The Crown

Monday, Sep. 24, 1934

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¶ Traveling Second Class. Prince George and his fiancee Princess Marina of Greece, his second cousin, emerged from the Balkans last week with her parents, put up at separate Paris hotels. Said she: "We came second class to economize, now that we are to set up housekeeping." From the Exchequer $50,000 per year is paid to Prince George, rising automatically to $125,000 upon his marriage.

¶ When crass news cameramen pushed Prince George aside the better to photograph blonde, blue-eyed Princess Marina and when someone shouted "Oh well, Prince, the bridegroom is always neglected!" he grinned with obvious pleasure at the novelty.

"I am delighted both to be a bridegroom-to-be and to be neglected," said H. R. H. "It is an experience I am glad to enjoy."

¶ As no princess of a reigning house would be permitted to do, Marina talked gayly and glowingly of her George to Paris newsmen: "I knew people in love were happy but I never knew how happy they could be until now! If it didn't sound silly I would say the same thing that I suppose every engaged girl says—I am the happiest girl in the world."

¶ The foremost British man-modiste, Captain Edward Henry Molyneux was commissioned to create Princess Marina's wedding dress, but she had fun in Paris buying much of her trousseau last week, heedless of the Empire watchword "Buy British."

Said the dressmaking Captain apprehensively, "The Princess wants to consult Queen Mary on every detail before we even make sketches. The wedding dress will be considered very carefully at Balmoral Castle."

To smooth the way for his fiancée at Balmoral Castle, Prince George left her in Paris and dashed alone to Their Majesties' Scottish seat, then back to London four days later to meet Princess Marina when she came over with her parents.

As he waited for the train to come in Prince George, in immaculate morning dress, fingered his top hat nervously for some 15 minutes, waved once or twice to the hundreds of British women who kept waving at him from behind police lines. As Princess Marina stepped out in a sleek, brick-red ensemble Prince George took her in his arms and kissed her on the cheek, received a kiss on his cheek in return.

"Glory be!" cried a delighted char, "she's prettier than the Duchess of York!" and this impression seemed to be general. Stepping into a big Daimler, George and Marina held hands on the short drive to St. James's Palace, waved their free hands at a surging populace which pelted flowers and roared "Welcome our Princess!" until excited Marina was seen to brush tears of joy from her eyes.