THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1921, Page 11

THE PRINCE OF WALES.

AN INTIMATE STUDY,

THE MAKING OF A KING.

SOME DELIGHTFUL STORIES. London, July ff. The birthday of the Prince of Wales was chosen appropriately for the publication of the record of His Royal Highness’ career, by Miss Sanders. Miss Sanders’ 'book is small, but it is full of interesting and intimate detail, and in its compilation its author was given special facilities for collecting material for her work. She had access to records and photographs, including the Prince’s own private collection, many of which are used to illustrate the present volume.

Miss Sanders says that the democratic upbringing of the Prince has undoubtedly contributed greatly to his unqualified popularity, and must have been no easy task; for no matter how closely guarded against, it was inevitable that the Prince should early realise that he was destined for a position of importance remote from that of his young associates. “Only such loving watchfulness as was bestowed upon him by his devoted parents and grandparents could have produced the unspoiled simplicity that is one of the Prince's greatest charms.” Many amusing and delightful stories are told of the Prince, as a baby, a child, a youth, and a man. One is certainly illustrative of the charming simplicity of his upbringing.

A children’s outfitter had called at York House with a suit for him to try on; and as she was waiting in a passage near the nursery, the little Prince rushed out. “Come in,” he cried, “there’s nobody here!” “I think I had better wait,” ’he replied. “It may not be convenient for me to go into the nursery now. “Oh, yes, you can,” he insisted. “There’s nobody here that matters, only grandpa!” It was “grandpa” (King Edward Vll.) who romped with him in the gardens of Marlborough House, and perhaps it was from “grandpa” that he learned that charm of manner so characteristic of them both.

“RICH BUT NOT IDLE.” A story is told that at the end of the Prince’s stay at Dartmouth, the King suggested to him that he should make a present to the five cadets who had been his closest comrades there. His Royal Highness protested in -reply, “I can’t do that. The other fellows don’t give each other presents, and they’ll think it such awful side.”

As a child, we are told, the Prince was very self-possessed, and evinced none of the shyness which later marked his period of apprenticeship in the Navy —a shyness due to a certain extent to the training so carefully organised to reduce cadets to the level of their rank. “Infernally bumptious,” his grandfather was apt fondly to call him. From an intellectual point of view the Prince received a good, sound education, which formed, an excellent basis for future development. But above all. he acquired a fine sense of duty «'ind discipline. Miss .Sanders attributes it largely to the informal upbringing of the Royal children, ar 1 their mixing, in early life, with the Sandringham residents, that the Prince has developed that extreme naturalness which has brought him -such undoubted popularity, and which evoked such wide and favorable comment throughout his tours.

Since the war he has assumed a great and increasing share of the burden of Royalty, and his time is fully occupied. On one occasion, on the way to keep an engagement, his motor-car was held up by the traffic. A Laborer at the spot remarked, with a sneer, as he gaped into the car. “One of the idle rich.” “Rich, perhaps,” the Prince retorted, “but, hang it all, not idle.” Miss Sanders deals briefly with the Prince’s tours, and with reference to his arrival in New Zealand, we are told that Auckland, during the Royal visit, had the appearance of an immense flower garden—it was flowers, flowers, all the way—and, one should add, children. Children, to a great extent, monopolise attention in these young countries, and they certainly monopolised the Prince.

PRIVATE LIFE OF THE PRINCE. In Australia the Prince “smiled away the differences which Australians believed lay between royalty and the commonalty.” As he drove away from the races in New South Wales, the progress of liis ear impeded by a huge crowd, one of the spectators called out as he passed, “What luck?” “Rotten.” came the reply, in a tone of dry sincerity. None of his speeches was more popular or effective in Australia! The Prince became “digger” at once. The private life of the Prince, writes Miss Sanders, is one of marked simplicity. Like his grandfather. King Edward, he is a moderate reader. He dislikes cards and billiards, and he is a great smoker, with a pronounced pre- ' ference for a pipe. Above all. he is a young athlete—a real sportsman—and regulates his life, as far as possible, as one always in training. Nay, before the average modern youth is awake he has walked or ridden in the Park, or, clad in conventional running shorts and vest, has taken a sharp run round the extensive grounds of Buckingham Palace. By 9.30 he will frequently be in the Bath Club, indulging in a stiff game of squash rackets. The. rest of the morning he generally spends with his secretaries, attending to his enormous public and private correspondence. It is one of hi.s rules that every letter received at the Palace is answered.

Many people have been curious to know whether the Prince was really the author of the splendid speeches he delivers, each one so fitted to its occasion, so it will please all inquirers, to learn authentically how they are compiled, for it is quite incorrect to suppose that they are left entirely io others. The Prince devotes an immense amount of time in the preparation of the more important of his utterances. His usual method is to get hi.s points by talking with an authority on the subject upon which he is going to speak, and then to write, and re-write, essential portions which are afterwards memorised.