Court Grants Divorce

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 2

Court Grants Divorce

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 22. The man who was to have been best man at Princess Margaret’s wedding to Lord Snowdon offered no defence in the Divorce Court when his wife was granted a decree nisi because of his adultery with a woman now dead. He is Jeremy Joseph Fry, aged 40, the godfather of Viscount Linley. He was ordered to pay the costs of the petition brought by Mrs Camilla Fry.

It was the second time Mrs Fry had petitioned for a divorce. Her earlier petition was dismissed by consent in October, 1964, after a recon-

ciliation. Mrs Fry, who lives with the five children of the family at Seend Lodge, Wiltshire, asked for the discretion of the Court in respect of her own adultery.

Granting the decree, Judge Dewar said: “I am not satisfied with other allegations of Mr Fry committing adultery with several other women at a boathouse in Cornwall.” Exercising discretion, he added: “It is quite obvious that this husband and wife have totally disregarded the obligations of matrimony. “Mrs Fry, although seeking discretion, says that In regard to the man with whom she is now committing adultery—the second man named in her discretion statement—she is at present undecided as to whether she ought to marry him,” the Judge said. “The only possible argument in this case for exercisinfi discretion is that there are five children of the family.

"Having regard to that fact, I think public opinion would benefit by exercising discretion rattier than otherwise, but it is not intended as a mark of the Court’s approval of either party.” Mrs Fry was granted custody of the five children. Evidence in support of the

i petition was given on affidavit by an inquiry agent. Mr and Mrs Fry were married in March, 1954, at St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, Tunbridge Wells,

Kent. Mr Fry, who lives at Wldcombe Manor, Bath, was unable to act as best man at Princess Margaret’s wedding because of illness.