THE TWO QUEENS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 150, 4 October 1910, Page 6

THE TWO QUEENS

UNFORTUNATE FRICTION. Although no cables have reached this country indicating that friction exists between Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra, and that only a few guarded paragraphs regarding the occupancy of Buckingham Palace have appeared from time to time in the English newspapers, the American, Canadian and Continental Press have for weeks past been filled with long stories on the subject. A perusal of these journals (says the Sydney iSun) indicates that the trouble dates back actually to the date of King Edward's death, and indicates that relations 'between the two ladies must have been ■strained even anterior to that time. The following extracts and translations are taken from .various journals:—"Mat-

ters are not progressing amicably beI tween King George and Queen Mary and i Queen Alexandra- The latter has developed such a desire to continue as | reigning Queen instead of Queen Dowager j that the patience of the King towards his mother is being rapidly exhausted, ! while Queen Mary's attitude is practically one of open revolt. Contrary to everybody's opinion as to the ethics of the matter, Alexandra continues to occupy Buckingham Palace, leaving Marlborough House for the London residence of tile King and Queen. This action is contrary to all precedent, as Alexandra ought rightfully k 'have retired to Sandringham.

ROYAL MOURNING. "But this is only the slightest of the many things. For instance, the order decreeing strictest mourning at Ascot emanated from Alexandra, and, moreover, was 'against the express wish of the King. Alexandra went so far even as to endeavor to get tihe Ascot meeting abandoned altogether, but the King put his Royal foot down on this and uttered an emphatic 'No.' He compromised, however, on the mourning question. Another trait of Alexandra's which is causing Geoiige and Mary unconcealed annoyance is the persistence with which the widowed Queen 1 rushes into print with messages adldressed to her 'beloved people.' During King Edward.'s reign Alexandra constantly issued 'messages' of this sort, which Edward' never allowed .to pass for publication until he had carefully toned and pruned them, to Alexandra's great indignation. "DIGNIMED SECLUSION FOR YOU." "Queen Alexandra should be known as the Queen Mother, but she is constantly referred to, with ihe.r own sanction, as Queen Alexandra. This is contrary to law and: etiquette, and is in itself an indication of the conflict between the two Queens. iStrictly speaking, Queen 'Mary is the only person entitled to be called Queen without any qualification whatever. (There is every promise of a long, desperate and entertaining fight between the two Queens. " 'l'll be ruler until I die,' says Queen Alexandra in effect. " 'Dignified seclusion for you,' retorts Queen Mary. QUEEN MARY'S STRONG CHARACTER. "Queen Mary is a woman of strong character and self-assertive qualities. She is not disposed (to be elbowed out of her lawful position by a dowager. The most remarkable act of Quieen Alexandra in 'her struggle witll Queen Mary has been to maintain her residence at Buckingham Palace. It was planned that Queen Alexandra should 'take Marlborough House, the usual residence of the Prinbe of Wales, and that King George and Queen Mary should move into Buckingham Palace with the-least possible delay. Queen Alexandra, however, stayed on at the great palace for weeks, and even continued to fly the Royal Standard, which is an official intimation that the Sovereign is in residence. So much embarrassment did this cause the King and court officials that they adopted the expedient of giving Queen Alexandra a ■hint through the newspapers. An official announcement was issued to the Press in the following words:—'There is as yet no indication when Queen Alexandra proposes to leave Buckingham Palace, but doubtless she will go later on to Copenhagen with her sister, the Dowager Empress of Russia.' A STORMY INTERVIEW. "When this appeared Queen Alexandra was shocked. She had a stormy interview with h'er son, and? declared that she was being treated with discourtesy and crueilty. Of course the King had to make concessions to ihis widowed mother, and as Queen Mary was .not present she had nothing to «ay in the matter. Queen Alexandra, it da understood, declared that she would require months in which to remove Queer belongings from Buckingham Palace. Queen Alexandra has taken advantage of the extraordinary wave of emotion thlat swept over England on King Edward's death. Queen Alexandra' ■helped to intensify this emotion. .She behaved like a Juliet bereft of her Romeo rather thian a wife who had accepted the facts of life with philosophic calm | for fifty years.

THE FUNERAL. ''The last occasion when the Queen ■ Mo tiller was entitled to the first place (it a public ceremony was at the King's iuneral. She took it, but, according to] etiquette, the reigning Queen should have sat beside her in the State coach. Contrary ito etiquette Queen Alexandra insisted on having Oier sister, the Dowager Empress, sit beside her. Queen Alexandra stopped the funeral procession m 'hitle she patted ifthe late Kind's horse and dog before thousands of people. Queen Alexandra was the centre of interest in all these ceremonies. It was impossible for anyone to oppose her at such a time, but there is now no doubt that Queen Mary s+roiia'lv objected to having her rights infringed un-'er cover of bereavement. Queen Alexandra has given abundant evidence of an intention to keep her hold on public popularity in England. .The newspapers, and especially the women's newspapers, have contained an unusual number of paragraphs <T'\nn interesting details of the Queen's" private life, evidently originating with the Royal lady herself. iCAESAR, THE ■POX-TERRIER. "'Caesar, King Edward's fox-terrier, figures to a remarkable extent in these' paragraphs about Queen Alexandra. Gaesar waa depicted by all the Enplish I illustrated papers as following his master's coffin, wi'th an intensely human ex-' presaSon of and one wonL SO far tin to :epres<an Caesar ping an enormous -fear. -| ho follor'no announcement v,v" xrr.il f 'Or.--:,.' , | slowly overcoming tUo keen. loss sus at the dwit'li of his mn.ewr, -a-,,;. fare his being looked after in the kindliest maimer (by Qa-am Alexandra -ud Princess Vistorea. Throughout nho iemaimder of his life Caesar" is to ,-.k *fc-, in 'fllie pa\-tfe>u]ar care of Q».jei> Alexandra, and will accompany her w&erever she is in residence.' Alexandra's defennimiton feo ortnteni • mipi. ..j-icy S was show strongly when she flew from | tha flagpole ai Buckingham Palv.ce a raw { flag iaa feigned, cans'atiag f.fce British and Danish arms impaled. It j ia 'twice 'tike eize of tbe Royal Standard, [ "wihliGh r3he King ia entitled to fly, and# makes the flt,g of the British moot re h look caul) b TBrpitfnri"