Cadet George Windsor’s lavish gift to Princess Mary: Another royal anecdote
Here's another royal anecdote. Prince George, the future Duke of Kent, was on his wit's end thinking how to get the money to buy a birthday gift for his only sister, Princess Mary. Then, a bright idea popped up! What do you think is it? Read the full story...
At the age of 14, Prince George, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, was sent to Osborne, where he trained as a naval cadet. Its Spartan regime was not made any easier for him than for the other cadets and the King had commanded that his son should not be given special treatment. Though no "bookworm," he did well enough at his class-work to qualify later for a naval interpretership In French. He learned to use a lathe and many other tools, and took a great Interest in radio-telegraphy. At Osborne, he was called "Cadet George Windsor" — and unofficially just "PG."
Though Prince George, who was to be Duke of Kent in the future, showed no "side" at Osborne, he did wisely use his royal position to some practical purposes, especially when necessity called for it. The prince, just like other cadets, was given a pocket-money of a shilling a week. One time, when his only sister Princess Mary’s birthday was fast approaching, the prince wanted to send her a birthday present. However, he found himself down to a few coppers.
What was to be done?
He consulted a friend.
"Didn't you got a letter from your brother, the Prince of Wales, the other day?" asked his friend.
"Yes," replied Prince George, "but what's that got to do with it?"
"It ought to be worth something as an autograph," explained the other cadet.
"Why not put it up for auction?" So the letter was auctioned, and fetched £6. Princess Mary, the future Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, had the most lavish birthday present she had ever received from her young brother.
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