PRINCE OF WALES AND KING OF ENGLAND

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 307, 11 December 1936, Page 4

PRINCE OF WALES AND KING OF ENGLAND

LIFE STORY OF MONARCH WHO HAS ABDICATED. LONG YEARS OF TRAINING FOR DUTIES OF KINGSHIP HIS ASSOCIATION WITH TROOPS IN GREAT WAR. Forty-two years of age, King Edward was trained from infancy to the duties of the high estate of King-Emperor, and apart from his immense personal popularity, there is probably no man alive to-day who was betted fitted to hold that office. Following is a brief record of the highlights in a distinguished career.

He was born on June 23 at White Lodge, Richmond Park, his father and mother then being Duke and Duchess of York. Queen Victoria was very fond of 'the prince as a baby and he was with her at Windsor during the greater part of the year 1895, His years of infancy up to 1899 were spent at York Cottage, Sandringham, and York House, St. James’ Palace. In 1901 he was taken to see Queen Victoria before she died on January 22. His grandfather was proclaimed King as Edward VII. His father and mother left for their Australian tour in the same year and he stayed with his brothers and sisters, at Sandringham under the care of King Edward and Queen Alexandra. During this period his education had been in charge of Madame Brica but in 1902 he was put under a tutor, Mr Hassall who was assisted by a French tutor. In 1907 he commenced his naval career as a cadet at Osborne. In July’ of 1909 he perform! d one- of his first ceremonial duties when he conducted the Czar of Russia around the naval college. In the next year he went to Dartmouth to continue his naval career. He' became a Whip to the Beagles ami shot his first partridge. The Coronation of King George V. took place in 1911 and in the same year Prince Edward’s investiture as Prince of Wales took place in Carnarvon Castle.

Towards the end of the year he returned to the navy for a three months cruise in H.M.S. Hindustan. On his return he saw King George and Queen Mary off on their State tour to India and settled down at York Cottage, Sandringham, under the charge of his tutor. In October, 1912, he went to Oxford as an undergraduate in Magdalen College, where he was treated as an ordinary member. With the object of learning German lie went on a tour of Germany early in 1913, again travelling as the Earl of Chester. When the Great War broke out in 1914 the Princci was immediately anxious to go to the front, but this was not permitted. He joined the Grenadier Guards’ and later became an A.D.C. to Sir John French. He melt King George in France when the monarch paid a surprise visit to the troops. The year 1915 he spent with the army ini France and in the next year he was promoted to captain. He acted as liaison officer and did duty for a time in the trenches. When King George again visited the front he acted cicerone. He spent some months on the Egyptian front during whicn period lie paid short visits to England where he inaugurated the Prince of Wales’ Fund tor relief o

relatives of men killed in action. By 1917 six million pounds had been subscribed to this fund. In 1918, after a period spent on the Italian front he returned home to take his seat in the House of Lords. After the Armistice he went to Brussels where he spent Christmas with the troops... In 1919 he spent three weeks at. the headquarters of the Australian troops and visited the American Army on the Rhine and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

On his return he paid a short visit to Washington and New York. He commenced a tour of Canada in H.M.S. Renown, in August. In the same ship he set out next March on a long tour of Australia and New Zealand, returning to England in October. . During 1921 and 1922 he was occupied in touring India as the representative of King George. He visited Belgium in 1923 to hand over a war memorial symbolising the brotherhood of the two nations. The marriage of the Duke of York took place in the same year. He visited Canada in September and spent some time on his ranch in Alberta* After a short visit to France in 1924. he returned to open the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley 1 in April. Later he went to the United Statep as the. guest pf President Coolidge. He toured South Africa in March, 1925 and went to Argentine in August as the guest of President Alvear. When the general strike occurred in 1926 he visited Yorkshire making a tour of Hull, Doncaster and Halifax. In 1927 he paid a visit to the King of Spain and went tb Canada for another visit to his ranch.

In September, 1928, he was in East Africa when the news of the serious illness of King George was received. He made a dash for home and arrived in London on December 11, having done a journey of 6,000 miles in 10 days. After the convalesence of King George he sold his hunters as he was no longer able to give up time to hunting. He represented the King at the funeral of Marshall Foch. The marriage of Prince George and Princess Marina of Greece took place in 1934. In the Silver Jubilee year that followed, the* wedding of the Duke of Gloucester took place and a son, Prince Edward, was born to the Duke and Duchess of Kent, The death of Princess Victoria, his aunt, occurred towards 1 the end of the year. The death of King George occurred at Sandringham on January 20, 1936, and the Prince was proclaimed King as Edward VIII. on January 22.