ROYAL BIRTH AN EXPECTED EVENT

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 June 1948, Page 5

ROYAL BIRTH AN EXPECTED EVENT

ABOUT MIDDLE OF OCTOBER (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright.) London, June 4. Princess Elizabeth is expecting a baby about the middle of October. The first official indication of this 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 announcement confirms strong rumours which have been circulating for the past three months. Palace officials have been besieged with Inquiries.

The doctors in attendance are likely to be Sir John Weir, physician to tne King and physician-in-ordinarv rn Queen Mary, and the first homoeopathist appointed to the Royal Family; Dr. Ivan Magill, the famous anaesthetist; and Mr. Cedric LaneRoberts, gynaecologist, one of Britain’s foremost obstetricians. Princess Elizabeth’s immediate engagements include the Derby tomorrow, and the National Festival of Youth and Sport at Wembley tomorrow evening, a drumhead service of the Grenadier Guards, ot which she is colonel-in-chief, including the taking of the salute outside Buckingham Palace, on June 6, the conferring or the Freedom of the City of London on the Duke of Edinburgh at the Guiidnall on June 8. and visits to the Ascot races with the Royal party on June 15, 16, 17 and 18. STRENUOUS PROGRAMME RECENTLY Since her return from the crowded five-day visit to Paris with her husoand, Princess Elizabeth has undertaken an even more strenuous programme than usual. Paris admired ner for keeping many official and private engagements, although she often looked wan and pale. At the Trooping of the Colour on June 10 Princess E izabeth will watch ■rom the Horse Guards' Arch. Last year she rode with His Majesty in the parade. Her last engagements in June are on the 28th, with an inspection ot the depot companies of the Grenadier Guards at Caterham B’arracks in he morning and the opening of a children’s hospital at Banstead in the afternoon.

It is not known where the Princess hopes to have her baby, but the probable choice will be between Windlesham Moor, which she and the Duke have leased, or Balmoral, where she may join their Majesties for the summer. Clarence House will not oe ready until next year. A birth will be the first in the direct line of succession since Princess Margaret was born 18 years ago, and it will be their Majesties - first grandchild.

The position of children born to Elizabeth is not altered by the fact that she is the Heiress Presumptive to the Throne, as the law does not exclude the possibility of the birth of a son to the King. Princesses do not transmit their titles to their children, therefore no title will be provided for the children of Princess Elizabeth until after her accession to the Throne.