The Duchess of Kent Has Acquired a New-Serenity

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 25 January 1936, Page 10

The Duchess of Kent Has Acquired a NewSerenity

LONDON, Dec. 14. MOW that England 's youngest Piincc has proved conclusively that he is as healthy and happy .as any baby can be, the Duchess of Kent, is leaving her home in Belgrave Square, and her engagement book is once more filled with appointments to open charity bazaars, to appear on public occasions nt her husband's side, to pay informal visits to Buckingham Palace, and to mingle with the smart crowds that throng the West End cabarets after dark.

Although she has been living in England for more than a year now, Londoners still take the greatest iu-tere-t in "Princess Marina," as she is affectionately called. Men like to see her picture on the front page of the daily newspapers. Women note thai she wears flat-heeled suede shoes when she wheels her baby son's perambulator along the paths under the trees of Belgrave Square; they watch closely while she sponsors new hat fashions; and they are adopting the new sleek hairdressing stylo,.with its scores of small tight curls clinging to the head, that she has shown since the birth of the little Prince.

Because of the very warm place she has in the heart of all England, the writer was delighted to meet one of her greatest friends, Mrs John Campbell, an attractive Russian, who has married an Englishman.

A Love for England, When she first came to live in I.melon Princess .Marina felt a little lonely, and in those days she used to beseech Mrs Campbell to go with her to the Greek church in Moscow road, where she found solace when the English customs and the publicity and ceremony that invariably surround Royalty became a trifle overwhelming. -Mrs Campbell smiles at those days now. Jt was during one ol the great festivals commemorated in both ihe Greek and Russian churches. For three hours she would attend her own services in the Russian church not far from Buckingham Palace; then she called at Belgrave square to accompany the Duchess of Kent while she worshipped for three hours in her church.

But now Princess Marina loves England, and she is determined to become :is hnglish as possible. Gradually she is leaving the French couturieres she has always patronised, and it is interesting to note that she gave a help to British craftsmanship by buying her puiarl little brown velour hat, trimmed with two feather wings, from a small woman milliner in ttie West End while Mrs Campbell accompanied her.

It the Duchess was beautiful before her baby was born, now her face lias aeijhirt-fi a serenity and a happiness (Dm make her infinitely more lovely. And as: the Duke rushed in the other (lay, after shooting at Saudringham—his skin whipped uy the cold December air, his hair slightly ruffled, his Mile polo sweater matching his eyes—in lime for tea with his wife and her Russian friend, Mrs Campbell said thill she decided once .again that she had seldom seen a more handsome couple than the Duke and Duchess of Kent.—Sydney Morning Herald.