of the most beautiful maiden of one of the greatest courts of Europe. “Our King, ” he continued, “ wished to marry his son to one of the Grand Duches.‘<es."’ The Czar—so runs the report. of T’asliitcll———replied, smiling. that he wa_-.~ not at all ill-disposed 'to the request of the King, andiit was quite a proper one. His prineiple, however, was to permit his children to decide matters of the heart for themselves. and he did ‘ not wish to influence them in thel choice of future life-partners. Theil Czar said he found the Crown Prince

“quite smart.” “He did not. boast [about his war experiences.” I there- ; upon thanked him, and promised to tell no one, not even "the King, what the Czar had told me. Only the Crown Prince was to know of it. The Czar said that the Crown Prince had not mentioned the matter when he was visiting there, to which I answered that he feared a re'fusal. So ends the official story of Pashitch. The beautiful Olga is dead. Perhaps to this day only Pas'hitch and the young Prince Alexander know Whether, Olga. said treat or nay. .