Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), Wednesday 3 December 1879, page 3


MARRIAGE OF THE KING OF SPAIN. Our London telegrams announced the marriage of King Alfonso of Spain to the Austrian Archduchess Marie Chris-tine Henrietta Desirdo, daughter of an uncle of the present Emperor by his mar-riage with a Princess Palatine of Hun-gary. The young Archduchess was born in 1858, and is consequently now of full age. She lost her father six years ago. Her mother, the Archduchess Elizabeth Francoise Marie, was born January 17th, 1831, and was a widow of the Archduke Ferdinand Victor, of Este, when she mar-ried the Archduke Charles Ferdinand, of Hapsburg, on April 18th, 1854. Of this marriage were issue four children, still living. In direct descent the father of the future Queen of Spain was a grandson of the Emperor Leopold of Aus-tria, who married the Infanta Maria Luisa, daughter of the most famed of the Bourbon Kings, Charles III. The Archduchess had entered one of the orders of Chanoinesses, which exist in Prague for ladies of noble birth, and she is abhbes of her chapter, though not bound to remain in the order for life, no vows being required in these lay establishments. Within their walls, in both Austria and Germany, the daughters of noble families lead a life of quiet and agreeable seclu-sion, returning to society when they choose, and free to marry as they like. Each lady in the house of Prague enjoyed an income of twelve hundred marks a year, and the Archduchess possessed about fifteen thousand. It was in this peaceful existence, apart from the gay capital of Austria, and away from the brilliant Court of the Hapsburgs, that the Princess was one day startled with the intelligence that the Ministers of King Alfonso had cast their eyes on her as the successor to Queen Mercedes. It seems that when the Archduchess got the first intimation she was very irresolute, as it came soon after the whole of Europe had been touched and painfully interested by the untimely and premature death of Queen Mercedes, but her scruples were overcome. The Times of Sept. 3 says:-The young King of Spain, who some eighteen months ago, became a widower by the sad death of Queen Mercedes, to whom he was warmly attached, and very lately lost a beloved sister, is obliged, by reasons of State and the wishes of his subjects, to seek a new alliance. It is not too late, for he is yet barely twenty-two years of age. For some months it has been ex-pected, if not actually arranged, that the Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria, cousin of the Emperor, was to be the object of his choice. That young lady and her mrother have been staying amid the pine forests of Arcachon, a remote French watering-place near Bordeaux. King Alfonso soon appeared on the scene, and created much perturbation among tIhe grandees whom Spanish etiquette brought in his train, by carrying on his courtship in the most natural fashion, and pro-longing his stay--which was barely a week-beyond the allotted time. It seems that the amiable Archduchess, on her return by way of Paris, has found great favour with tho ex-Queen Isabella, who promises--if permitted, which is doubtful--to come to her son's second wedding.