Princess Margaret Expecting Baby

Press, Volume C, Issue 29524, 27 May 1961, Page 11

Princess Margaret Expecting Baby

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 26. British newspapers today speculated over a possible title for Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones after the announcement that Princess Margaret was expecting a baby. Headlines were splashed across front pages with the news of another Royal baby. But, boy or girl, what will it be called? they asked.

The official announcement from Kensington Palace said that the 30-year-old Princess, who married Mr ArmstrongJones a year ago, would undertake no further official engagements from today. Most newspapers splashed the announcement across their front pages with pictures of the Princess at her last official engagement at a London hospital yesterday. The Princess will be attended by the Queen’s physician. Lord Evans, the obstetrician, Sir John Weir, and Sir John Peel, physician-in-ordinary to the Queen. It was learned that the Princess still intends to be present at the wedding in York on June 8 •of her cousin, the Duke of Kent, and Miss Katherine Worsley Title Decision Newspaper articles point out that any title decision for Mr Armstrong-Jones lay mainly with the Queen. She could by Royal edict give titles to her sister’s children, elevate Mr Armstrong-Jones to the peerage, or make Princess Margaret a Duchess in her own right, thus automatically making her children “Lords'’ or “Ladies.” If the present status remained, however, the baby would be just plain Mister or Miss. The “Daily Express” hoped the child would remain a commoner, and added it “accords with the spirit of the times."

The “Daily Mail” argued that “there must now be a strong case for a title to be conferred on Mr ArmstrohgJones in the coming birthday honours list. “Even in a country which delights in inconsistencies there can now be only a poor case to be made out for Mr Armstrong-Jones remaining a commoner” The newspaper did not attempt to sort out the title problem, but it offered two reasons why the baby would be a boy. • The odds were slightly in favour of a boy. it said. Statistics showed that 106 boys were being

born for every 100 girls in Britain. The “Daily Sketch” under the headline! “Will Tony Be A Duke?” said the announcement sparked off Immediate speculation that Mr Arm-strong-Jones would receive a title in the next few months. The highest probable rank would be a Dukedom, but a spokesman from Debrett's, the peerage register, said “e thought it unlikely that Mr Armstrong-Jones would be given a title as high as this, said the newspaper.

The .child will be fifth in line in succession to the throne. The cancellation of official engagements for Princess Margaret means that she will not be able to undertake early commitments to visit the Royal Air Force Station at Finningley. Yorkshire, the antique dealers fair in London, and the city of Worcester. Birth Place It is understood the baby is expected in October or November, but it is not known where it will be born. The Princess will celebrate her 31st birthday on August 21. Mr Armstrong-Jones was in his office at the Design Centre headquarters of the Council of Industrial Design in London but left for home before the news became known tonight. The Princess and her husband plan to spend the evening quietly at home. No family party has been arranged to celebrate the announcement of the forthcoming birth. Within minutes of the announcement expressions of delight were coming from people all over Britain. Congratulations The Countess of Rosse, mother of Mr ArmstrongJones, said: “Naturally I am delighted.” Dr. Geoffrey Fisher, the retiring Archbishop of Canterbury, who conducted the marriage service last year, commented: “I am delighted to hear it. There will be

great rejoicing throughout the nation.” Major John Chaffin, the press secretary to the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, said: “Princess Margaret and her husband are delighted.” “That is very happy news,” said the Prime Minister, Mr Holyoake, at his press conference tonight when asked to comment on news of the Royal birth, said a Press Association message from Wellington.