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Show I WHAT EFFECI ON HIGH SOCIETY ,, King's Death Raises Question That Is Even Now Disturh-- ing Social Leaders. 'If. ip AMERICANS WERE FAVORED i BY THE LATE MONARCH ! New Conditions May Mean Pass-ing Pass-ing of the Power of Some Who Wedded Titles. if m'I BY LADy MANWARING. i jj!.! Special Cable to Tho Tribune. LONDON. May 7. Without impugn-ing impugn-ing tho nationnl grief ovor King Ed-I'l'-n ward's death -with lightness, social cir- Si:jfi clcs have already begun to discuss tho J!j- tremendous influonco which the king's fVM death will have upon aristocratic so-ciety so-ciety of London and Great Britain in general. King Edward's social favor-L&'jj favor-L&'jj ite. Mrs. George Kcppc.ll, who was the ittism social arbitor during his reign, nces WWnfj the crisis in her social career, and the Amorican women who have married mto noble .families may also bo crushed an the fall of tho old regime. King Edward was extremely fond of the young American pecrosscs. Ho njade no secret of his liking for American Ameri-can women and an instance was shown in his -recent acceptance of an invitation invita-tion to attend tho wedding of Viscount I Maidstone to Miss Drcxel of Philadelphia Philadel-phia next month. Queen Mary, wite of King George, is known as a woman of strong mind, and- being young, .er natural inclination is to dominate society so-ciety n court circles herself without delegating this power to other women. Withi Queen Alexandra it was different. She cared little for society, and wns willing that another should rule. It is quite possible that the fabric of the social arbiter of King Edward's rule will fall and with it will go into obscurity a nnmbor of women who have Vecome "famous through Toyal favor. Leader's ruturo Doubtful. At the present time Mrs. Keppell 's nfiw million-dollar residence in Gros-vonor Gros-vonor Square is nearing completion, and its mistress had planned that it should house, tho grandest functions in Englandi Its social affairs woro to outrank out-rank those of Buckingham Palace. At this time, however, tho future of Kop-pell Kop-pell Palace is doubtful. "Among tho American women who have been favored by King Edward aro the Duchess of Roxbury, Lady Granard, the Duchess of Marlborough and many others. Especially interested was his late majesty in Lady Granard, and ho attended at the Granard residence a number of social affairs. The attitudo of tho now king towards to-wards the Americans is not definitely understood. Tout there can be no doubt of his hostility towards' Mrs. KeppolJ. King George was annoyed that his father should delegate the powers to Mrs. Keppell that he did. Why this hostility existed in such' a marked degree de-gree is not exactly known, but evidences evi-dences of it have been shown too ofton for misunderstanding. The Duchess of Marlborough in discussing dis-cussing tho demise of King Edward with one of her guests remarked: "King Edward was a man of Buch shining qualities that he would have ranked as the first gentleman in the land had he not been king. His social tact, his intuitive diplomacy and his kindness were marked. Ho was broad-minded, broad-minded, and catholic in his tastes. To know him was to love, admire and respect him." Lady Granard was deeply affected at the" news of her social benefactor's death. "It is a sad event in my life; I feel as if a life-long friend has passed away," she said. Mrs. Keppell Was Arbiter." 'Tho resident American women, whose wealth and ambition loads to aspirations aspira-tions to take part in tho affairs or tho inner circles, universally courted tho favor of Mrs. Keppell. Just what attitude at-titude they will maintain when tho three weeks' period of court mourning is over remains to be seen. Mrs. Keppell has been at her London Lon-don residence sinco tho late king foil ill; Sho' was a guest at tho last dinner attended by King Edward. Mr. Keppell Kep-pell visited Buckingham palace yesterday, yester-day, but Mrs. Keppell romained at home. Mrs. Keppell was seriously affected af-fected by the news of tho monarch's death. Aside from her social prestige, she has accumulated an enormous fortune for-tune through "tips" on the stock market given her by millionaire Americans Amer-icans who sought her aid for the ral entry. Queen Mary has not spoken to Mrs. Keppell in ton years. But this hostility had no effoct on King Edward, for he promised to attend the coming-out party of Violet Keppell, Mrs. Keppell Kep-pell 's daughter. Mrs. Keppell is a strikingly beautiful matron, not yet having attained middle age. |