ALFNNSO'S MOTHER-IN-LAW

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 104, 18 September 1912, Page 8

ALFNNSO'S MOTHER-IN-LAW

UNHAPPY KING 01'' SPAIN. DOMESTIC SQUABBLES IN THE PALACE. London, September 4. King Alfonso of Spain was enjo; ' ! ig himself at the Cowes Uegatla, in ; ■gland, when lie surprised the lloyal party by coming down to breakfast one Morning extremely agitated, and exclaiming that lie must go back to Madrid immediately. The reason for this sudden departure, as given in an official communication to 'the press, was that Alfonso's little son, Don Jaime, was again ill, but the fact that Victoria, the boy's mother, was not in the least perturbed, discredited this explanation. Another reason was substituted, namely, that urgent affairs of State made it necessary for Alfonso's immediate return to Mudril. But the real reason—the ordinary, •uiKomantic tru,th —lias now leaked out; King Alfonso had a row with tiis mother-in-law. It has been known for a long time that Alfonso and Princess Henry -of Battenberg are not ideally happy in each other's company, and on several occasions quite undignified squabbles have provided pleasant scandal for the Court ladies ind delightful speculation for the servants. As a rule Victoria has ajted the part of the peace-maker, and has been able to keep her mother and husband on outwardly polite terms with each other, but lit Cowes ltegatta Alfonso exploded, had | his baggage packed, and left in a hurry.

Alfonso is t;aid to be not o very tractable son-in-law, and is rather too fond of a loose rein to please .the old-faslrioned Princess Henry, whose ideas of how to behave in public are founded on iher recollection of the solemn Court of Queen Victoria. In fact, Alfonso finds the continual nagging so irritating that he once told a personal English friend, in a sudden burst of confidence, that a revolution in Spain which would free liim of his kingly responsibilities and send him to join Manuel of Portugal in peaceful and happy exile, would be most welcome. He could face an anarchist -with a bomb, or a mob of Republicans, but he could not face his mother-in-law.