Queen, Princess At Royal Film Show

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 2

Queen, Princess At Royal Film Show

[By

ZALIA THOMAS]

LONDON, February 26. It was surprises all round at the Royal film performance in London recently. The Queen herself sprang the first surprise of the evening by bringing with her, in the Royal car, Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon. Even the theatre management did not know they would be coming until late the previous evening. The crowds in London’s Leicester square, who had been waiting several hours in driving snow, were obviously delighted to see the Princess and her husband. Later it was the turn of the Queen to be surprised by the unexpected showing of a 12-minute film devoted to Prince Philip's current tour of South America. Before the show, the Royal party had 16 stars, and various other personalities in the film world, presented to them. These included Richard Attenborough, Pat Boone, Yul Brynner, Leslie Caron, Peter Finch and Russ Tamblyn. The Queen spent several minutes talking with Peter Sellers, who seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Other members of the Royal party included Earl Mountbatten and his daughter, Lady Brabourne.

After the presentation of the stars there was a short stage show to Introduce the stars to the audience. Again,

it was Peter Sellers who brought the most laughs. The Queen wore a sheath dress embroidered with gold and diamante and a diamond and emerald tiara and necklace. Princess Margaret was in a bell-skirted dress of lavender silk with a single shoulder strap. Her now

almost-blonde hair was worn in a new straighter style with an elongated kiss-curl sweeping round each ear. The front hair was swept straight back from the forehead and held in place by a delicate diamond tiara, worn like an Alice band.

The film chosen for this year’s Royal show was “West Side Story,” and Princess Margaret told the producer that she had already seen the stage show four times.

The critics have been unanimous in their praise of this modern American version of the Romeo and Juliet story, which has been hailed as one of the “best musicals ever.” It is a masterpiece of colour, sound and movement, but for all that the film is not to everyone’s taste judging from comments in the foyer later. The show, which was in aid of the Cinematograph Trades Benevolent Fund, raised an all-time record figure of £36,000.