THE WOOING OF PRINCESS ENA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8104, 26 March 1906, Page 7

THE WOOING OF PRINCESS ENA.

An extraordinary interest hag been taken in Europe in the wooing of Princess Ena of Batten burg by the xoung King of Spain, r Tfie Gazette de Biarritz prints a long artiole, in the course of which it eaya:—As we are informed by one of our Spanish confreres, it may be said that the love-making of the young King and the enchanting Prinoeas constitutes a veritable idyll. Like a true Spanish cavalier, his devotion has become almost & religion, and he never pronounces her natre except with a respect which amounts almost to veneration, As the cult of beauty and gallantry is innate in all Spaniards, the people applaud ■with all their hearts the ohoice of their young munaroh, and are ready to extend to their future Queen the most enthusiastic and friendly reception. CHARACTER SKETCH Ob 1 THE PRINCESS. . A few vears ago, lays a correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, it was written of Princess Ena: "She has a wpnderfully sunny temperament, and her natural brightness and cheerfalness, whioh reflect the kindliest disposition, are quite infectious." By anyone who has had the privilege of meeting Princess Ena, as she is familiarly called, it will be admitted that the description quoted depicts accurately enough one engaging side of her character. And it will probably strike moat people as singularly appropriate, and of the best augury, that one who possesses a "wonderfully sunny temperament," should be destined to reign over a country which owes so much of its beauty and charm to its proverbial radiance. The etiquette of the Spanish Court is a somewhat formidable thing, and it has been hinted that a few of its atriotest observances may possibly, in oourse of time, be relaxed under the influence of a young Queen in whom anything approaching formal stiffness is conspicuously absent. A GREAT EVENT FOR SCOTLAND.

"It la the first instance of a member of the Royal Family being bom in Scotland, sinoe the yearlb'OO." So ran the latter part of the official announcement, which conveyed the tidings of the birth of Princess Ena, at Balmoral, in October the "lucky" month—lßß7. The oircumstance of the Royal birth occurring in Queen Victoria's Jubilee year may well have been regarded as of specially bappy omen. Scotland was quick to celebrate the event—having, as has been noted, a very special reason for doing so—and the night of October 24th saw a bonfire lighted at Oraig Qowau "in honour of the birth of the infant Princess," On November 23rd the christening took place at Balmoral, the service being according to the form of baptism of the Scottish Presbyterian Church. Dr. Cameron Lees, of St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, officiated at the flimple rites. "Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena" were the names bestowed upon the tfoyal infant, who deprived the second of them from the impress Eugenie, who, as one of the sponsors, was represented at the christening by Princess Frederica of Hanover. The Empress Eugenie, as is well known, has from the first shown a very real interest in and affeotion for her godchild, in whose youthful spirits and unfailing vivacity, it may be readily imagined, she has found forgetfulness at times of her own sorrows. Among her possessions there are probably few cherished more highly by Princess Ena that the gifts—many in number, and some of rare value—which she has received from this devoted godmother, a considerable part of whose fortune, it has been surmised will, in all likelihood, fall to her eventuailiy. QUEEN VICTORIA'S FAVOUR. ITE. More than any of Queen Victoria's granddaughters, Princess Ena, in the most impressionable period of her life, came under the personal influence of Her late Majesty. Frinoess Beatrice bad been for so many yeara the late Queen's constant oompanion ' that her Royal mother could not part with her even on her marriage, and thus it was that at Windsor and Osborne the Prince and Princess remained •with Her Majesty. At Osborne they had a suite of apartments with nur j aery accommodation that is now ocouD'ed by the nursing staff of Kiag Edward's Convalescent Home for Officers. In this way the small Princess, who was a singularly bright and oharming little personality, was constantly with the Qeuen, thus unoonsoiously, perhaps, acquiring the ambitions with which In more serioub moments she bad been credited, of bearing her own part in the world's affairs. These earliest days were very quietly spent, and a wellinformed writer said of the Princess and her thi?ee brothers:—The four children lead vevy simple lives, and, as was the rule when the Quefen's own children were young, they are kept studiously apart from the official routine of Court life and they ' aie only seen by intimate friends of the Royal Family. It i» significant of tbe way in which their education is conducted that none of their attendants or visitors are allowed to speak to them in any lahguage but English. But they are kept in cldsb touch with their father's relatives, for Princes Beatrice is deeply attached to the two brothers-in-law and to her sister, the Countess von Erbaoh." Princess Ena's education was conducted under the direct supervision of her mother,!whose muscial tastes she inherits in no little degree. She has been constantly seen at the opera, where her sincere enjoyment of the music has always been obvious. The talent for languages of her family is possessed by her, as is also a love of arc. She is fopd of outdoor life, and is a good horse woman, in spite of a nasty little accident ih r her earlier youth, whioh might well have shaken her nerves for riding. Gardening, too, has been a "favourite"' plfltime with her, as it waa with her mpther.