Michael In Switzerland; Princess Anne Happy

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1948, Page 5

Michael In Switzerland; Princess Anne Happy

LAUSANNE, Mon. (10 a.m.)— Ex-King Michael of Rumania has arrived here. He will issue a statement on his abdication and his future plans tomorrow. Princess Anne, after a long telephone conversation with Michael in Lausanne, said: “Isn’t it wonderful! He is perfectly safe,” reports Reuters Copenhagen correspondent.

Shouts of “Vive le Roi” from an excited crowd greeted Michael as he stepped from the train at Lausanne, says the British United Press correspondent. Michael’s aunt, the Princess of Aosta, and uncle. Prince Nicholas, of Rumania, welcomed him.

Michael and ex-Queen Helen drove in Michael’s own car to the hotel. Michael had left the car in Lausanne three weeks ago. When told at the hotel that a personal telephone call from Copenhagen was due, Michael said he wanted the call delayed for 90 minutes. Michael’s entourage said Michael had with him on the train only his clothes, four American motor cars, and some valuable wines Michael left behind famous works of art and other valuables. ‘ONE OF THE BEST” Reuters Paris correspondent quotes Frincess Anne’s brother, Princa Michael, of Bourbon Parma, as saying: “The marriage will not be held immediately, but my sister will join Michael immediately in Switzerland. “Michael is one of the best fellows in the world.” The Swiss Government has granted the ex-King’s request to stay temporarily in Switzerland. Princess Margaret, mother of Princess Anne of Boimbon Parma, King Michael’s fiancee, said earlier in Copenhagen that her daughter was “longing for him.” She added: “She is impatiently awaiting a telephone call so as to arrange a meeting with him.” The Daily Herald’s Vienna correspondent says the Communist Government of Rumania did not allow the ex-King to take any cash with him for the journey to Switzerland. BORROWED FROM JOURNALIST When the train arrived at Vienna, one of the Royal secretaries asked by name for an American journalist and borrowed a sum of money from him in the form of travellers’ cheques. The secretary . asked the correspondent for Swiss francs, saying: “We have none.”

Tire secretary said the last week had been a horrible one for the King and his entourage. There were no official representatives to see them off from Rumania, but plenty of other sorts of representatives. Asked if he' meant Communists or police, the secretary replied: “What is the difference ? ” One of the secretaries on the train said to the Daily Express correspondent: “We sold wine to get cash before we left. “King Michael has very little remaining property and almost no money in Western banks.”