July 6, 1908
Prince Harald of Denmark has become betrothed to Princess Helena of Schlswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, according to the Marquise de Fontenoy, who recalls the fact that Harald "was one of the unsuccessful suitors for the hand of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands." His engagement will mark "an improvement in the relations" between the Danish and Prussian courts.
Princess Helena is said to be the favorite niece of Kaiserin Augusta Victoria and Kaiser Wilhelm II, and "spends much of her time" visiting her aunt and uncle. One of her sisters, Viktoria Adelheid, is the wife of Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; another sister, Alexandra, is engaged to the Kaiser's fourth son, Prince August Wilhelm; and her mother, Caroline Mathilde, is the Kaiserin's younger sister.
This marriage has great importance to the Germans as Denmark "virtually commands the entrance to the Baltic," and Germany wants to be on good terms with her. Ever since the war of 1864, Prussia has had one aim to "assuage Danish resentment and to convert it into goodwill."
Previous efforts to heal the wounds "were of no avail." But since Wilhelm II came to the throne, "there has been a marked improvement." It seems the "impending marriage" of Princess Helena and Prince Harald "is calculated to still further cement the amity."
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