ROYAL BIRTH EXPECTED ABOUT MIDDLE OF OCTOBER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 5 June 1948, Page 5

ROYAL BIRTH EXPECTED ABOUT MIDDLE OF OCTOBER

(N.Z.P.A. —Reuter —Copyright.)

(11 a.m.) LONDON, June 4. Princess Elizabeth is expecting a baby about the middle of

October.

The first official indication was given tonight in a Buckingham Palace announcement, which said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, will undertake no public engagements after the end of June.”

The child will be second in line ol succession to the British throne. Princess Elizabeth was married on November 30, 1947.

The announcement confirms the strong rumours circulating in the past three months. Palace officials have been beseiged with inquiries. The doctors in attendance are likely to be Sir John Weir, physician to the King and Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Mary, who was the first homeopathist appointed to the Royal Family, Dr. Ivan Magill, .the famous anaesthetist and Mr. Cedric Lane-Roberts, gynaecologist, one of Britain's foremost obstetricians

Princess Elizabeth’s immediate engagements include the Derby tomorrow and the national festival of youth ana sport at Wembley tomorrow evening, a drumhead service of the Grenadier Guards of which she is colonel-in-chief, including taking the salute outside Buckingham Palace on June 6, the freedom of the City of London to the Duke of Edinburgh at the Guildhall on June 8 and visits to the Ascot races with the Royal party on June 15, lb and 17. Since her return from a crowded fiveday visit to Paris with her husband. Princess Elizabeth has undertaken an even more strenuous programme than usual.

Paris admired her for keeping many official and private engagements although she often looked wan and pale. At the trooping of the colour on June 10 Princess Elizabeth will watch from Horse Guards arch. Last year she rode with His Majesty on parade. Her last engagements will be on-June 28 when she will inspect the depot companies of the Grenadier Guards at Caterham barracks in the morning and open the children's hospital at Banstead in the afternoon. It is not known where the Princess hopes to have the baby but it is probable the choice will be between Windlesham Moor which she and the Duke have leased or Balmoral where they may join their Majesties for the summer.

Clarence House in St. James will not be ready until next year. The birth will be the first in the direct line of succession since Princess Margaret ties’ first grandchild. The position of children born to Princess Elizabeth is not altered by the fact that she is heiress presumptive to the throne as the law does not exclude the possibility of the birth of a son to the King.

The Princesses do not transmit titles to the children. Therefore no title is provided for the children of Princess Elizabeth until after her succession to the Throne.