The English Princess Margaret Turns Twenty-Three

Ever since new responsibilities were laid upon the young princess's shoulders, she has turned toward a serious, modern course; yet despite the belief of some that her disposition has changed, she still gives every occasion what suits it. Princess Margaret is counted fortunate in her age, but she gets no rest from news reports and publicity; and the latest of these tales is what the public has buzzed about concerning her sweet hopes and her inclination to master the art of flying. But the fulfillment of this dream is not certain, for even princesses cannot fulfill all their wishes.

Ever since the fair princess grew up, this goal has been her guide; and what has made her pursue it with added enthusiasm of late, and drawn the notice of the royal court, is her brother-in-law's entry into the flying service.

The princess reaches her twenty-third year in August, and here too a question will be raised touching her future and her marriage. The truth is that there is no law providing for the imposition of any compulsory authority upon her, for she, like any individual of the people, is free to remain single, though that idea contradicts her nature. The royal circles do not grant her complete freedom in choosing her life's partner, for her proposal must be laid before Parliament, which passed a law in 1701 providing for adherence to the Protestant faith: no member of the royal family may marry a person belonging to the Catholic faith without renouncing his own right, and that of his successors, to the royal succession. As for the royal marriage law passed in 1772, it says that the descendants of King George II born in England may not contract a marriage without consulting the supreme will, which gives its consent under the British royal seal; and any member may marry after reaching the age of twenty-five, provided the matter is laid before the Privy Council a year beforehand and receives the approval of both houses of Parliament. We do not believe that the Queen will place obstacles in the way of her sister's happiness, nor can a special law be made for her sake. But a deep change has come over the princess's spirit since the death of the King her father, so much so that she shows a hardness in her view of her future, and those around her imagine that she has given up marriage for the time being. This attachment to her father was not known even to those closest to her, and they marveled at the effect of this shock upon her spirits, even though she

had sensed beforehand that his end was near. Most likely this is to be traced to her closeness to him in the last period, when he took comfort in her as she sang, or played her chosen pieces of music within his hearing, or talked with him. There were no secrets between them: whenever anyone rose to protest her going to a party or the theater, he would turn a deaf ear, believing that she was young and would quickly grow out of this phase — and this was among the things that drew her to him all the more. Yet her attachment to her father did not keep her from drawing close to her mother, for the princess whose fame has spread to the poles of the earth is a family girl; and she proved this by standing beside the widowed Queen in her grief, taking upon herself the task of consoling her and lightening the load that weighed upon her shoulders. The princess is known for a piety that has grown since her father's death: whenever the opportunity offered, she would slip away to a little church to perform the duty of prayer, and she has set the life of merriment and jesting aside. As for the habit her father inherited from King George V — the reading of two pages of the Bible every day — he bequeathed it to her; she also reads daily the affairs of government and the history of the kingdom, and this helps her to deputize for the Queen in her times of absence.

Calm has become one of the traits of the merry princess: her manner astonishes anyone who has heard of her merry spirit; but this does not prevent her from receiving everyone she cares to receive, and answering a smile with a smile. In the opinion of the public, the Queen has seemed merry of late, contrary to what was known of her before her coronation; and perhaps that gloom went back to her want of confidence in the course of her daily affairs, when danger threatened the King's life from time to time.

The princess rises at half past eight and takes her breakfast in her room; then she works for an hour and returns to reading the morning papers. After half past ten she goes out to walk in the palace gardens, where she meets Prince Charles and Princess Anne, who love "Margo" dearly.

The princess takes lunch with her mother, then accompanies her on a visit, or goes down to the shops to buy what she needs. Her evenings she spends with the Queen and a few friends, where music takes up part of her time, her mother sharing with her the enjoyment of this art. Her journey to Rhodesia last July is but one example of her strong attachment to her mother: after the mother had decided to travel alone, the princess proposed to accompany her, and the people of Rhodesia received this visit with indescribable enthusiasm and joy.