otilCS OF THE DAY.
TIIE FUTURE KING CONSORT.
IN the course of a few years, the Royal Family of England will probably be one of the smallest in Europe. There are only four surviving grandchildren of GEORGE the Third, notwithstanding his numerous progeny; and as the youngest of the present King's brothers is upwards of sixty, and the youngest of his sisters fifty- six, there is no probability that the number will be increased. Should the Princess \rummer A marry one of her cousins of Cum- berland ur Cambridge, two branches of the Royal Family would be merged in one, and the chances of having to turn out of the direct line of succession for an heir to the crown would be multi- plied. It is as well to hear this consequence in mind as the time approaches for selecting a Ini;band for our future Queen.
Among the numerous ()Niles assigned by public rumour to the Earl of Dreessi's mission to the Continent, one is the taking of some preliminary steps for the introduction of a future King consort. At present there may be no better authority far th report than a paragraph of a leading article in the John Boll of last Sunday ; yet it moil be well founded—the story is not incre- dible. The following is the paragraph.
"All we shall now say is, that if the influence which it is generally be- lieved Lord Durham has over the fitindy of the King of the Belgians really exists, some enlightenment should be given to the people of this country, who must be deeply interested in the welfire and conduct of one of its members, who is placed in a liosition of the highest importance with respect to the future des- tinies of the British nation. As to the possibility of the truth of the report that the ulterior object of Lord Durham's visit to the Continent is the introduction into this country, under rer,/ peculiar circumstances, of a nephew of the King of the Belgians, and of the Dutehess of Kent, who is a Prince of the !loose of Wirtemborg, a remarkably fine young man, and cousin of her loyal Highness the Princuss Victoria, we really cannot pretend to decide."
John Ball then goes on to intimate, that an intrigue has been formed to Ming about a marriage between the Princess VICTORIA and a ntreien cousin, whirl, ought not to be allowed, while there are two English cousins very much at her services and moreover, that. it is quite necessary to ascertain what kind of a man this Lord Drennst is, who puts himself forward as the manager of an affair of such importance. As regards the first point, we can see no particular reason for selecting either of the two English Princes. The hereditary malady, indeed, with which one of them is unfortunately afflicted, is a strong objection to putting him in a situation to become the father of an heir to the British throne. The only solid advantage which the nation would derive from the preference of Prince GEORGE of Cambridge, to a Wiltemberg cousin, would be the diminution of expense: we should have one royal establishment the less to maintain. But this will not weigh much with any party who may be consulted in the matter. With respect. to Lord DURHAM'S influence in the Ifitinily of the Dutehess of KENT, " all we shall now say is," that for the sake of the welfare of the Prin- cess VICTORIA and her future suljects, we hope that it is real, and will be lasting. As to " the character of the hh% idual," the people of England are tolerably well satisfied as to that. There is no man iii time land oil whose patriotism and energetic honesty they rely more firmly than Lord Duensses.
Previous page
