6 SEPTEMBER 1935, Page 2

Belgium's Tragedy The tragedy of the death of Queen Astrid

made its full impression on the world only when there were published on Tuesday and Wednesday pictures' of the solitary King walking alone, stricken in body 'and almost unbearably in spirit, behind the coffin of the dead Queen from his palace to St. Gudule's, and from there to the royal vault at Laeken. . How the accident; happened remains, and will no doubt remain, unexplained. The combination of faultless achievement in both the personal and the mechanical factor, demonstrated to perfection by Sir Malcolm Campbell and his ' Blue Bird on the day of the royal funeral in Brussels, is necessary in only lesser degree whenever an ordinary driver enters an ordinary car. All that can be said of the fatal excursion by Lake Lucerne is that there was failure somewhere. Where and how and why will remain a mystery. In circumstances of peculiar poignancy the world has naturally: and instinctively extended to King Leopold and to Belgium a sympathy even deeper and more heartfelt—if that be • possible-than was evoked by the tragedy which ended the life of the King's "father last year.