End of the Line

Jamie Brooke was a rich young Briton who bought a ship, stocked it with arms, and sailed for the East Indies as a privateer. One hundred years ago he set himself up as the white Raja of Sarawak, a wild, head-hunting State in northwest Borneo. A British court found evidence that Jamie Brooke had got his principality by violence and trickery, and that he thereafter practiced ruthless extortion on the natives. But he was acquitted, was knighted by Queen Victoria.

Sarawak's present Raja is 66-year-old Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, grandnephew of Sir James. A suave, hard, efficient potentate, he has ruled his 500,000 brown-skinned subjects with an iron hand for 24 years. But last week word reached Britain that on the centenary of Brooke rule in Sarawak last month Sir Charles had set up a constitutional monarchy.

Why Sir Charles chose to abandon some of his autocratic power might have remained a mystery if Sir Charles's family troubles were not so well known. It takes a strong hand to govern Sarawak's tough, native populace and, like many a European dynasty, the Brookes have waxed no stronger as their line grew old. Sir Charles sired three daughters, no son to follow him as Sarawak's Tuan Muda (Crown Prince).

One daughter, Leonora Margaret Brooke (known to the press as Princess Gold), made a noble alliance when she married the late Earl of Inchcape, a P. & O. shipping tycoon. But Elizabeth Brooke (Princess Pearl) married a jazz-band leader, Harry Roy. Nancy Valerie Brooke (Princess Baba) married and divorced a professional wrestler, Bob Gregory. To make matters worse, Sir Charles's wife, the Ranee, a daughter of the late Viscount Esher, published her autobiography, Relations and Complications, indiscreetly revealing the details of Sir Charles's courtship, their marital relations. The Ranee, now in Manhattan, cut off from her British income, works for a living at the Chateau Martin Winery (see cut, p. 57), says she will rejoin the Raja "after the war."

All these complications undermined the Raja's prestige in Sarawak. Two years ago Sir Charles, looking about for a suitable heir to the throne, decided his brother, Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke (now 64), was too old. Besides, Bertram's wife had also got her name in the papers by embracing Mohammedanism after being successively a Protestant, Christian Scientist, Roman Catholic. So Sir Charles appointed Bertram's son, Antoni Walter Dayrell Brooke, to be Sarawak's Tuan Muda. Then he sailed for England.

Antoni Brooke promptly went to Rangoon, married a pretty young commoner, Kathleen Hudden. Back in Sarawak, Sir Charles showed his displeasure by removing Antoni as Tuan Muda. Said he tersely: "It appears to us that our nephew is not yet fitted for the exercise of the responsibilities of this high office." Then Sir Charles retired into solitude to think things over.

Last week, as he issued his constitutional decree from the Raja's palace in Kuching, Sarawak's capital, Sir Charles made up his mind. Said he: "I hereby pronounce my brother, Bertram Brooke, at present the Tuan Muda, to be my heir."

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