ROYALTIES WHO HAVE BECOME NUNS AND MONKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 324, 16 January 1909, Page 3

ROYALTIES WHO HAVE BECOME NUNS AND MONKS.

The news that the Grand Duchess 'Elizabeth of Russia, a sister of the ■Tsarina and the widow of the Grand •J)uke Sergiiis, has catered a nunnery near Moscow, will come as a surprise to no one who is well nci|uai)ited with affairs at the Russian Court.

I Ever since the ghastlv assassination of Her liusbaiid tlie (ivainl Duchess lias ■wanted to retire from public life, and a went marriage lias math; her retirement possible. A passionate lover of children, she Ims none of her own, liut when tin; (irand D.ukc Hiul was exihil from Kussia for marrying a second time 'against the wishes of the Tsar, the tlraml! Duchess Elizabeth adopted his motherless children, a hoy and a .girl. The marriage has freed the lira ml 'Duchess; she has taken the veil as a ■novice, and she will probably laU'r subscribe to the latest conventual yow». About tlie tin.ie of King Alfonso's marriage I bete were persistent rumours that his mother. IJueen Maria Christina, intended to take the veil. Now that the King is happily married and the direct succession to the throne is secured, it is more than probable that Her Majesty will carry out her desire. A similar rumour lias gone the rounds will, reference to the Dowager Queen of Portugal, but in this ease the rumour is most probably baseless.

If Mexico were to lliinU belter of its inmMcr of the Emperor Maximilian, and decide to re-establish a monarchy, it would seek its new emperor in a monastery. A few weeks ago Prince Augustine ile 1 Unhide, the heir to the throne, joined the Third Order of SI. Francis, i Tn the fashionable society of most of the. European capitals Prince Augustine was prominent for many years, but, as in the case of the Crand Duchess Elizalieth of Russia, an assassination preyed on his mind, and nftev a recent sever* illness he decided to retire from the 'world.

The other day the Card-iual Archbishop of Cologne received In private audience a Dominican monk who gave his name as Brother Kaymond. The I'ardinnl and the monk remained for some time in prayer, i Many were surprised at the unusual honour done to a poor priest, until it was whispered that the monk was 'none .'other than Prince Charles of Lowensteih. in whose, veins Hows tile blood of ■kings and crusading princes, i It is only a few weeks since His Highness look* the vows. Several reasons have been given for the step, One _ia 'that the il'riuee is a victim of unreipiit>ed love, the other that he is disgusted at the small progress made by his antiduelling campaign. The first reason is rather absurd, for ■the Prince is nearly seventy-live years old, and Is still passionately devoted to the memory .of his late wife. ' The second reason may have something in it, for though the. Prince found converts in the. Kings of Saxony and rWurlcinbcrg, and the Olrand Duke of JR'ssc. it was known that the Kaiser himself disapproved secretly of the Anti-Duelling League, and the crusade has made comparatively lillle progress. i It. is much more probable, however, that "'lis the memory and lingering influence of his dead wife that have led him to the gate of the monastery, i Four of his children are in convents; one is a poor sister of charity of St. IFraneisea of Aachen, another is in a lonely convent among the mountains o£ •Bohemia, a third is in a Hungarian convent of the strictest rule, and a fourth is a Benedictine nun at Hyde, in the. Isle of Wight. i Tho last has as her companion the \vido\v of an ex-King of Portugal, the Archduchess Adelaide, who married the Duke of Brnganza, after he had been forced to abdicate from the Portuguese throne. If it is' true that her son, Prince Miguel of Braganza, intends to make a bid for the throne his father lost, the old lady may yet heeomo a very important personage.'and still mora bo when Francis Joseph dies and' her daughter's stepson becomes Emperor of Austria. She has also a grand-daughter who is the titular aldiess of tho Convent of Noble Ladies at Prague. i Another royal monk is Prince Trisdang of .Siani, who, like Prince Charles of Lowenstein, is .enormously wealthy. Tie has travelled' all over the world, 'and every capital in Europe has done 'him honour. He was especially welcomed by King Edward, , Ho returned to Siani, and, afterwards, clad in the yellow robe of tho Buddhist (Brotherhood, his hair closely cropped, his feet hare, he made a pilgrininge to Mia'. Ho Is now. in the Kolahcnii ■Temple, neav Colombo,