PRINCESS'S ROMANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 187, 16 January 1915, Page 6

PRINCESS'S ROMANCE.

SIIATTKKED BY THE WAP. AX AMEI'ICAN STORY. The lover she chose after rejecting the most eligible kings and princes in Europe was torn from her and turned into Jin enemy who may bu shot by her own countrymen. The Princess Patricia of Connaught, (he Princess -J'at" of popular affections, is the victim of a most cruel war romance. says tile San Francisco Examiner.

After rejecting more kings and princes than any girl in Europe, the handsome Princess' became, engaged shortly before the war to the hereditary (Irand Duke Adolf Friedrich of MecklenburgStrclitz. The engagement was not formally announced, but was universally accepted as a fact. Now the Duke is a Herman ofliccr and his country is at war with the Princess's country. The engagement, of course, must lie at an end, and whether it can; ever be resumed is very doubtful, as the feeling between the two countries is such that a marriage between these two would be execrated in both places. Tn spite of the Duke's high rank, there is no doubt that tin; engagement was a love affair. The Princess had declined so many suitors, including several of much higher position than the Duke, that it is certain she is determined to marry for love or at least for reasons of personal inclination The Duke is a handsome young man, who has made himself very popuhir in .society, lie is heir to the reigning (Irand Ducltv of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, one of the sovereign Princes of the German Empire. Although this family is lint of great political importance among rulers, it is very ancient and possesses immense v. eaUii.

'('hi' young Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich Ims mingled much irue in cosmopolitan society than is usual with German princes. Hi' has met many Amorcaus iit London and Paris. Ho took part in sevi'l'al of tin' costume halls that have lately lx i'ii so popular in these cities, and v.ms ciiiisidi red the best-looking figure in ]i:r>tori«-itl co.-tume at a Jancy ball given by the Duchess of Manchester, Mrs John Astor. and Lady Naylor Ncylarid, all Americans. the pleasant untrammelled social life which the firand Duke led away from his own country lie and the Princess "Pitt" developed an intimacy, which ripened into affection.

Tin' Duke, by the way, is a third cousin of the Princess. His grandmother. the Dowager Duchess of Jleek-lepburg-Strelit*. who was an English Princess and cousin of Queen Victoria, recently had her pension of 27,000 dollars a year from the British Government cut oil 1 on account of the war. Tin' Princess Patricia is now in Canada, where her father, the Duke of Connaught. is Governor 'ieneral. She has latelv been present witti licr father to witni's.- the departing of the contingents of Canadian soldiers sent off to the war from Yalcartier, Quebec. Some of the soldiers she has been wishing success to may now he shooting at the man whom she expected to be her husband. The Princess "Pat ' as she is always called, is quite an idol in Canada. The tall, gracious Princess has done more to make the empire popular than anybody ever sent over from England. One of the Canadian regime-its sent to the front lias been named "Princess Patricia's Own."

Probably lev. of the soldiers who were cheered on their way by the Princess stopped to think that they might be go. in;; to kill her -wcetheart If soldiers slopped to think of such things could they ever fight ? The personal complication* of war between two neighboring countries are horrible.

THAT HORRID LITTLE MAPfo The Princess U lift tall, but her figure i.-. so graceful and she dresses so well that her height does not make her look awkward. She*has beautiful fair hair and love'.- blue eyes with long lashes. In spite of her very feminine charms the Princess "Pat" is a great sports-wo-man. In Canada her shooting has been very much admired. She is also a (lashing rider, and a good golfer. She has even been ill a shooting expedition in the wilds of Central Africa.

Disposing of the Princess ''Pat's" hand ha-. been one of the favorite occupations of courts and soci"ty for ten years, anil it seems that it may be continued indefinitely. She is now twenty-eight years of age, which i> older than royal prince—es are usually allowed to remain unmarried. In her earliest youth it was considered most desirable that the I'riiicoss Patricia should make au important marriage with some Kuropcan ruler. Her father was the only surviving brother of King I'dward when the latter ascended the throne. The Duke and bis family were for a long time the most conspicuous representatives of the throne lic.The good looks of the Princess and her sifter and brother were considered a valuable asset to the Royal Family'. They were all expec(;i/l to help the family interests by making advantageous marriages. Princess Patricia's sister, Princess Margaret, fulfilled these expectations by marrying the Crown Prince of Sweden, but Patricia was an absolute rebel to the idea of being married for I'casoiis of State.

Years ago her I'atlnr took her to Spain with the object of arranging a match with King Alfonso, who was quite willing. The tall, strong Princess looked at the anaemic King with his sallow face and curious projecting, under-lip, and treated him \erv coldly. She declared to her father: "I will 'lever, never marry that horrid little man!"'

TIIK KAISKIf'S SOXS. I It is 1 not (rue Hint when King Ed ward remonstrated with Princess 'd'at" silo } threw herself cm the floor and wc;,i. Nlie-j has a dilVcrent way of declining an .ill- ; welcome marriage. Alfonso iook the episode y : <h adminicle phi'o-opliy. lie mot Kin" Edward in tin- >uutli of l-'raiicc soon after, and .-aid to him: "Since your charinin;' niece, Princess I'atrieia. does not cave for inc. may 1 hope for better luck with Tour equally cliarmi'.,"; niece, Princess. Victoria of This time Kin# Alfonso made a, piod jrness. Several sons of the (,'ennan Kaiser in succession were proposed f,,r Princess "Pat." At one time it was stated that i she would probably marry bis second son.: Primv Kite! Kritz, bin slie found insnp- < crabie objections to his habits. The I'rin- 1 cess whom lie actually married recent!'.left him. fn IWI7 cll'orts were made to liriiuj; about :> mall-ll betWeelt l'rincess l'at- ' ricia ainl tlie late Crown Prince Luis of i Pol'tllL'al, but once more she rcsoiutelv ! declined. The Prince was assassinated ! with his father in Pill,-;. j Tiie next pi;,II of tbc Ko.al match-' makers was to marry the Princes.; to 1 tile Count of Turin, older, brother of the Duke of Abruzzi, Whose 1 a Hair with Miss Katberiiic Rlkins excit-' cd so niucli interest. Tiirfn had an inter-i national reputafion for adventures or a i dTil'cieiit kind from those pursued by! his Slant brother. This was probably I wiix, the l'rincess Patricia absolutely ' declined to have anything to do with 1 Still. (In' British iioval family por.,ist-l cd in trying to mnrrv the Princess "Pat" docs not care about his daughter's feci '

but, bivil iu the'old traditions of royalty, ho believes that lie would be doing his best for his daughter by marrying her to a ruling prince. In tliis cause he is heartily supported by his wife, who was a daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of : russia. DESTINED TO BE UNHAPPY. 11l 10(H) the matchmakers tried ill vain to marry the Princess to King Manuel, who then occupied the throne of Portugal. Eventually lie married a Princess of Hohenzollern. The strange episodes that occurred during the honeymoon seem to prove tlmt the Princes*. Patricia was wise when, she iirmly declined him. l'"or several years in London the Princess was much with a coterie of young people, that included the beautiful Lady Majorie Manners and the Marquis of Anglesey, known in society as "Handsome (iiaiT:e." Society believed there was :i love all'air between the Princess and the Marquis. It is said that King Edward absolutely forbade a marriage between the young people because the Marquis was not of suliiciently high rank. The same gossip asserted that Prince Arthur of Connaught was in love with Lady Marjorie Manners. These plans were somewhat disarranged, for the Marquis of Anglesey married Lady Marjorie, from whom he has since separated. Prince Arthur made a conventional marriage, taking his cousin, the Duchess of Fife, who is very rich. BRILLIANT AND ATTKACTIVE.

It was then, after ail extended experience of society and suitors, Hi at- the Princess chose the (irand Duke of Meck-lenlmrg-Strelitz. He was the ideal of a woman who had seen many men of different types and understood their ways. Society is therefore convinced that he must be a very brilliant and attractive man. even though a bom Prince. Not only is the (irand Duke now logically an i neniv of all that is British, but it i'» conceivable that the chances and strange coincidences of war may bring him to sword points with a member of the family of the woman he expected to wed. Princess -'Pat's" brother, Prince Arthur of ('•■ it«nr - 'V is at the front with the British ..xmtll-ionary forces in France. As :: - : •- in the Scots fireys,

I his capture ar:! iMoilmn as a, prisoner j of war would be well worth the while of auv German officer. 1 The ancient Greek dramatists, with | a Princess "Pat" for their tragic heroine, I would not) have denied themselves a j climax even more harrowing. To meet ' that dramatic Meal all future possibility of Princess "Pat" being reunited with her royal lover would lie obliterated by a personal combat in which Prince. Arthur vould be slain by the. Grand Duke. ( Considering the heavy casualties that j have more than decimated the British | officers sent to France, it would not he i strange if the Princess should read the I name of her brother in the list of dead lor wounded almost any day now. And this is another of the worries and griefs I she is compelled to bear. That the Princess should lose her f lover now seems all more a tragedy be--1 cause of the many experiences she, lias | passed through in her determination to j assert Iter lights as a woman ami not as a mere puppet of royalty.

She has often been decribed as the most difficult and obdurate -of royal maids.

Psychologists know that when a woman of such character is deprived of anything oil which she has set her heart the shock is far greater than it would be in the case of a young and undeveloped girl. This story proves that even those who have beauty, wealth, rank and ability cannot always grasp the happiness that is within reach of the poorest and humblest.