ROMANTIC

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 31 January 1913, Page 3

ROMANTIC

i LOVE OF AN ARCHDUCHESS. GET I i i E KM l i .-.KOit'S CONSENT 10 ENGAGFMENT. For the first- time in the history of j the 1 louse of Hupsburg, an Archduchess is about to marry a man who ]is practically a commoner. A notice published in the official ; Vienna Gazette on December 14, that the Archduchess Elenora, the eldest[daughter of the Archduke Karl Hto- | phau is, with the knowledge of the j Emperor and the permission of her ! parents, engaged to marry Naval j Lieutenant- A lion.s von Kl-o.ss, came ; as a great surprise to all except tho in--j- t-imate friends of tho two families. I The official notice adds that the Archduchess voluntarily renounces all her rights as a Pririsoc-e of the Imperial House. The redding will take place privately in tins month. T'he Archduchess Eleonora, who is twenty-six years of age, is a- slight, graceful, and very attractive woman. She paints well, and is very fond of music, and art. For some years -she, had showed a strong disinclination for Court, life. Some surprise was caused by the marriage of her two younger sisters to Prince Eadziwell and Prince Charter y ski, respectively, two noblemen of the highest rank, before the Archduchess Eleonora was even engaged. Tho reason is now known. ' ' Lieutenant von Klo-ss was attached to the A rchduke Karl Stephan's yacht as commander for four years, and during many cruises in. the Adriatic the Archduchess Eleonora and the young officer fell deeply in love. Their attachment was kept secret until the Archduchess one day informed her parents that 'she would many the naval lieutenant, or remain single all her life. The Archduke Karl Stephan, who had a high opinion of Lieutenant von Kloss. was himself unable to give permission for their marriage, but promised to use his influence with tho ' Emperor Francis Joseph, After some delay, in order to test the affeoi' of the couple, the Emperor gave hos approval, subject to the relinquishment by the Archduchess of her rank and -rights as a member of the How of Hapsburg. I The betrothal of the Archduchess and Lieutenant von Kloss was celebrated at the Archduke Karl Ste--phan'iS country residence, in Poland, in September. I The rrosnective bridegroom would I England be considered as helot" to the "middle-class" of society. The Emperor will probably give him the rank of a Baron or Count before the wedding.