ROMANCE OF THE YEAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21086, 12 July 1938, Page 10

ROMANCE OF THE YEAR

Although Lord David DouglasHamilton and Miss Prunella Stock insist that they are not going to have “too big a wedding,” their friends expect a big one in London during the autumn. Would-be bridesmaids aie legion. The couple promise themselves a “smallish house and a lot of travelling about Europe together” afterwords, states a London correspondent. Their engagement, a f ter being firmly denied and then announced several months later, has caused it to be labelled “the most ta ked-of romance of the year.” ,t is said that Lord David first met Miss Stack at the opening of a swimming pool at South Lytchett Manor School, Dorset, owned by Lady Lees, a niece of Lord David’s mother, the Duchess of Hamilton, •‘’runella performed the opening ceremony. Lady Lees had originally invited the Marquis of Clydesdale, Lord David's eldest brother to do it. but he jokingly agreed to only on condition that he might dress up as a -ishop and dive in fully clothed. The school authorities, amused, refused this offer, whereupon the marquis offered to find “the most appropriate celebrity” he could. He chose Prunella Stack. Lord Clydesdale, the ‘'Boxing-Mar-quis,” flew her to the school. Before she performed the first dive into the swimming pool she said. “This is the first bathe I’ve had for a long time, so please forgive me if my dive is flat.” Then she made a perfect dive. A month ago Lord David underwent an operation on his nose. Pru. ella went often to see him. and It was then that the engagement became definitely settled. Lord David’s mother, incidentally, owns fifteen dogs of various breeds, a parrot, and a monkey. She is a leader of the Anti-Vivisectionists, and insisted on wearing imitation ermine at th? Coronation.