Royal Motoring

Sir,
With reference to the regular feature in Motor Sport, “Cars in Books”, I am riot sure whether you have come across a book published in 1975 entitled “Uncle of Europe” by Gordan Brook-Shepherd. This is a very enjoyable biography of Edward VII and refers briefly to his interest in automobiles.. There is a photograph of the King riding with the Kaiser in a magnificent tourer (Benz?) in 1906 with an enormous windscreen immediately in front of them sitting in the jump seats—presumably to the great detriment of the elaborate costumes and hats of their respective Queens sitting at the back!

There is also a photograph of Edward VII giving the Emperor Franz Joseph his first ride in a motor car (Zust) borrowed from Prince Leopold of Bavaria at Marienbad. Edward apparently used a Mercedes regularly on his annual visits to Marienbad and to Biarritz and there is a reference to suffering numerous punctures when touring from Pau along the Spanish frontier. It is a sad commentary on the faIl of the mighty that during the visit of the Tzar Nicholas to Cowes in 1909, Edward assembled in Southampton water, 24 battle ships, 16 heavy cruisers, 48 destroyers and 50 other war ships!

St, Mary’s Bourne, T. Shoosmith