Princess Margaret And The Arms Deal

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 13

Princess Margaret And The Arms Deal

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, March 3. Britain’s £lOO million arms deal with Saudi Arabia now hangs by a thread after a big blunder Involving Princess Margaret, the “Daily Mirror” reported. i When the Princess and her I busband, the Earl of Snowdon, flew to Hong Kong on [Monday they took over the [whole of first-class section of [their plane. And the man who signed the ■arms deal, the Emir Sulton. ’brother of King Feisal of Saudi Arabia, was bundled into an economy class seat at the back. The Saudis with him were stunned and angered when!

there was no invitation to the King’s brother to meet the Queen's sister.

The Emir stepped off at Beirut with no acknowledgement from the Royal party. Explanation Today a leading British businessman will be flying to King Feisal's capital, Jeddah, to explain that it was “all a boob, not a deliberate insult,” the newspaper said. But French and United States arms salesmen anxious to snatch the huge contract are already playing on the “insult.” The arms deal—for lightning I jet fighters and radar equipment —opened what promised to be a new era of improved Anglo-Saudi relations.