Evening star., 1951-10-04
The Life of Princess
British Believe Queen Brings
Good Luck for Their Realm

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a considerable talent for manag-
ing royal affairs and imperia,
policy. Victoria had to rap him
on the knuckles a number of times
to remind him of the difference
between consort and a sovereign
In later life she defended increas-
ingly on his judgment, but kept
the re'ns of monarchy firmly in
her hands.
Duke Is Rugged.
Elizabeth won't have so many
reins to held, and the prospects
are that she and the Duke will
live If a relationship more nearly
normal. MOI is the Duke a Prince
ALBERT. The Duke is a rugged
character with virile interests and
la most practical turn of mind.
Knuckle-rapping wouldn't feaze
his tough. sailor personality.
It is said of him that he is suited
to the Job facing him because he
moves familiarity in two worlds.
The one is the world of working,
fighting, sports-loving. living
men. The other is the narrow,
e-bound world in which kings.
princesseS and lords temporal
move in their lofty but restricted
orbits. The Duke knows both
worlds and can get along either
place. 1t is an advantage he has
over Elizabeth, who was born so
close to the throne that she had
to be prepared for it-just in case.
The Duke, as Prince Philip, was
born on the Greek island of Corfu
and was high in the succession to
the Greek throne. If things had
been just little different he might
have remained in Greece. and
might today have been an OBJ
.Scure princeling mixed up in the
chaos of Balkan political intrigue.
But it didn't turn out that way be-
cause Philips grandmother, Prin-
cess Victoria who was the Dowa-
ger Marchioness of Milford Haven,
thought the youngster ought to
be educated in England. Grand
mother persuaded his parents to
send him. and Philip promptly be-
came British in a big and re-
sounding way.
Educated by Uncle.
His education was supervised by
his uncle. the dynamic Earl
Mountbatten of Burma. naval
officer of great achiesement.
Lord Mountbatten steered Philip
through progressive schools. one in
Germany. But the youth really
struck his stride at the Royal
Naval College at Dartmouth,
where he won numerous distinc-
tions. Then came the war. He
took part in Mediterranean fight
ing in number of ships. and con-
.voy service took him around the
world.
But it was not until after the
war that Philip became a British
citizen. He had to renounce any
claim to the throne of Greece
and dropped his foreign distinc-
tions. He dropped, among others,
the title of Prince Philip" 1t is
still used occasionally here, but
it is without sanction in Britain.
The King must give his ap-
proval for authorized use of a
foreign title. He did not authorize
prince Philip" possibly because
he was thinking about confering
a British dukedom.
! Now it is His Royal Highness
the Duke of Edinburgh. He could
sit in the House of Lords, and was
presented to that august body
But it is tradition that royal
dukes do not sit with the lords
There is solid British opinion
that royalty'S place is in the
palace, not in a legislative hall.
Life Was Sheltered
Elizabeth was, of course. born
a princess and has lived the
sheltered life of study. consecra-
ton, protocol. luxury and very
well chaperoned fun. She was ed
ucated privately, with emphasis
on history. constitutional suuc-
ture and languages. She speaks
French and German. She liked
cultural subjects, music and lit
erature. Lately, she has been un-
der the shadow of her father S
serious illness and operation.
! 1t doesn't seem at all likely
that circumstances can prevent
her becoming Queen of Britain
But Sticklers for accuracy insist
she must be referred to as the
I"heiress presumptive." She ism t
their apparent" because she is
a girl. In the succession to the
throne boys come first. 1t is pos
sible that the King of England
tt ctill houo cav c1,oIo