WE tend to think that Royalty escaped the glare of publicity over their personal lives a century ago - but not so!

My eyes were drawn to this article which appeared in Berrow's Journal in December, 1901, under the headings: "Another Royal Scandal - Consort Duelling Instead of Love-Making - Belgian Queen's Sad Case."

The story ran: "There has been serious friction at the Dutch Court between Queen Wilhelmina and her husband, Prince Henry.

''The facts are beginning to become public. The recent illness of the Queen has undoubtedly been brought on by the domestic infelicity.

"Points of difference between her and her husband arose with increasing frequency, and at length a violent quarrel occurred. This, however, was not based on money matters - though the Prince Consort's debts are enormous and the Queen has declined to pay them - but on his unconcealed antipathy to Holland and his ungovernable passion for hunting which led him to greatly neglect his domestic and public duties.

'' Indeed, his continued absences from his wife - the idol of all Hollanders - are exciting public contempt.

"It is stated that in consequence of remarks made to him on his conduct, the Prince Consort fought two duels with swords, in one of which he dangerously wounded Lieutenant Van Tets, the Queen's Equerry and then kicked the unfortunate gentleman in the stomach, inflicting serious internal injuries. Another courtier had wounds to the arm in the second duel."

The Journal went on to explain that Queen Wilhelmina and Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin had been married for only 10 months!