Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

EUROPE’S NOBILITY.

BEING SAVED BY AMERICAN MARRIAGES. (San Francisco Chronicle.)' From making the world safe for democracy the American has turned to making it safe for hereditary titles. At least that seems to be the prevailing European impression. L’Avenir, of Paris, in commenting upon the wedding of Miss Evelyn Gordon, of New York, to the Duke de Crusol, quotes a witty dowager as exclaiming: “Three years ago these Americans were trying to make the world safe for democracy. Now they are trying to make it safe for nobility.” It may accur to some that American dollars have been doing duty on the European front for a long time. The titled fortune-hunter, in -fact, is a tradition in American society. But recent international alliances have been taken as indications that the whole institution of nobility is depending on America for support. That America could and would give philanthropic aid to the starving hordes of Russia, Austria and Armenia was taken for granted. .Similarly it was considered as appropriate that American dollars should be called upon to rescue impoverished European art.

CAPTURING AN OLD TITLE. “Why then,” asks a leading London weekly, “should America hesitate to revitalise European nobility? Is it not a vital part of old world culture?” Whatever the answer to this question, it is visibly true that Americans are playing an increasingly important part in old world society. When Miss Evelyn Gordon married the Duke de Crussol she invaded the unrecognised but still powerful royalist nobility of France and at the same time acquired one of the oldest titles in the western world. Therese Strother, of Baltimore, took on similar distinction in becoming the bride of Count Jean de Percival. And if reports are true, Mrs. Alfred E. Norrie, of New York, will go—or has aleady gone—outside the ranks of America’s late allies and become attached to one of Austria’s oldest families by marrying Baron Gustay von Hapsburg.

REAL POWER BEHIND GREEK THRONE. But when William Leeds, heir to the celebrated tin-plate millions, married Princess Xenia he made his family the real power behind the none-too-stable throne of Greece. His mother, of course, preceded him in this step when she married Prince Christopher, brother of King Constantine. But the young man’s marriage has cemented the two families—has effectually identified the Leeds tin-plate with the crest and seal of Greek royalty. Now Mrs. Leeds dreams great dreams, according to the Foreign Press. While neither she nor her son actually aspire to a throne, Mrs. Leeds hopes to see the sunny isles of Greece returned -to their ancient grandeur. If there is that much power in her millions, she will restore the city of Athens to the place it once occupied in the culture of the world—will make its marble halls once more the home of the earth’s greatest statesmen, philosophers and poets. Mrs. Leeds became known to European society ten years ago, when she was introduced in London by Lady Paget, formerly Miss Mary Stevens, of New York. She soon became celebrated as “the most - beautiful American widow of Europe” and one of the most popular hostesses in London. Mrs. Leeds, having inherited more than 30,000,000d01. from her second husband, the Tin-Plate King, did not lack for money. But it was her personality that made her.

TIN-PLATE KING’S WIDOW. Whatever ambitions the beautiful American may have developed in the last year or two, public opinion on two continents has acquitted her of any ulterior motive in marrying Prince Christopher. •‘When that wedding took place, the fortunes of the Greek reigning house were at their lowest ebb. The King of Greece, according to popular belief, was under the thumb of his wife, sister of the deposed Emperor William. The Greek court was decidedly pro-German and hence not particularly popular with the Allies. King Constantine had been forced into ex'ile and was then living in. Switzerland. Furthermore, Mrs. Leeds openly scoffed at several lesser principalities, which from time to time were looking for rulers. A story which went the rounds about that time declared that only her influence kept Prince Christopher from making a try at the throne of Lithuania.

REJECTED A THRONE. This story finally turned, up in Colonel Repington’s celebrated, dairy and goes : >-what as follows: ‘•lt ti ; .j • red that a Russian, formerly in the diplomatic service and then living at Berne, Switzerland, came to Prince Christopher in the spring of 1918 and told him that a deputation had arrived from Lithuania to offer him the crown of the newly-created State. “They had chosen Prince Christopher because he was orthodox, royal, with no German blood, and was about to marry an American wife. “The deputation of twelve turned up in due course, but Prince Christopher disappointed them by declining the throne. “Mrs. Leeds fled to avoid the scene, but Princess Helene of Greece and others of the Greek royal family made great fun of it, curtseying to Mrs. Leeds, dressing up as Lithuanian nobles with tablecloths and bringing in sham crowns on cushions. “Mrs. Leeds declared that she would rather be a lamp-post in New York than a queen in Lithuania, but Queen Sophie, the Kaiser’s sister, was furious when she heard of it at Zurich.” After Mrs. Leeds had married her prince, however, Fate turned another cord. The reigning King of Greece, bitten by a monkey, died. Venizelos, archenemy of Constantine, was defeated m the national election, and Constantine, in effect, was recalled to the throne. A LOVE MATCH. Time went on and Mrs. Leeds, now the Princess Anastasia, fell ill in Athens. Young William Leeds was in Japan at the time, but when he heard of his mother’s illness he started moving toward Athens at top speed, utilising rail, water and air transportation. He had never seen the Princess Xenia or any other prevailing Greek or related princess, and he now declares that it was a love match voluntarily entered into. The Princess Xenia is the daughter of the Grand Duke George of Russia, who was killed by the Bolshevists, and

a sister of King Constantine is her mother. But though of the blood royal, she could hardly be considered as highly desirable from that standpoint, because at least seven heirs stand between her and the throne of Greece, and she is as poor as a church mouse in the bargain. Considered on her own merits, she is a thoroughly agreeable and intelligent girl, whose beauty has been marred somewhat by a touch of sadness. European opinion, therefore, has concluded that Air. Leeds was swayed largely by motives of affection and pity, with the political clement as a mere re-enforc-ing factor. The outstanding fact of the situation, however, is that the Leeds millions, even though the interest is all that is now available, are entirely at the disposal of the Greek crown. For ■that reason it is supposed that young Leeds was altogether welcome into the royal household. As for Mrs. Leeds, she has practically admitted that she longs to play a big part in world politics. RECEIVED WITH OPEN ARMS. Returning to the case of the Duchess de Crussol, nee Miss Evelyn Gordon, witnesses of this wedding say the American girl was received into this ancient line with open arms. No crusty dowagers turned up their noses or allowed their triple chains to quiver with scorn at the thought of this alliance. No decayed dukes made any slighting remarks about America being a wilderness when the House of Crussol was mildewed with age. Six hundred peeresses and nobles of the royal party filled the private chapel in the historic Chateau d’Uzes during this wedding.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19220401.2.99

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 11

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,268

EUROPE’S NOBILITY. Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 11

EUROPE’S NOBILITY. Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 11

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert