Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Prince Arthur cancels trip to Vienna

July 2, 1914

Prince Arthur of Connaught has cancelled his trip to Vienna to "represent King George" at the funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, reports the New York Times.

It is "understood that the sudden cancellation" of Prince Arthur and the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II and other "foreign royal guests" is due to the "express wish of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria that the funeral "should be as private as possible."

There are also "unconfirmed rumors" that Archduke Franz Ferdinand's will "set forth the desire that no imperial personages" attend his funeral, but many believe the real reason for the cancellation of the visits is "the fear that the lives of foreign royal visitors might be endangered."

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