Thursday June 11, 1981

 _. To the YP. Had my hair cut at Carlo & Jeffrey's  - £4. Princess Anne's daughter is not going to be called Tracy. Instead they've gone for Zara Anne Elizabeth. 

To Ash Tree Cottage for 6. We went to Morrison's and spent £7 on virtually nothing at all. Just a few provisions for tea and a tin of Heinz Ravioli 'in rich tomato sauce' for our post-honeymoon food supply.

Grayson: mantlepiece

At 8 I left Ally [yes folks, she's still 'Spring cleaning'] and walked up to St Wilfred's Church to collect a completed Banns certificate from the Denis Price-like Mr Nudds. He guided me into his study where he filled out the certificate. I was startled by the portrait adorning the chimney breast over the mantlepiece. A framed and signed portrait of no lesser person than Larry Grayson, the homosexual tv quiz master. After last Sunday's 'high church' experience I would have expected to see Pope John Paul up there. It was warming to see Robert Lacey's 'Majesty' on Mr Nudds's well stocked bookcase.

Back at Club St Ally was sneezing [because of the dust]. Phoned Dave G. He is going to collect us at Manchester Airport on July 12. Dave L phoned to ask about the 'stag night'. Bessie phoned Ally and spoke for hours on end. Wedding talk. I made a large tissue-paper shroud for the wedding dress hanging in the Flying Pig Suite. Obviously, I haven't seen the gown.

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Wednesday June 10, 1981

 _. The 60th birthday of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. 

Took a half-day and left the office at 12. I lingered in a book shop in town and then wandered to Pronuptia Bridal where I met a glowing Ally, in pink trousers, and white blouse. Like an ice-cream sundae in fact. We collected large boxes containg the bridal dress and bridesmaid dresses and paid out £200 [half the cost].

Charles in Bradford.

Ally saw the Prince of Wales in Bradford this morning. He drove past her in his magnificent car, with crest fluttering, as she sped up Squire Lane, on the third day of her fake stomach upset. We went to Bradford and saw the prince leaving the Town Hall [where he'd lunched]. The immense popularity of the P of W is made very clear by the shear numbers who turned out to catch a glimpse. The city centre was at a standstill. HRH then drove to Yeadon where he flew home at 4:20. Officials at the airport say they cannot recall such a crowd massing to see someone fly out. 

Home to Pine Tops at 5. Saw Lynn and Frances. Mum and Dad were entertaining a couple of prospective buyers, and so Ally and I went to Burley, and came home at 11.

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Tuesday June 9, 1981

Diana: 

 _. To the office. Ally, the naughty girl, coninued with her mock-illness and remained at Club St 'spring cleaning' in readiness for the wedding of the year. On the subject of the wedding of the year I'm slightly put out. Driving to Leeds with Jim today I remarked that 'the wedding is getting near now', to which Jim immediately replied 'oh yes, I'm dreading all that hideous TV coverage, their faces splattered all over every newspaper and magazine in the Kingdom for weeks on end ....' clearly thinking I was talking of the Royal wedding and not mine. Ours is quite lost in all the royal build up.

Sarah was missing yesterday at the YP too. Tummy upset. So, yesterday 'Mrs Slocombe' was left to do everything.

I'm having trouble sleeping you know [have I mentioned this before?] The wedding [ours] must be playing around, creeping upon my subconscious. I am not in any way frightened. Indeed, I long for it, the home life, and everything it entails.

-=-