Evening star., 1955-10-15

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Iby a side entrance. She drove
of In her black Roils-R Royce,
with the shades down. and ar
rived at Binf1eld about three
hours after Capt. Townsend.
With her was her lady in wait
ing Iris Peake. who received
Capt. Townsend's letters and
passed them on to Margaret
during the two years he has
spent In exile" in Brussels.
More than 100 newsmen from
all parts of the world saw the
Princess arrive at the Wills
mansion. Police were on duty in
side the estate gates. and out
side the walls.
Both iMargaret and Capt.
Townsend = know tie AWindsor
Forest area well. It was there
that he taught her to ride when
they first met after the war. He
was then an equerry or aide to
her late father, King George VI,
Meanwhile. at Stogumber, q
Somerset village more than 100
miles southwest Of London, Capt.
Townsend's 65-year-old mother
waited like most other Britons
to learn what the future holds
for the Princess and her son. She
told newsmen outside her cot
|tage she knows nothing except
what have read in the news
papers"
Mrs. Townsend is the frail,
gray haired widow Of a British
army colonel. Speaking Of her
son. she said:
II have been so terribly wor-
ried about him. He's had years
of unhappiness. All / long for
is to see him happily married
again. as my other children are. .
Capt. Townsend divorced his
wife in 1852 on grounds of adult
cry. He was awarded custody
of their two sons. but by ami
cable agreement they spent most
of their time with their mother.
She has remarked.
Mother Backs Margaret
One informant In touch with
the royal family said the Queen
Mother actively supports Mar
|garet in her desire to marry. The
source said Queen Elizabeth in
her private capacity rather than
Jas monarch has said reluctantly
her sister should marry II her
heart is set on 1t but should first
weigh the consequences care
fully. The Queen is the constitu-
tional head of the Church of
England. which does not approve
of the remarriage Of divorced
persons.
The Duke of Edinburgh, hus-
band Of the Queen. is now in
Denmark. and is reported to
share his wife's views, although
somewhat more reluctant to ac-
cept the idea of Margaret's mar
rying Capt. Townsend. He re-
turns to England Monday night.
The Queen returns to London
Tuesday morning and will re-
|ceive Prime Minister Eden that
might.
Next Wednesday Margaret and
the rest Of the immediate royal
family will dine with the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury. who, as
spiritual head of the Anglican
Church. is another key figure
In the drama.
II Margaret flouts church reg
ulations by marrying a divorced
man, she might weaken the in
stitution Of the monarchy. Rath-
er than do this she is generally
expected to choose a Scottish
church II she decides to marry.
She was born in Scotland, and
the Church of Scotland---of
which the Queen also is head
does not oppose the remarriage
OF divorced persons.
Margaret also probably would
renounce her right of succession
to the throne She is now third
in line. She already has given
up her right to stand as regent
should the Queen die before her
two children are Of age.
Many newspapers gave q quar-
ter Of their news space to the
Princess and Capt. Townsend
virtually the only topic Of con-
versation this week end in Brit
'ish pubs and clubs.