Sir, I refer to "An Irishman's Diary" (December 21st). Godfrey Fitzsimons gives interesting information about the existence of documents relating to the death of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria Hungary at Mayerling in 1889. He mentions the generally accepted theory of a suicide pact with his mistress, and indeed I once heard a psychiatrist during a lecture blame depression as the cause.
There is an old theory which fits in with all the remarks of horror made by those who knew what had happened. The 17 year old mistress had become pregnant and it had been decided that she should be sent away to the country to have the baby. Then an older woman friend of the prince suggested that she could arrange an abortion. This would avoid the gossip, and things could carry on as before.
The prince let himself be persuaded. Unfortunately, the poor girl died from blood loss or infection. Stricken by remorse and guilt, Rudolf did the only honourable thing possible he shot him self. Then began the inevitable cover up.
If there unborn child had been allowed to live, history might have been very different. One can speculate that the prince would have been a force for peace when Prussia endeavoured (successfully, as it turned out) to embroil Austria in her plan to begin the war which became the first World War. The history of that part of Europe could have been much happier. Yours, etc., Cambellstown,
Letterkenny.