PRINCE CAROL’S ROMANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1926, Page 7

PRINCE CAROL’S ROMANCE

COURT PROCEEDINGS FOLLOW. CLAIM FOR DESERTION. By Telegraph—Press Asen. —Copyright. Received Nov.. 19, 12.30 am. Paris, Nov. 17. Poignant love letters exchanged between Zizi Lambrinu and Prince Carol were read in the case in which Madame Lambrinu is suing Prince Carol for school fees for her son, Mircea, furthermore demanding that his name shall be entered in the school records as a legitimate, son. When Carol was ordered to rejoin his regiment after liis war-time attempt to renounce hie Roumanian succession, he wrote: “I cannot give you up. I ever remain your loving husband and father of the child you are expecting.” Madame Lambrinu sobbingly broke down at this passage. In the course of the opposing counsel’s heated argument it was disclosed that Madame Lambrinu is also suing Carol for 10,000,000 francs damages for alleged desertion. The evidence showed that the child was registered in Madame Lambrinu s name, and that the father was not mentioned. After Lambrinu became domiciled in France the headmaster of a French school refused to admit the child on the grounds of illegitimacy. Counsel for the defence argued that the marriage had been dissolved by the Roumanian courts, whereafter Madame accepted an arrangement whereby she was granted an income of 1.10,000 francs. Moreover, the tribunal was incompetent to decide because both parties were for-, eigners and the case concerned a question of paternity, which did not come under French law. PRINCE’S CHEQUERED CAREER. STORY’OF THE RENUNCIATION. The Crown Prince Charles of Roumania renounced his right of succession to the throne of that country on December 31, 1925. The King, in a communique, stated that Prince Charles, having informed His Majesty by letter of his irrevocable renunciation of succession and all prerogatives appertaining to that rank, including membership of the Royal Family, he was compelled to accept the renunciation. The King proclaimed his grandson, Michael, son of Prince Charles, aged four years, as heir to the throne. The Council of State approved of this step, and Parliament subsequently ratified it. The announcement recalled the sensation of September, 1918, when it was disclosed that Prince Charles had seesetly married a Moldavian girl named Zizi Lambrinu. the daughter of a Roumanian general. The King ordered the Prince back from his honeymoon, and he was subjected to 75 days’ solitary confinement for breaking the military regulations, the breach presumably consisting of marrying without permission. He renounced his rights in 1918, and asked to be sent to serve among the soldiers at the front.

The marriage was annulled and the Prince’s rights were restored. He next went on a world tour. He married Princess Helene of Greece in. 1920. The Queen of Roumania explained that members of the Royal Family were forbidden to marry Roumanians in order to avoid the possibility of. the family becoming involved in party intrigues. In the absence of details of the immediate cause of the Prince's renunciation of the heirdom, much speculation became rife.. It was known that he had more than once previously expressed a wish to relinquish his rights, notably when he married the Moldavian girl. There were rumours in 1923 that relations between the Prince and his wife were strained, and that divorce proceedings were pending, but a denial of the report was issued. It was suggested that the renunciation was due to the Prince’s desire to resume his romance with Zizi Lambrinu.

The London Daily Telegraph, however, said a well-informed figure in diplomatic circles asserted that the Prince’s renunciation was not so closely associated with his morganatic marriage as was popularly supposed. This diplomat gathered (hat his action was more mmediately determined and anyhow precipitated, by events of a political and administrative character, which arose when the question of equipping the Roumanian air force with new machines was under consideration. Certain departments were intent on purchasing machines from a certain Power. The Prince being the titular head of the service, disagreed and eventually imposed.his will.

Accordingly the machines were ordered from another country. It appears that hie choice was dogged by misfortune. One of the leading pilots was killed during the tests, while . other machines proved to contain unsuitable engines. The thwarted authorities sought to make capital out of the incidents, urging an official inquiry. . The Prince strongly opposed this, but the Cabinet overruled Iris objections and ordered an inquiry. These circumstances contributed jn no small degree to the Prince’s resignation of his post as air commander-in-chief, together with his Royal prerogatives.