Presents for Prince William

Press, 9 August 1982, Page 8

Presents for Prince William

The Princess of Wales has asked her friends to help sort and catalogue the thousands of gifts that have arrived for the royal baby. A computer is keeping the records straight, reports GILLIAN FRANKS. -

Telephones in London and Gloucestershire are jangling in scores of homes, bringing a plea:. "The Princess says you'd be sure to help lie’’’

The Princess of Wales, long before the birth of her son. presented her staff at Kensington Palace with a list ,of friends'who were willing to help sort out the roomfuls of baby presents which have cascaded into the couple’s London home, and now overflow into Buckingham Palace and Highgrove at the rate of over 1000 a dav.

A young woman who was asked, to do a similar job for Princess Anne when her son. Peter, was born, told me: “When you look at the gifts, you can't help being terribly moved by the devotion of pensioners who spend hours knitting bootees and bonnets.

"You can rest assured that all will be acknowledged. In the case of children, the Princess will sign every letter, even it it takes months."

Since the birth of Prince William, things are being done rather more scientifically than was the case with the arrival of Master Phillips.

Lists of gifts are being fed into a computer, together with the -name and address of the giver. This can be punched for a print-out- when the time comes to write a thank-you letter.

I was told: "This sort ot computerised list saves storage space. But it has another use. It shows quickly what present was given by whom.

"The Princess will then know when to have that particular gift on display!" The first presents for" the new baby arrived the day after Diana’s pregnancy was

announced. Many of them will be kept and used but when the bonnets and romper suits become too numerous, they will be sent to needy causes chosen by the Princess. Strong zvill In numerous ways - her determination to "take her baby on royal tours, for example — Diana has shown that she has a strong will of her own. What is more, she does not hesitate to express it. It was Diana who. soon after she became pregnant, insisted that she should not accept gifts from commercial enterprises. She had accepted a frilled gingham cot for her baby from a North London shop, together with nursery furniture. estimated to be worth £ 1200. What angered her was the flood of publicity that followed the offer. A Palace spokesman explained: "When the offer was

made, a letter was sent indicating that goods might be accepted, but only on the clear understanding’ that it was a private matter. “There has been a breach of this understanding." There was another reason, 100. The Princess of Wales was determined to go shopping for cots, push-chairs and other equipment that she liked and had personally discovered. She made it clear she resented being expected to make choices from a fistful of brochures. A very handsome El5O high-chair carved from oak from the Marquess of Bath's

estate was accepted gladly

by Charles when he opened a craft gallery in London. Mr La Trobe Bateman, who made the chair, pointed out: "It is hardwearing, untippable. and virtually es-cape-proof!"

Major stir But what about the really expensive presents for the child of the couple with everything? Controversy could arise if Charles and Diana accept on behalf of their son, as has been reported, a fabulous gift of jewels worth £3M. This is the collection of emeralds which, it is belived. might be presented soon by the 86-year-old Duchess of Windsor who is thought to have kept them locked away in a safe for more than 40; years. But there are those who believe that the jewels » should be presented only to - the Queen, and that Diana " would risk disapproval if she ■ accepted them.

In the meantime, for an C army of sorters, it's a case of back to the bootees ... There ' are rooms full of them, including a pair in English calf in the sahpe of; riding boots with the Princeof Wales's crest on them. ; Those ‘came from wine-; grower Charles Newman, ? from New Mexico, who said * proudly: “I handed them in • to the Palace last week!" They'll join another estimated 5000 pairs of bootees in white, pink and blue, now ; stacked and labelled in a ■ room in the royal couple’s : Kensington Palace, apartment. . Features International.