MANY HAPPY RETURNS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 2

MANY HAPPY RETURNS

TO THE HEIRETS TO THE THRONE DAILY LIFE OF PRINCESS ELIZABETH. To-morrow, April 21, the most important girl in the world—Princess Elizabeth, heiress to the Throne of Great Britain and the Dominions overseas, and the Crown Princess of India—will be 13 years old. The Princess is beloved by all the members of the British Empire. Even in this remote corner of the Empire pictures have made the people familiar with her appearance, and her poise, remarkable in such a young girl, but an indication of the training she receives that she may fittingly fill the high position to which she may be called. Princess Elizabeth’s daily life, however, is a quiet and comparatively simple one. Writing in the Weekly Telegraph, Hettie Grimstead gives an intimate I study of the daily life of Princess 1 Elizabeth:—“The Princess is, of course, receiving special education, for a Royal Highness needs much knowledge which the ordinary girl does not require. She must understand the laws of the State and be fully instructed about the history of the Constitution, and must have a competent grasp of politics, sociology, and other matters of like nature. Her French must be fluent, for French is the universal diplomatic language used at Court functions < , when distingished guests from different foreign countries are present. In addition, she has, of course, to learn all the usual lessons taught to a pupils of her age. Princess Eliabeth’s favourite subjects are history, drawing, and .literature. She has always been fond of | reading, and possesses her own little ! library, a bookcase in the nursery, on ' the shelves of which may be found a complete set of Sir Walter Scott’s novels and several nature stories of bird and animal life among the other volumes. The Princess likes her sewing and elocution lessons, too, but she 'is not particularly fond of carrying out her daily half-hour’s practice on the grand piano. When Princess Elizabeth is staying in the country she has morning riding lessons from the King’s groom, a great delight to her, for she has inherited all her father’s love of the open air. In London, however, she has instead a weekly swimming lesson at the Bath Club in Dover Street, and in winter she skates frequently at a private ice-rink. Once a week a famous dancingmistress visits Buckingham Palace, and Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and 12 small friends gaily perform to a gramophone on the polished floor of the Queen’s larger drawingroom. Each morning Princess Eliabeth studies diligently for three hours, with 20 minutes recess during which she has a glass of milk, and pays a visit to the Queen, who is generally busy with her correspondence in her blue and white sitting-room just then. At noon Princess Elizabeth goes out to join Princess Margaret in the wooded grounds for half-an-hour, or, if the weather is very bad, they play together indoors. Lunch is served at a quarter to one, and the menu Princess .Eliabeth likes best is tomato soup, followed by roast chicken with new peas ana carrots, and then a chocolate blancmange. A famous dietetic expert planned the Princess’ food chart, and it includes wholemeal bread, baked in the Palace kitchens, and only the plainest of sweets such as barley sugar and honey toffee. Usually Princess Elizabeth returns to the schoolroom at two o’clock, but sometimes she goes out in the afternoon, visiting a shop or calling on her beloved grandmother, Queen Mary, from whom the youthful Princess learns much about Court tradition and etiquette during informal little chats. Four till five is the “familv hour’’ at Buckingham Palace, when the King and Queen and the Princesses gather round the tea-table in the ■ Queen’s sitting-room and the. cares of ■'State are put aside. Other members lof the Royal Family sometimes call :to share this time of relaxation, the Queen herself pouring out from her china teapot, and the Princesses handing round the scones and shortbread fingers and generous slices of “cut” cake, for the Queen retains the

homely tea-times of her native Scotland. ... Once a month Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret give a little party, and entertain young friends and relatives to tea, with a film show or parlour fireworks afterwards. Sometimes, too, Princess Elizabeth has to join the King and Queen at an afternon reception in the State Apartments. She will be attending more fuctions this year, luncheons and formal tea parries and such, wearing one of the pretty pastel dresses in which the King likes to see her, and helping to welcome the guests.

Homework,

Ordinary afternoons the Princesses return to their own suite after tea and listen to the radio or read. Princess Elizabeth also has half-an-hour s homework to do, often an essay to write describing a visit to some place of educational interest to which she has been taken that week. Queen Mary sometimes accompanies her grand-daughter on these occasions—strictly private outings, that have recently included The Mint, the Tower of London, museums and art galleries, and a large fire-station. While Princess Margaret is going to bed, Princess Elizabeth usually feeds her pet canary and then does some knitting—she makes baby clothes for a charitable guild that distributes them to poor mothers. The King and Queen look in for a few minutes on their way down to dinner and bid their elder daughter “Good-night.” A light supper, and at nine o'clock Princess Elizabeth is climbing into her walnut bed, with its peach-col-oured quilt, as happy and unaffected a schoolgirl as any home in Britain holds.