Meanwhile, the three Royal children—Princess Josephine, 8, Prince: Baudouin, 8, and Prince Albert, 1—who had been spending a holiday swith their parents, were on the way to Brustels, unaware of the tragic fate of their' mother, According to the first statement the King was able to make, the wanted {0 look at a map''of the route they were following. The King himself glanced at the map, but, although his inattention to the steering-wheel was only momentary, it was sufficient to let the wheels deviate, causing a violent swerve, after which the cat struck two trees.
'The King had just taken the wheel from the chauffeur, and the Queen was seated at His' Majesty's right. Both were in high spirits.
"Where the accident occurred, the road was only 24 feet wide, with a Grop of 20 feet to the lake.
"The Queen's body was found under the first of the two trees which the car struck, with the right side of her ead smashed. The King was thrown under the second tree.
"According to. semi-official version, the Royal car was travelling between end 40. miles an hour when it Struck @ small heap of stones at the took lay. Kneeling, by her side, he hand and called her name.
She did. not answer. "Then, overcome with grief, he took her in his rms, and kissed her.
'A few seconds later, the Queen ied, still in his arms. The King was ind unable to speak.
The King's passports, which were fin the car, bore the name of Comte Dergyt—the incognito under which His Majesty usually _travels—and, Decause of this circumstance, it was some time before the crowd which had gathered at the scene learned the factual identity of those involved, Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.