| Show TWO THRONES SPAIN ENGLAND FACE DANGERS DANCERS OF DF NO HEIRS Alfonsos Alfonso's Sons In Poor Pooi Health Succession Changed WALES VALES IS FACTOR Doesn't Welcome Being King Mary MalY May lay Be Chosen I IDy By Dy WILLIAM w BIRD DmD Copyright 1927 Consolidated Press Pres Association PARIS May 14 The Tho Tho visit of ot the Prince of ot Wales to Spain which ended this week brings bring Into sharp relief relle the tho fact that both the British and the Spanish thrones are In serious danger dang r. r The Tho question of ot succession Is troubling them both to the point that many close observers would not hot be bo surprised If t In at least one of ot tho the two cases the present king should be the last of ot his line It H was WM during the British princes prince's visit In fact that It was virtually decided to pass over the heir apparent to the Spanish throne Prince Alfonso and to designate as the tho eventual e heir pre pro presumptive Prince Juan Carlos now v only 14 U years old The children of the present Spanish king are almost all In Infirm In- In Infirm infirm firm one ono being deaf deat and dumb while another has an Incurable defect of ot speech Young Juan Junn Carlos Caries himself although the strongest of or all all Is 19 rather back back- backward backward backward ward In health B IN I DANGER Juan Carlos Carios will not be given the title of ot heir presumptive un un- until until un- un until til he reaches the legal age of ot 17 If It during the next three years any untoward happening or any serious decline In health should disqualify him the Spanish throne would be in a precarious position Although there Is certainly no considerable revolutionary republican Mean lican movement In Spain mos most observers servers agree that the tho personal persona popularity of or the present King Al Alfonso Al- Al Alonso Alfonso fonso XIII has haJJ much to do with It it Should anything anything- happen to him it la Is I a a grave question whether the monarchy could con continue continue con in the absence of or a a. suit suit- suitably suitably ably popular successor The Prince of Wales Is ap approaching approaching preaching his birthday am amas and andas as yet shows no inclination t to marry marI and perpetuate the roya royal roal line Some people and among them certain persons who claim to be In the princes prince's confidence declare that he ho Is not at all anxious anxIous ious bus to ascend the throne par par- particularly If 1 It means taking unto himself a royal wife wire Further Further- Furthermore Furthermore Furthermore more the visible supply of ot suit suit- suitable suitable suitable able candidates for that honor Is growing smaller particularly since the recent marriage of ot Princess Astrid to the tho Belgian roya royal prince The great difficulty in the case of the British succession Is that the great grea majority of available princesses belong to the Catholic church and an therefore canno cannot marry the future defender of ot the Anglican faith It has been sug sug- suggested that the prince might marry a lady of ot the British nobil nobility ity It or even a commoner but Ed Ell- Edward Ellward Edward ward does not seem inclined to marry anybody any bod KING JUNG KI G IS 62 02 King Kine George V is 18 already 62 years old and Is not regarded as being In the most robust health He lie may very well ell of ot course go goon goon goon on ruling for many years to come but in matters so Important Important tant tent as the future of ot the great British empire it Is not safe to take chances and it is felt elt that thai provision should be bo made without much further delay for filling tile the vacancy The failure allure to marry is a se serious se- se serious serious rious handicap to the princes prince's succession His oldest oiliest brother the Duke of ot York has been married four fOUl years but as yet has no male offspring and Is thought to tobe tobe tobe be in itt frail rail health The Tho next brother Prince Henry I nn Is to now 27 and like the Prince ot Wales shows s no Inclination to marry and appears to have no interest In the succession Prince George the youngest I Ison son of ot the tho king kin is 25 years yean old and from all alt reports the likeliest of ot the royal ro al children It Is he whom many leaders of ot English opinion are grooming for Cor the throne if It the question comes out into the open as It seems likely to do Prince George is a 0 typical Englishman fond of ot sports a II afine afIne fine student and it Is 19 thought that as soon as ho he gets tired of or waiting for tor Edward dward and ond Henry to take wives he will viii make his choice among mong the tho short list of ot foreign royal princesses The other possibility Is la Prin- Prin Mary Sho She enjoys enjo s 's a popular popular- popularity ity all alt her own in tho the British Isles and the tho empire and besides that she already alread has a promising malo male heir There is no law to prevent her accession to the throne if It her brothers default and It might be the most acceptable solution Tho The Prince of ot Wales of course like Coolidge can have the oem nom nomination if It he ho wants It but if it t he ho sidesteps It wilt will be a Q wide open question as to which of ot tho the royal children will follow rollow their father tho the present king |
