Monday February 19, 1979

_. A restless night. The wine at Pudsey and the late hour of retiring had a knackering effect, YP was dull.

The Duke of Westminster, possibly the wealthiest man in Britain, died today aged 68. Earl Grosvenor succeeds, and his wife, the former Natalia Phillips, is not 20 until May. When did we last have a teenage duchess, I wonder? Natalia is a daughter of Lt-Col Harold Phillips, the Queen's great friend, and a granddaughter of Lady Zia Wernher, &c. Her sister is the Marchioness of Hamilton, destined to be Duchess of Abercorn. And on the subject of duchesses I should say something about the Duchess of Kent. A few weeks ago it was reported that her figure had expanded. The Daily Telegraph even published a photo. Then, she cancelled a public engagement and instead the duke took her place. She will be 46 on Thursday. Can HRH be pregnant? I'd be surprised, but it must be remembered she had a miscarriage in October, 1977, which proves that her equipment must still be in fairly reasonable working order. I think she is too old. Besides, wouldn't it be dangerous? [You budding gynaecologists out there can probably settle this one for me].

Meanwhile, that breathing Aphrodite, Princess Michael of Kent, is laid up at Kensington Palace awaiting the birth of her first child in April.

Watched 'Fawlty Towers' tonight. John Cleese is a genius.

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Monday October 10, 1977

Margaret Thatcher: party conference in Ibiza?

The valiant Margaret Thatcher is loading her guns in readiness for the Tory conference which opens at Brighton tomorrow. Why do they insist upon holding these stupid gatherings in hideous 19th century watering places? Surely, if little me can can manage a fortnight in Ibiza then the great bulwark of the Conservative party machine can surely do the same? I can understand the feeble Liberal party holding its annual circus on English soil because they are rather dull, aren't they?

The Duchess of Kent left hospital yesterday looking well and smiling. It was the duke's 42nd birthday. They are such a loving, close couple and the children all seem so nice. The 'Princess Margaret sort' are all very well, but our monarchy would not survive if all members of the Royal Family were like her.

Saw television which was quite dead. Also kept on with 'The Count of Monte Cristo' which has drifted from the original theme somewhat but I refuse to be defeated.

Phoned Tony. He said he's been 'let down' at the weekend and that he'd not taken Toni (confusion) for dinner at all. "We had a party at the flat instead" he said.  ________________.Heard from Martyn. He started work at Samuel's today.

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Thursday October 7, 1976

Painting everything in sight until 8.30pm or so. CB rings at 6 o'clock to see if I'm going out on the town. I say no. Not like me at all, is it?

See Frankie Howerd on TV and then have a few drinks with Mum & Dad who come back from the Commercial saying Carol has suddenly returned to the USA without warning. What can have happened between her and Raymond? We did try to warn them about holidaying in Wales. ___________________________________.

Retire to bed....

after supping my lager..... tits...... hanging about in all direction.....shagged ......Precisely, he said, with the end of his fist thrust firmly.....

HRH The Duke of Kent is 41 on Saturday!

Good Old Duke. Edward Nicholas Paul Patrick David George William Bill Ernest Frederick..... or something like that.

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Wednesday October 9, 1974

The Duke of Kent born 1935. My half day at the YP. Home for 12.30 for lunch with Mum. We're both undecided as to how we are going to vote tomorrow. I'm either Tory or Liberal and Mum is either Labour or Liberal.

Dark day, with occasional showers, though nothing like the torrents produced yesterday. Read the Prince of Wales again, and also, on this subject, I read in the Daily Mail this morning that the Prince will not be moving to Chevening House in Kent next year as was originally decided. The trustees of the Chevening estate are planning a further 2 years' work before HRH can move in.

Saw Christine Braithwaite on the 33 bus this morning. She looks a lot more slim since we last met, and her hair is longer, a much improved appearance. She dropped the bombshell that her love affair with Philip is 'virtually on the rocks'. I cannot believe it. Christine without Philip is like Victoria without Albert, or a horse without a carriage, &c. (not love without marriage, that's quite permissible), &c.

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Saturday June 15, 1974

Another scorching day. Sheila promised to wake us at 7, but I was awake totally unaided, and go downstairs thinking the dear thing is sleeping peacefully, but no she is in the kitchen doing wonderful things with a frying pan and several sausages. What a saint she is!

We leave at about 8 and are in London for 9. Believe it or not I cannot find the palace, and have to ask a native the directions. John is greatly amused by my lack of patience. The sun is very brilliant and when the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Kent leave for Horse Guards it is quite stifling. (Excuse the scrawl, but I cannot write with biro. I've mislaid my fountain pen.) The Queen looks very miserable and pale and not at all pleasant, though the Queen Mother is the perfect example of radiance and beauty. Outside the palace until 1. Due to the heat we go to a pub in Piccadilly - a typical London tavern. Nip down to Knightsbridge and spend a few hours in Harrods before returning to Windsor by coach.

Go to the Safari Park till 11.15. Bed on return after playing with Hugo.

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Friday June 14, 1974

Scorching hot day. Up at 8.30 after a terrible night. Far too warm for comfort. John and Sheila go off to work and I persuade John to leave the house at 10.15. See in the morning papers that the Prince of Wales is dating a 20-year-old American, Laura Jo Watkins, and she was in the House of Lords yesterday to see him make his maiden speech to the peers.

Outside Windsor Castle by 10.20. A crowd gathers to see the goings on. See Edward Heath come, then Jeremy Thorpe and finally Harold Wilson. The Royal procession leaves Victoria Barracks, and 5 princes follow the cortege: the Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, the new Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent. We have a perfect view of the mourners, and they process through Windsor to the castle passing John and I not 3 yards away. Didn't see the Queen because she was already at the castle before the funeral.

Because of the heat John and I return to the house, where we see the funeral on tv.

Later: we take John and Sheila to the Hart and Garter in Windsor for a meal. Very enjoyable, and the bill, excluding wine etc, is only £7.50. Home and bed at 12.

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Tuesday December 11, 1973

An interesting morning filing the obits. The Prince of Wales was yesterday made a personal Aide-de-Camp to the Queen. The other ADCs are the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent, and Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

See in the Express that another of Prince Charles's girlfriends is engaged. Lady Henrietta FitzRoy, a daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton. However, Jane Wellesley is still tipped for the top.

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Friday May 4, 1973

Terrible weather. Rain and icy blasts. One would hardly think that it is May.

Take Sue to the dentist and sit in the waiting room reading an old magazine featuring Princess Anne and Lieutenant Mark Phillips. The insinuations that it might be an Easter engagement seem very silly now, to say the least. But, just because the TV and papers stop publicising Pcss. Anne and Lieut. Phillips's every move doesn't mean to say that the romance is over. It seems to me that the couple are being put through the traditional 24-month separation, which the Duke of Kent and many other royals had to go through. An endurance test as it were.

Mr Ayling doesn't arrive for the double lesson this morning. We all go instead to the common room and make some attempt to read Harvey. June and I sit together at break. She does an exam at 1.30. At 2.40 Dave and I rush out of school, along with Denny, MM, Chris, Tim, Liz, and many lower 6th scum. What we get up to when Groves isn't around! I go to Rawdon library until nearly 4 o'clock. Go back and see June. We walk to the bus stop together - it's raining hard.

Go to the CW - quite busy.

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Saturday February 3, 1973

Susan woke me at noon. The television was at full volume. I made Mum and Dad a cup of tea and when I walked in their bedroom I was momentarily stunned. I had forgotten Mum had changed her hair colour, and the sight of an auburn haired doll in the bed with Dad was something to behold. After lunch of "winter salad" I collapsed in front of the TV.

The paper says that Princess Anne and Mark Phillips are to have an Easter engagement. I doubt very much whether it will be so. Royal marriages usually occur following a very long relationship with a separation endurance test thrown in for good measure. After all, Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy, and the Duke of Kent and Katharine Worsley - were all subject to several years separation. Is it not therefor a surprise that Lieutenant Phillips is being sent to Germany with his regiment until 1975. The Princess however, seems to be a headstrong girl and I doubt whether she'd allow the Queen and Prince Philip to dictate to her.

Things didn't half drag at the CW. Time seemed to stand still until 11.30. But it was very busy. Sue told Pauline that she was being stupid having only the one boyfriend at her age. I quite agree. It's wrong to be tied down with someone at only 16. After this lecture Pauline began chatting me up and making eyes at me. I am unable to fancy her. She is totally sexless, and she talks far too much. Sue found P's attitude most amusing. She kept telling Toffer that Pauline was doing her best to chat me up. June was never out of my thoughts all evening.

Arrived home at 1.30. Supper of cheese and wine, retiring to bed one hour later.

I intend putting £2 from my wage into the Post Office on Monday morning, leaving me with £1.50 on which to go wild with tomorrow. I will most likely need a loan for next week.

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