HOW THE KING KEEPS FIT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 9

HOW THE KING KEEPS FIT

Following a Friend’s Advice AN ACCESSION INCIDENT (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received November 12, 10.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 12. The secret of the lithe slenderness of the King’s figure, which aroused comment at the Cenotaph, is disclosed by a volume just published, “Leaves From My Unwritten Diary,” by his Majesty’s friend, the late Sir Harry Preston, who tells how, at the first Beckett-Carpentier boxing contest he told the then Prince of Wales he should not train in earnest until he reached 40. The Prince was then taking strenuous exercise in heavy sweaters, running, playing squash, and riding. He immediately substituted golf, physical jerks, swimming and gardening, which largely account for his present excellent physical trim. When at his accession the King was considering the Royal household arrangements, the question arose of the retention of the Pages of Backstairs. King Edward thought they were unnecessary, adding: “When I and my brothers were boys we used to pelt the blighters whenever we found them lurking backstairs.” It was explained that the pages’ medieval function was to protect the King’s back. “Oh well,” rejoined King Edward, “stabbing the King in the back is an obsolete pastime nowadays, so we might as well dispense with them.”