CARE OF ROYAL CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27201, 19 November 1953, Page 2

CARE OF ROYAL CHILDREN

Plans During Queen’s

Absence (N3Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 17. Prince Charles and Princess Anne will continue in much their usual nursery routine after the Queen and the Duke leave on tneir Pacific tour next Monday. Most important change for them will come at tea-time or during the family “play hour,” when the Queen and tne Duke lise to farget tfieir public roles and become ordinary parents After next Monday, it will be the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret who will romp with the Royal children and tell them stories. But the woman officially responsible for their health and w'ell-bejng is “nanny,” Nurse Helen Lightbody, the pink-cheeked Scotswoman who has cared for them since soon after Prince pharles’s birth five years ago. Before going to Buckingham Palace she was "nanny” to the Duchess of Gloucester’s children. Nurse Lightbody’s word is law in the Royal nursery but if gome unforeseen problem epme up she will turn to the Queen Mother and together “granny” and “nanny” will solve everything. Next week another {Scotswoman will join the nursery staff, tfie .governess, Miss Katherine Peebles, who will start Prince Charles on the business of writing. With this new interest to, hold his attention and annoy Priqeess Anne, who wants to share all his activities. Prinee Charles will find little time for worrying unduly over his parents’ absence.

While Prjnce Charles is re-arranging the alphabet. Princess Anne will be al? lowed to Ihvjte her friends to the palace nursery more often than now. The Queen hopes this will distract her from the daily parting with Prince Charles. Nurse Lightbody has two young as? sistants in the nursery, both in their twenties and both also Scottish—Miss Mabel Anderson and Miss Agnes Cooper. There are also *wo plain clothes eje? tectives who take turns in escorting the children and nursemaids on out? inrs twipe a day. The Queen has not said whether Prince Charles will be allowed to see his parents nff on Monday nigh* when they leave London airport by Stratocruiser for Jamaica. The departure is scheduled for 8.45 o.m. G.M.T., when the Royal children have usually been tucked up in bed for nearly two hours. “It is uni ike l v that the Queen will nermit Prince Charles to sav goodbye at the airport?’ a palace spokesman said, “but of course it will be a last-, minute decision and she may feel otherwise then.”

YOUNG CONTINGENT

T,’INCHEON MEETING The- making of a film was described to members of the Young Contingent of the Victoria f-epgue at a luncheon meeting yesterday by Miss Diana Buck? hurst. Miss Buckhurst, whose father was surveyor,general in Fiji, has spent much of her life there though she is now living in. Christchurch. When a film company came to Fiji to make n n lm, “H’s Majesty O’Keefe.” she took the post of secretary to one of the officials of the company. Miss Buckhurst described some of the preparations for the screening—the enlargement of a hotel to accommodate 90 persons instead of its usual complement of about 30, the buildijie of 3 junk, a stage, 100 canoes, and a complete village. To the village, the nromoters brought 700 Fijians whn lived in their new quarters until the filming was completed and whn were cad when they had to return to their homes. G. C. C. Sandston (vice-presi-dent), who presided, thanked Miss Buc v hurst and gave details of various activities being undertaken by the Young Contingent. ENGAGEMENTS (Engagement« Notices must be signen bv both Barties ) The engagement is announced of Judith Mary, only daughter pf Mr and Mrs M. R. Spiers. 5 Keighley’s road Christchurch, to Derek Jnhn. son of Mr and Mrs 8. P- Mgyo, 127 Knowles Street, Christchurch. Mr and Mrs J. T. Hazlett, 482 Dee street. Invercargill, have much pleasure in announcing the engagement of their daughter, Audrey Isabel, to Bernard Stewart, sop of Mr and Mrs A. Chisholm, Christchurch.