1960-05-12 — Page 6

Fage 6

CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1960.

Compared with the past, Princess Margaret's wedding was peaceful

WHAT WOULD DIMBLEBY HAVE SAID ABOUT THIS GROOM?

A VAGUE but sickening haze of anxiety surrounded sober heads of the

Palace officials like a hangover last weekend. Their telephones, as always, had a suitably muffled ring. But now they started at the sound of every call.

Even as they padded down the carpeted corridors their feet seemed to tap out the question: "Was there ecer a royal wedding like this one?”

-Was there ever, a royal wed- ding where the groom had two' living step-mothers and a living like a mist. Now look at the newspaper in your hands. The mother in the congregation? Or where there was so much date is December 1700. On the rude public, bickering about, next day the King's eldest the cost and the procession' daughter, the Princess route and about whether the will be married at last, occasion was public or private? Or where there was such D frightening possibility of un- seemly "Bohemian things being

sald und done?

A glance

Royal,

How does your newspaper

could be stretched bursting.

So -pale...

by Robert Pitman

him:

the public. The Corporation of could descend while

London spent £40,000 on de- watched.

corations and triumphal arches.

But the Queen held that the But, for Queen Victoria Worse wedding was a private affair trouble was to come. and, despite protests, insisted on On the night of the wedding having it at Windsor, Lon- the bride's father, the: Doke at doners had to be content with Hess, a widower, decided to seeing the bride as she was make it a double anal by driven there.

secretly marrying his mistress, Madam de Kamomile.

bridegrooms left were elderly. The Duke was not very bright, written as a theme song for her figures of fun.

Once when an admiral fold him alone. Take plump Princess Eliza- that he had just "travelled

In every case the ceremony without beth. She was nearing 50 when almost to the North Pole, the stirred memories of her own she married Frederick of Hesse Duke replied that he looked so wedding to her own late hus-

In secret Homburg, a threadbare German sunburned

When Queen Victoria dis- he would have band. For that reason she sat

covered the secret, the whole to the apart in an enclosed stall at But that was not the

Similar controversy took place only princeling for whom the bank thought he had been

of Darmstadt shook, for the the back the balance of Mr Antony Arm- South Pole instead.

when her daughter, years Inter when remarkable

Princess thing about

Princess Alice, was married In Beatrice

By duke's dead wife had been was married. royal groom in 1796. He was a strong-Jones would have been

Victoria's daughter. The Queen 1802. She sobbed widower, Some said that he had wealth indeed. A British M.P.

choosing the parish church of was outraged. In his own But the result was that few whippingham in the Isle of murdered his flighty first wife. wrote of him: "It is impossible

the Duchy, she sent for the duke Bat it is more likely that she to describe the monster of a man

A German visitor thus de eyes were on the pair at the Wight for the ceremony,

ordered him to end the "Prominent, allar. The scene was dominated Queen was able to avoid asking new marriage. He instantly welcome the marriage? With was poisoned by order of Catha vulgar-looking German cor- stribed

erine the Great for the felly of poral, whose breath and hide is meaningless eyes; a very un by the sobbing and shaking of unwelcome guests.

Gladstone obeyed. And poor pretty an extraordinary cartoon en-

between compound titled "The Bridal Night" by lovers.

loving one of Catherine's own

tobacco pleasant face with an animal the small queenly figure in was not invited, to the fury of Kamomile had to sign a. (con= and garlic. What can have expression; large and stout, but black at the rear.. By conta- his Liberal supporters through- tract annuiling the whole thing the artist Gülray. It shows a

induced her, nobody can guess with weak, helpless, leps. He gion, even Palmerston, resplen- out the country.

And so the story of the royal procession to the bridal cham-

he has about £800 per annum.” wears a neckcloth thicker than dent in his dyed whiskers,Even more sensational was the weddings goes on. At 1000 ber. In the back hovers Pitt,

joined in the weeping.

Queen's behaviour at the wed- bombs have been thrown; at At a celebratlan "after the his head." the Prime Minister, carrying a

ding of her grand-daughter others, the Goverment's dowry bag labelled £80,000 (the

marriage, Frederick, stooping to

Princess Victoria at Darmstadt has been assailed in Press and dowry voted by Parliament).

pick up the Queen's fan, split

in Germany,

Parliament. his-breeches from waist to knee. The rest of the

is

Especially when we add the A valet was sent for the Dake But it is easy to see why they mostly occupied by the royal

which took of York's breeches which were should have upset the solemn bridegroom's enormous paunch. disturbing scene men at the Palace. Easy to see The cartoonist barely exag place after the wedding. George then drawn over the remains of why they murmured; "Oh for gerated. For in figure, the II clung to his daughter, Frederick's.

Indeed

Commander no drenched in tears. For minutes

· Colville, the the dignified, uncomplicated bridegroom

He could on end it was impossible to tear Palace Press secretary in 1960, royal weddings of old, when Armstrong-Jones.

the Cam him from her.

would hardly welcome an in- there were no worries ercept never have coxed the weather."

bridge clgat. His dining tables For George III was reluctant cident like that.

The other royal weddings of at home were specially curved to any of his children to fit his stomach. He was the married. The Princess Royal the time would have given Col- Duke of Wurtemberg of whom was lucky to wed at 30. Ifer ville some difficult moments too. Napoleon later said that God-sisters

either

denled

At 40, Elizabeth's sister, Prin- Let us first imagine that a created him to demonstrate the marriage, or were forced to cess Mary, married her first century and a half has dissolved extent to which the human skin wait until the only available cousin, the Duke of Gloucester.

These questions will not worry ordinary people who were de- lighted at the wedding.

Yet is that really how royal weddings have usually been?

Well, let us take a glance at the record.

was

cartoon

It all makes the fuss last week about the Joneses seem rather pale.

see

were

Familiar

It is hardly surprising that there were tears at the wedding. The royal bride sobbed; so did

Other things too would have For that wedding a remark- Even the wedding of sober her sisters; so did her brother, the Prince Regent. As for the made Princess Alice's wedding able train grafted across Europe Prince George-flater

King Queen, she wept throughout the awkward for the television men. loaded with royalty. There were George V, was filled by following night and for most of Near the altar in Highland no sleepers, Only Queen Vic fantastic libel action after an dress stood the Queen's little toría had the authority to bring utterly unfounded story had the following day.

What Mr Richard Dimbleby grandson, Wilhelmn, later Kaiser a bed aboard. There were no been printed to the effect that

In neces the Prince was a bigamist. would have said as television Wilhelm. He prised a large toilet arrangements. commentator it is hard to guess, jewel out of his dirk and pitched sity any royal lady had All of which, don't you feel,

to rather makes the it at the choir. Throughout the request the engine driver You might imagine that

one enjoy the Victoria's ceremony he kept biting its stop at the next station, where relative serenity, conventional- weddings of Queen

were more staid and young royal uncles who stood by the train would be shunted to ity, and calm of the wedding of children

and fro wall the lady's carriage Princess Margaret to Mr Antony untroubled. But you would be him.

There was also some trouble was opposite the red carpet on Armstrong-Jones? wrong. "I cried at your wed-

-(London Expresa"Service). ding" could well have been of an oddly familiar kind will the platform. Then the lady

My Reasons for a Caribbean

NVOOT

GOURLAY

Honey moon

ON HIS NEW TRAVELS TO PEOPLE AND PLACES OF EXTRA INTEREST

Montego Bay, Jamaica.

IT wasn't the best welcome to the Carribean, the iridescent sea which langorously laps the West Indies, always described by eulogising travel agents, but not by the islanders, as the Isles of Paradise, the isles of

romance.

I flew down from New York to Montego Bay, Jamaica, on a plane which carried at least two honeymoon couples, according to an informa- tive stewardess.

Even I could tell that one coral-reefed shores where Prin- couple were honeymooning. cess Margaret and Mr Arm- The bride still wore her strong-Jones will spend their orchid corsage and the groom honeymoon. still wore the altar expression

However, the Princess

will

cannot kill every little blood- sucker.

Of course the hotel managers and tourist officials say blandly we have nothing but a few sand- scratch their mosquito bites.

a mixture of fatuity, smugness not arrive wearing an orchid flies, as they

and self-consciousness.

When we landed and stepped into the Customs hall a coloured official in a peaked cap immedi ately approached the bride and without a word of warning ripped off her orchid.

Welcome...

Another official

asked

corsage.

And I have since discovered reasons that there are many

in the FOR honeymooning Caribbean.

Reason No.

FOR: The wanderful sunsets, the moon, and those stars you can reach 'up and touch.

Reason No. 2 FOR the honey- moon here should. I suppose, be all the big show business names who are regular visitors or semi-residents, assuming that a honeymoon or anything else you or your partner are fans or may not affect the royal couple. camedroppers,

It's the expense. If you fly England -- just tourist you £262 return each. leading hotels the rates during the peak winter season for a couple are £20 to £25 a day: That includes three meals-and- it should.

in

trom

JOAN CRAWFORD was leav- the Now I offer reason No. 1 ing the Half Moon Hotel

said: "Montego Bay is my second home. I never go anywhere else,

groom if he was carrying any AGAINST the Caribbean for a Montego Bay as I arrived. She fare-It will cost

At one of the

Arearms. The unfortunate honeymoon.

couple couldn't have been more The mosquitoes.

stunned if their marriage certi-

ficate had been torn up. and

thrown at them like confetti.

Big names

Of course, the explanation

followed. The officials were Of course

"When I and comething good I stick to it. It's beautiful and not relaxing. Nobody bothers you." they will

:

But let's assume that you are

merely obeying regulations to trouble the Princess and Mr The late ERROL FLENN zich and want to live like a stop flowers, of which Jamaica Armstrong-Jones until they step owned a 'plantation near royal couple. A hired car on a has a profusion of its own athore, but they cannot spend Ochorlos and often moored his large island like Jamaica is tropical varieties. And presum- all their time for six weeks with a

yacht off the north-coast. ...essential. ably it has enough Brearms for aboard the Britannia

crew of more than 250.

One of his ex-employees sald

Prices around £20 a week. Still, regulations can be Jamaica has an efficient anti- affectionately: "He knew all applied with tact and politeness. mosquito campaign but the about the

romantic spots A yacht to take you cruising.

the moment.

A

So the sun-kissed Isles of squad of men armed with spray around Jamaica and other spots round the Island? There is a Paradise welcomed me to their, guns (not a romantic sight) in the Caribbean. He would fine 4871, six berth launch the have been an expert on how to Kingston which will take you spend a honeymoon, official or north to Nassau or south to unofficial"

Trinidad for 250 a day or £280

So dear

a week excluding food.

I hired a smaller one

for the afternoon to take e BING CROSBY came to outside the coral reefst Jook

ATT-YEAR-OLD milkman Horses Westrup, the victim of -an Roundhill, near Montego Bay, at the palm-fringed, celebrated

attempted bald up in Thornton Hih, Surrey, the other day, ine: 60%-of-41 with a prófi. de

The youth, who handed him a 18s, diáké for a bottle of orange Wand: then (altati efl him, une empty handed when tr of silk from kis fiest to defend himself Leaving Mrs

ENERAL DE GAULLE was addressing 4,000 citizens of San XX 189ancisco, : He ended unith, FVive Chicago,"

Which is why San Francisco, la söying nothing about the mittky. “Especially" or: San Franciscunt' are more than somewhat touchy about Chicago.

recently for a holiday with wife coastline. I am sorry to say it reminded me of Torquay on a Cathy and youngest son Tex.

windy day. But he spent most of his time ... on golf without Mahila Wite and Reason No. 3 FOR choosing maid that the island's courses this Farr big the world must be were wonderful. They are the undeniable scenic attractions obylously a dangerous hazard and unusual atmosphere of the for new wives who have married land the quiet sand of the golfers.

beaches, lice Sanradion Jamacia's North Shore where Reason No. 2 AGAINET-Com- Frincess Margaret related on ing to this part of the world for her last visit. On most of them

w

to

Those tales about Lady Astor's

set were nonsense* As the two men reached the house in St James's Square, their spritely little hostess came filt- ting down the steps to greet them.

the

Reporters and photographers Aster country house On drew closer. This was news. upper reaches of the Thames) Political news..

as so much nonsense. Lady Astor handled the situa So. does. Mr Maurice Collis in Uon with ease. Poleting to his "informal biography""" of. Lord Halifax, then Foreign Nancy Astor published recently. Secretary, and Geoffrey Dawson, He dismisses it as a "feble:" then editor of the Times, she His biography of this dynamic, said gaily: "I am giving them formidable tile woman--the lunch, that's all.

first woman to take her went in "What's dreadful in that? Commons, the Christian Scient- They are iny friends, Come on ist, the enemy of hart Equor,

Set sionally, catches the genuine

the virgin white sand looks as more than five degrees between/Geoffrey-we had better pose the glittering hostess Occa

though no foot has disturbed it since Columbus stepped ashore,

The heat

nicely. The Cliveden caught in the act!"!"

Then all three went laughing into the house.

75 and 80, But since I have

'flavour of her wit and style. been here it has risen above 80

Example: "Monty once said and humidity has been strictly

to me: I don't Fice women high. As Cole Porter said: "It

When did this happen? On members of Purtlament. I TE- is too darned hot for love."

April 12, 1938 Just month Ted: 7 dan't ke generals, into with AND don't come here during after Hitler marched

one exception," "General Finally, to counteract all that, the few weeks after the recent Austria

Evangeline Booth'. That: get- I offer two reasons. AGAINST.

Lady Astor and her guesta ed him." Hayal wedding. The place is in- THE CLIMATE. They say fested with... photographets treated stories about the alleged that it is usually cooled by the and newspapermen.

pro-German attitude of the trade winds and it never varies

Cliveden Set (so called after the Nancy Astor: Faber, 218.

London Express Stretc).

THE ESCORT.................

THIS IS NOT WELLS FARGO TROOPER YELLING WAGONS ROLL

BY JAK

London Express Šeroles. “'

THOU