THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8154, 2 June 1906, Page 5

THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

KING ALFONSO AND PRINCESS,ENA.

A BRILLIANT PAGEANT.

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.

A BOMB THROWN AT THE ROYAL CARRIAGE.

KING AND QUEEN ESCAPE INJURY

NINE PEOPLE KILLED AND SEVERAL INJURED

[By Telegraph—Press Association.]

Received June 1, 11.26 p.m. MADRID, June 1. The Archbishop of Toledo/, and Dr. Brindle, Archbishop of Westminster, and other Prelates, officiated at the marriage of King Alfonso to Princess JSna. There was a marvellous pageant in brilliant sunshine, and vast and tumaltuously enthusiastic crowds gathered on the occasion.

J The building was let as a grocery {shop on the ground floor, with a boarding establishment above.

The attempt which marred the wedding was on the anniversary of the Paris attempt on the life of King Alfonso.

It is supposed that the bombthrower was Manuel Duran, a welldressed Oatalonian, who with many others has been arrested.

Return iug to the Palace from the San Geronimo Church, the procession halted temporarily in the Calle Mayor, when bouquets were showered from the balconies of houses, and included one concealing a steel bomb, which, exploding towards the right, and betweeu the hindermost horses aud front wheels of the Royal carriage, killed a groom and two horses, and damaged the carriage slightly, as well as wounding the Marquiß of Sottomayor, and the equerry riding on the right, aud killed a lieutenant standing to the salute, and four soldiers lining the route.

Messages of sympathy and congratulations have been received at the Palaoo from all countries. <

The populace are furious at the attempted assassination, and nearly lynched several foreigners, including a French detective, who was suspected during the confusion of the authorship of the outrage. Both the King and Queen reached the Pal«oe uninjured. ■*.

The courtiers pressed forward, bat King Alfouso waved them baok. He tenderly supported his weeping wife of the Princess of Wales' carriage, which was some distance ahead of King Alfonso's.

The explosion also deoapitated a police bugler, besides killing two female spectators, and injuring numbers of others.

(The marrying of a King is at all times important, but the njprrying of a King of Spain is ceremonially an event of the first human concern, due to quite a variety of reasons, among them being the following:— The traditional etiquette Jof the Spanish Court; the territorial rank of the Sovereign; tho religious and civil clauses of the national constitution as affecting either a King of Spain or a King of Spain's heir. When King Alfonso decided to marry, he had to notify his Ministry; when finally he made his choice he was barred by the law of hJs oountry from intimating Jit personally. No doubt "the youug people" had their confidences, but King Alfonso did not propose till after his return to Madrid, when he appointed a special ambassador, who carried two requests to England from his master—one to King Edward asking his consent to the union, and another to Princess Ena formally tendering tho Spanish offer. The acceptance of the proposal was equally formal, and the final formality was entrusted to the Duke of Norfolk, as Earl Marshal of England, senior' British Peer, Master of British Ceremonies, and the most Notable Roman Catholic Layman in all the British Empire. Through him King Alfonso was notified of the acceptance, on which the prospective bridegroom formally summoned, his Ministry, and stated his intention of taking aa his Ccnsort Her Royal Highness the Prinoesß Eua of Batten berg., It has been said that Princes Ena is an English Princess, which is true, while the converse that she is a Prinoesa of England is untrue. Her mother is a Princess of England, of in fact Great Britain, even as are her sisters Princess Louise and Princess Christian, and as were the Empress Prederiok of Germany and the Princess Alice. The Constitution of Spain compelled the future Queen to adopt the Faith of the State.

The Duke of Corninachuelofi, rushing up, opened the door of the carriage, and dragged out King Alfonso and then Queen Ena, who exhibited great emotion.

Recovering himself immediately, King Alfonso spoke through the broken windows and inquired what damage was done. He forthwith sent an orderly to reassure Princess Beatrice and Princess Christian, and raising his voice ordered the, procession to proceed.

Queen Ena was deathly pale but smiled courageously. King Alfonso and Princess Victoria belped her out of the carriage, and they continued the journey in another coach. Queen Ena broke down on reaching the Palace. A STRANGE FEATURE. SEVERAL ARRESTS MADE. POPULACE FURIOUS. Received June 1, 11.40 p.m. MADRID, June 1. A strange feature of the occurrence is that the comb was thrown from a house owned by King Alfonso's mother, and which was bequeathed to her by a philanthropist.