Evening star., 1961-07-24
By BETTY BEALE
Star staff Writer

Star Staff Writer
The London Sunday Ex-
press story yesterday in re
the title of Mrs. John Ken
nedy's brother-in-law. Prince
Radziwill, is slightly mis-
leading.
Socially, no one would have
questioned Stanislas Radzi-
Wills use of the Polish title
prince" although he has
been a British subject for
10 years. But Sunday Express
Editor John Gordon couldn't
resist the temptation when
he noted that Buckingham
Palace listed among the
guests at the dinner for
President and Mrs. Kennedy,
prince and Princess Radzi-
will"
Naturally, the Queen was
not on that occasion about
to downgrade the Presidents
sister-in-law with a plain
Mrs" though her husband
holds no title under British
law.
But Mr.. Gordon was mis-
leading when he said that
Stanislas Radziwill once held
the courtesy title of prince. I"
A courtesy title" in England,
as I understand it. means a
title given to a son by his
father who, as peer Of the
realm, may have titles to
spare. Lord Nicholas Gordon
Lennox, who was stationed at
the British Embassy UP until
a year ago, had a courtesy
title. His father, the Duke of
Richmond, had that extra
one lying around and gather
ing dust, you might say, so
he gave 1t to Nicky.
BUT IN POLAND'S pre-
proletariat days, and in many
other countries of Europe,
every son of a prince was
him self automatically a
prince. He was a prince
legally and officially, and not
by courtesy of his father.
Hence Stanislas - better
known as Stash-Radziwill
whose father is still living in
Warsaw, was a real prince.
His family was one of the
greatest and richest in Po-
land, tracing the title back
to the 18th century.
In England, where titles
are recognized, he most GER
tainly would retain it So
cially. though English law
maintains that any foreigner
who becomes a British sub
ject forfeitS whatever title
he may have held unless
given a royal license to keep
it.
British Information Di-
rector Frank Mitchell says
he cant recall any prece-
dent in which a royal license
has been issued, refused or
sought after" But he con-
fesses he is not an authority
on this sort of thing.
Even in this democracy of
ours bona fide titles land
maybe a few phony ones to
boot are conferred socially
upon those naturalized citi-
zens who once held them. It's
much the same thing as call
ing a man president. ambas-
sador, general or judge long
after he retired from any
one of these posts. In any
case, it's nothing to get
steamed up over.
NEW ASSISTANT SEC
RETARY of the Army for
Logistics Paul Ignatius and
his wife Nan we're feted at
a dinner given by Jim and
Meredith Cross the other
night. Paul, another Har-
ward graduate, came here
about two months ago. and
the young and attractive
Nan, a Wellesley graduate,
Joined him last month. They
have leased a house on Ford
ham road.
The dinner was designed
as a reunion of old friends
Paul, Jim and Deputy As
sistant to the President
Walt Rostow, who was there
with his wife Elspeth, but 1t
turned out to be a roundup of
contestants in the Tennis
Patrons Tournament Mere
dith has organized and
scheduled for the first week.
end in October.
Lady Caccia was there and
it is on the British Embassy
c0lIrt that tho finals of tho