A MAID IN MAYFAIR

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR

. --- LONDOX. IAM told that it is just a little premature and taking the decision of the Duke of Windsor for granted to talk of his immediate return to this country. The Duke ever since his abdication has "played the game" splendidly. From the start he has determined to do nothing which would prejudice. his brother and be any other than helpful to the King. It was the Duke's own decision to go abroad. There is 110 command from the King nor any restrictions by the Government compelling him. to remain abroad. And it will be his: own decision when he comes back. His heart is in England so that the yearning to return must be great. But he will never do so until he has convinced himself and is advised by the King's Ministers as well as by the King that a return, even a temporary one, will not be embarrassing to King or Government. At one time the visit to the United States promised to be a pleasing substitute for a visit to England. But that was badly handled. It is anticipated that such a visit will yet take place, for the Duchess is an exile from her own country as well as the Duke from his. Reunion v l;,was discussing with, a friend just •home, from-Paris; the..-Armistice Day reunion between'the two/brothers. The people of Paris took very little interest in it, rightly regarding it as a purely private affair which was no concern of theirs. This is the habit they have over 'there with members of the Royal Families. When the King and Queen paid their State visit, there was great enthusiasm, but that was a national occasion. My friend had frequently passed the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in one of the shopping centres, and noticed that no one turned to look at them a second time. She was at a cocktail party given by R. A. Shayes, the Wimbledon tennis player, who was married recently. The Duke and Duchess looked 111, were cordially greeted and given cocktails, and then proceeded to mingle naturally with the other guests. She says,' by the- way, that the Duke seems ten years younger than he did before lie left England, the tired, strained look has gone from his eyes, .his nervousness has left him, and he is the picture of health. The Duke's Hobby The Duko of Windsor, by tlie way, has had to 'sacrifice liia golf to some extent since his marriage. To anyone accustomed as lie was to playing a great deal at Walton Heath, and on championship links up and down'the country, golf on the Kiviera must seem somewhat tame. If either on the French nor on the Italian side are there any really firstclass courses judged by our standard at home, though on the social side, there can be' few clubs in the world to compare with the one on the French Riviera, of which Lord Derby is rather in the nature of patron saint. It is one of its traditions that once a. visitor crosses its threshold lie is the guest of the club, pays no green fee, and is not even allowed to pay for any refreshment he may take in the clubhouse. The Duko of Windsor probably finds

Special Correspondent

that there is better golf accessible from his home in Paris than when he is 011 the Riviera. But in Paris he has many social ties, and, though the Duchess of Windsor has tried hard to master the difficulties of the game, she has never shaped at it very successfully. The Roosevelts "When the King and Queen make history by visiting America, and meet President and Mrs. Koosevelt, thev will find that both know London well. The President came here first as a youth with his tutor, and being keen on seeing South Kensington Museum, was disappointed 011 going there to find a huge crowd and the place shut. King Edward VII., then Prince of Wales, was opening a new wing. But the authorities courteously admitted the two American visitors. The future President was here during the war, saw and talked with our celebrities, including King George V. The latter told him how much he wished lie might have served afloat with the Royal Xavy in the War. The President returned home on the same ship as Woodrow Wilson, who earnestly impressed on him how much he desired

U.S.A. to join the League Covenant. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, who is her husband's cousin, was educated at "Wimbledon, and, during the Boer War, imbibed anti-British sympathies from her French headmistress. But these have not endured. Clarissa The Duchese of Kent, fond as she is of children, has not sponsored many small people in English society since she became a member of our Eoyai Family. She heads, however, the list of six godparents at the christening of Lord Halifax's newest grandchild, the daughter born to the Countess of Feversha.ni a few weeks ago. Busy as he is in these anxious days, the Foreign. Secretary hopes to attend the ceremony, which is to take place in London. The Duke of Kent and the Earl of Fevershain have interests in common in social work, and have been close friends for many years —which probably accounts for the Duchess* interest in the finst Fevereliam baby, who, by the way, is to have only one. name —Clarissa. Lady brother, the Hon. diaries Wood, M.P., and Lord Feversham's sister, Lady Diana Wortliington, are among the other godparents, who also include Lady Honor Channon, a cousin of Lady Fever-

sham, Sir Henry Price and Mr. Cosmo Crawley. The Queen lias been interested in the arrangements for the christening, the baby's maternal grandmother, Lady Halifax, being one of her ladies-in-waiting. A Family Friend Countess Haig;-who is staying at her Berwickshire home just now, has been in indifferent health of late, and it was on this account that she felt obliged, some time ago, to give up active leadership of the Women's British Legion. Before her marriage she was a Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria, and attended the Coronation of King Edward "VII. and Queen Alexandra in the same capacity. She has interesting and intimate knowledge of the Royal Family, of whom she is very fond. Queen Alexandra christened her and her twin sister, who was also a Maid of Honour, '"The Heavenly Twins." Lady Haig likes to recall her early impressions of King George VI. and his brothers and sister. The King, even as a small boy, had a delightful disposition, full of kindliness and though tfulness for other people, while the Princess Rovnl was a cheerful little girl who was greatly concerned with keeping her brothers in order. Lady Haig used to be the Princess Royal's guest on occasion when busy with British Legion work. A.Beautiful Retinue Lady Mabel Fox-Strangway's marriage- to Sir. Ivor Guest, M.P., who is son and heir of Viscount and Viscountess Wimborne, will be remembered best, I think, for the 6heer artistry of the bride's retinue. A group of children can bo got together quite easily to attend a society bride, and there is no great difficulty in dressing prettily, but to think out some scheme which gives as lovely and unusual a picture as. did this bride's-attendants is no mean achievement. There were six little girls, and each of them wore a miniature replica of the wedding gown designed for the first Lady Ilchester, back in the eighteenth century. To see these little people walking gravely tip the aisle behind the bride, the dignified folds of * their early Victorian dresses swaying with their childish movements, was as pretty a sight as - Sti Mary Abbott's at Kensington has seen for many a long d{tv. Two of the children were relatives of the bride—the Hon. Teresa Fox-Strangways, daughter of Lord and Lady Stavordale, her niece, and the Hon. Jane Stewart, daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Castlereagh, her second cousin, each of them six years old. Family Background Princess Priscilla Bibecco, one of the pretty girls seen at parties in London just now, is in the news especially on account of her translation from the French of Princess Martlie Bibesco's story of "Katia." Princess Priscilla is a travelled young lady and, like her mother and her grandmother, the Countess of Oxford and Asquitih, is endowed with the enviable gift of attracting hosts of friends. Her literary abilities are inherited from both parents. Lady Oxford's works are, of course, known all, over the world, and Princess Antoine Bibceco blossomed out as an authoress in 1921, with "I Have Only Myself to Blame." She followed this with other books in 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1927, and in 1931 published "Portrait of Caroline." Prince Antoine, in addition to his diplomatic work v has also written books and plays. The family stays with Lady Oxford in Bedford Square when in London and in Paris they live on Quai Bourbon.