PRINCESS ELIZABETH AND LIEUT. MOUNTBATTEN AT ROYAL GARDEN PARTY

Chronicle (Levin), 11 July 1947, Page 5

PRINCESS ELIZABETH AND LIEUT. MOUNTBATTEN AT ROYAL GARDEN PARTY

Pre)ss As&n.

By Telegraph

-Copyright

* Received Friday, 12.30 p.m. " ■; LONDON, July 10. The King. led ' Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten through 5000 guests at the Royal garden party at Buckingham Palace today. Princess Margaret walked * with tHe Queen. . •

Princess Elizabeth wore a twopiece coffee beige costume and a Ystraw hat edged wiwi lace. The King and Lieutenant Mountbatten wore naval uriiform. Rain fell as the first guests arrived, but ceased as the Royal party came out oh the damp lawn. Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Mountbatten left Buckingham Palace shortly before the garden party began to visit Queen Mary at Marlborough 'House. Big crowds waiting outside the Palace again gave them a hearty cheer. Eight thousand attended the garden pariy. Clianting, "We want the Princess," a large crowd gathered outside Buckingham Palace gates in %, the evening. The crowd grew f silent and all available space filled. They chanted, "We want the King and "We want the Queen," and then returned to "We want Princess Elizabeth." At one stage Lieutenant Mountbatten appeared at the balcony window of Princess Elizabeth's apartment and the crowd cheered as they glimpsed Princess Elizabeth with him for'a brief moment. Both ' of them disappeared, but soon after they appeared on the balcony. The crowd cheered wildly and rushed forward to gain a closer view, blocking the traffic between Constitution Hill and The Mall. Princess Elizabeth looked very happy. She was dressed in a white evening gown, which she had worn for the family dinner party. The King and Queen and Princess Margaret joined the couple soon afterwards. All waved for som© minutes. The crowd, when the Royal party returned inside the Palace, evidently satisfied with the results of their long wait through the damp evening, began to disperse. 'POPULAR YOUNG MAN. Tall and good-looking, with fair wavy hair and broad shouldei's, Lieutenant Pliilip Mountbatten, the former Prince oi' Ureece and Denmark, is one of London \s most popular young men and is much sought after by society hostesses. He has the saine breezy manner as his unrle, Yiscount Mountbatten.' Lieutenant Mountbatten dances well aml dres.ses with a quiet, good taste. He likes driving in fast cars, but as he has littln nioney of his own he does not possess his own car. Lieutenant Pliilip Mountbatten has been known to the Royal Family all his life. Frequently as a ehild he played witli Princess Elizabeth at Brookhouse, Yiseount Mountbatten 's palatial prewar Parkland home. Lord Mountbatten inspired liis nephew with a keenness ior the Xavy. Lieutenant Mountbatten has told friends tliat he firmly intends to follow a naval career. It is not known wliether the marriage will cause him to revise his plans. Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Mountbact.i.n have not lately been seen so niuch lOgether, a fact which caused rumours that the understanding had been brokeu off. The real reasou was tliat Lieutenant Mountbatten was lteen on his ditties and had not cared to ask for extra leave. .. .

Lieutenant Mountbatten, with the bestowal of British eitizenship, had renounced 1ns titles and had beconie plain Mr. Phili [) Mountbatten, although the King may now confer a British title upon him. A naval petfcv cfficer said: "Lieutenant Muuntliareii is particularly fond of cricket. Ile is a very good bat. " Lieute ant Mountbatten at Cheam tkchool was verv popular and very easy and pleaauit to deal with, but dislikes publicity, ucc.'iding to the wife of the headmaste- of the Cheam School. A lieu; oivmt-commander said that Lieutenant Mi.untbatten, as a non-spec-ialist indructcr, was wliat the Navy calls a salt hcrse. "He's on the job just as strenuouslv as anvone else, and has certainly thrown himself heart and soul into the wo.rk. ' ' Lieutenant Mountbatten has fsrequeutlv been seen at local sports events in Wiltshire tak.ing photographs. He is a keen amateur photographer. MARRIAGE BEFORE NSXT SPRING. The -.11117 official information, about Ihe date c£ Princess Elizabeth's marriage — which will be solemnised in Westniinster Aiil.ey — is that it will take jilace before next spring, but The Times ' Par.-iamentary correspondent says there was falk yesterday of the marriage in the early autumn, jiossibly in September. The Times adds that no arrangements have yet been made for-an official resi- / dence for the Princess' after her marri- ' ''ge, and it is possible that she and her husband will begin their married life in a wing of Buckingham Palace. 100-YEAR-OLD LACE TRAIN. Qommenting on the betrothal of Princess Elizabeth and ^Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, tlie Daily Mail says that Princess Elizabeth today saw the first item of her trousseau — a train of Brussels lace 100 years old which the Queen 's private secretary bought at a West End shop for £400. The Queen inspected her gift before it was shown to Princess Elizabeth, who described it as "enchanting". The Associated Press Antibes correspondent says that the Duke of Windsor 's secretary said the Duke could be

cjuoted as saying the engagement oi' Princess . Elizabeth was ' ' very nice ' '. He wished the couple "all the luek in the world". The secretary said the members of the Duke 's family inf ormed the Duke in a letter several days ago that the engagernent was official.