"A Wonderful Woman"

Spain's 41-year-old Don Jaime de Bourbon, Duke of Segovia, born deaf & dumb, has always led the quiet life, devoted himself intently to lip reading and to learning to talk which he now does, blurrily but intelligibly, in three languages. The elder of the late King Alfonso's two living sons, he gave up his rights to the Spanish throne 16 years ago in favor of his healthy younger brother Juan, and set off in pursuit of the happiness that has traditionally eluded his hemophilic Bourbon family.

Last summer, he seemed at last to have found what he was looking for when he married Charlotte Tiedemann, a plump, blonde Lieder-singer from Germany. But the new Duchess of Segovia also seemed to have given the duke new dynastic ambitions.

"Anything Might Happen." As rumors grew that Francisco Franco was considering restoration of the Spanish monarchy, Don Jaime let it be known that he was ready to reconsider his renunciation of the throne and "take up his responsibilities if called upon." Apart from the minor difficulty that few Spaniards were particularly interested in having Don Jaime as their king, there was another hurdle: the duchess was a commoner. To overcome this obstacle, the duchess made a beautiful decision.

Last week Duchess Charlotte called a press conference in Paris' Hotel Crillon. Happily, one Guido Orlando--an itinerant Italian pressagent (U.S.-naturalized) who lists Aimee Semple McPherson, Huey Long and Rudolph Valentino among his onetime clients--was on hand. "Don't be embarrassed, duchess," he murmured, "go right ahead and tell the boys."

The duchess declared that she was ready to bow out of her marriage--she would not want to be an obstacle to her husband. Furthermore, she said, "I should probably be snobbed by the nobility, or anything might happen, mightn't it?"

"He Will Get Over It." One of the newspaper boys wondered whether Francisco Franco had had anything to say about her move. "No, gentlemen," warned Guido. "Don't ask the duchess any political questions about her startling renunciation. She is a woman--a very beautiful, courageous woman. She is not a politician." Where was Don Jaime, another newsman wanted to know. "Out shopping," answered the duchess. "Yes," she sighed, "the duke will be unhappy when I tell him what I intend to do, but he will get over it."

Later on, Orlando provided the press with some comments from the duke: "I've known all along that my wife was a wonderful woman." As for her offer, he would have to think that over, even though "I love her more now than any man ever loved a woman."

Paris agreed that Pressagent Orlando, who had phrased the lines, was in his way quite a poet.

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