ROYAL BETROTHAL

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 105, 19 January 1923, Page 5

ROYAL BETROTHAL

FRIENDS FROM CHILDHOOD DUKE & LADY ELISABETH INTERVIEWED by telegraph.—Press association. —OOPYBIGHT. London, January 17. It is expected that the Duke of York’s wedding will be in Westminster Abbey after Easter. The Earl of Strathmore, in an interview, said: “The Duke and Lady Elisabeth first met at a children's party, when she was a*girl of five and the Prince was a schoolboy. Thev have been friendly ever since. The engagement did not take us altogether by surprise. The Prince spent the weekend at my house at Welwyn, Hertfordshire. The couple went for a walk on Sunday afternoon, and at the end of the walk we heard about the engagement. The Prince did not bring the ring in his pocket, but Lady Elisabeth understands that it will be sapphires.” x •The Earl added: “I am also told that the Duke was not the least nervous when proposing; only in his usual good spirits.” ' The Duke spent Tuesday morning i with his fiancee, perusing a huge pile of congratulations. The couple then motored to Buckingham Palace and lunched together. Like the Duke, Lady .Elisabeth is interested in work among the poor, and participates actively in the Girl G uide movement. “Rather a rag, isn’t it. coming just atfer my reported engagement?” the Prince of Wales said to an interviewer. Lady Elisabeth, when interviewed, said: “The Duke proposed just after tea on Sunday in the morning-room. We have been friends as long as we can remember, but. it is all so recent and I am so happy, I don’t quite know what to say.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.