Private Tours For Princess Alexandra

Press, Volume C, Issue 29535, 9 June 1961, Page 2

Private Tours For Princess Alexandra

IBy SUSAN VAUGHANJ Princess Alexandra, Royal traveller extraordinary, will go further afield than the Far East this autumn. In addition to official visits to Hong Kong, Japan, Burma and Siam, she is planning private trips to North America and possibly to Australia, Honolulu and Fiji.

The terms “private visit” and “official visit” have special meaning for the governments of host countries. But often for the distinguished visitor there is kittle real difference. A private visit can mean just as many crowds, just as many hand-waves and handshakes, and just as little actual privacy, as a public one. -Princess Alexandra knows that, of course. And if leads me to the conclusion that she is one of those rare distinguished personalities who enjoy all the hectic hustle and bustle, and the crowded hours which are a pant of the day-to-day existence of a member of the British Royal Family travelling abroad. At 24 she has acquired all the poise and confidence necessary to see herself through any situation that might arise—and she clearly gets pleasure from practising these talents. Her friendliness and poise and her combination of the common touch and royal distinction were clearly moulded by her upbringing. Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christobel. the eighth lady in Britain and the tenth in line of succession to the throne, lost her father when she was only six. He died in a war time air crash. The family had no state income and since then has lived on a special allowance from the sovereign and a modest personal income. The widowed Duchess of Kent moved with her young children to the grace-and-favour apartments at Kensington Palace and a country home at Tver in Buckinghamshire. Iver is a comfortable enough place, but by stately-home standards, not large. Above Average Princess Alexandra went to school at Heathfleld. where , her teachers say she was above average at lessons especially at English. At 16 she was sent to France to stay with the large family of the Comte de Paris. Pretender to the French throne. And while there she took a course with Mademoiselle Anita, who runs what is probably the world’s most sophisticated finishing school.

She returned to London a smart, chic young womanroyal by heritage, democratic in background, and poised through training. She began to step out. and to be known. At 18 she deputised for the Queen Mother at several public functions. At 19 she launched a ship. Drove Cab She shewed an engaging personality in ways that delighted newspaper readers all over the world. One Occasion was during a trip to Canada with her mother. She went out for a walk on her own and hired a horsecab. “Oh. do move over, please,” she told the delighted cabby as she took the reins and went off for a ride around Quebec. Her solo tours of Australia and the Far East in 1959 and of Nigeria last year were among the most successful Royal visits ever made. In a few months, she will be off again. With the wedding of her brother, the Duke of Kent this week, speculation naturally turns to whom Princess Alexandra will marry. Certainly plenty of names have been mentioned. Among them is Guiseppe Gazzoni. the Oxford-educated son of an Italian industrialist; Prince Juan Carlos, eldest son of Don Juan, Pretender to the Spanish throne; Prince Max of Baden, and Lord O'Neill. Who will be the lueky man? I don’t know. But I do know one thing. He will have to like travelling and meeting people.