Foreign News: Ein Tywysoges

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Prince Philip of Greece is the nephew of Elizabeth's cousin Lord Mountbatten, with whom he has lived all his life. Recently he renounced all rights to his Greek heritage and applied for British citizenship. Philip's picture sits prominently on Elizabeth's desk. From Africa she writes him several letters a week. He is such a family fixture at the Palace that Queen Elizabeth has sometimes had to rebuke him for ordering the servants about too much. King George can approve his daughter's marriage only with the consent of the Cabinet, and so far Philip's connection with the Greek regime, remote as it is, has been a slight hitch. But last week, as plain Lieut. Philip Mountbatten, Prince Philip was granted his British citizenship, and even that hitch seemed to have been overcome. When Elizabeth is asked about her engagement, she replies with a coy, "For that you must wait and see." But the Empire is quite prepared to welcome

Philip as future Prince Consort, and expects the announcement any day now. It may come on her birthday.

Apologies & Diamonds. Princess Elizabeth's 21st birthday party in Cape Town will be the last grand ceremonial of the African tour. There will be more salutes, more reviews, more fireworks, and another grand ball. There will be state presents for everyone: a gold box full of diamonds (to put on his Garter star) for the King; an engraved gold tea service for the Queen, 17 graduated diamonds for Margaret—and for Elizabeth herself, 21 graduated brilliant-cut diamonds interspersed with baguettes to string on a necklace. For Elizabeth that day will mean also a rise in income from £6,000 to £15,000 a year, and the chance to manage her money.

Back home in Britain last week, the people were only slowly recovering from The Crisis. Some of the worst floods in history were wreaking havoc throughout the country. And at blitz-damaged Buckingham Palace 150 repairmen were holding a protest meeting in "disgust at being employed on such a site when the suffering of the working class through inadequate housing is deplorable." "Personally," Elizabeth told a South African M.P., "I feel rather guilty for being here enjoying myself when the people at home are suffering so." It was a statement worthy of a future Queen, not only because it was gracious and considerate, but because the royal heiress, for all her pretty apology, was not really having much fun.