Edward the Jockey

L'Intransigeant, Paris evening newspaper, printed an article by Louis Thomas who professed to be well informed on the private affairs of the British Royal Family. Said M. Thomas: "After his return from India it was reported the Prince of Wales would renounce the throne, owing to poor health. Denial followed, but it is now remarked the denial was only that he would not renounce the throne on account of ill health.

"Meanwhile the Duke of York has been given guards of honor, usually only accorded the heir to the throne. Now the Duchess of York has been expressly forbidden by the King to dance in public restaurants, which is hard to explain otherwise than that she is one day to be Queen.

"The reason for the King and Queen's decision seems to be the obstinate refusal of the Prince of Wales to marry, and also his democratic tastes, especially as regards girls."

At the time this story was being told in the boulevards of Paris, the Prince, no doubt sublimely unconscious of his impending retirement as heir to the throne, had just finished acting as jockey for Lord Westmoreland at Sandown Park, a race course in the suburbs of London. The Prince who rode Phaco under the Jockey Club rules came in third. It was the first time he had ever ridden as a jockey in a flat race, and his finishing third was attributed by the sports critics to the fact that Phaco is a slow horse.