William Misses Royal Party "The Times" June 21, 2000
topa...@my-deja.com
June 21 2000 BRITAIN
William to miss royal birthday party
BY ALAN HAMILTON
PRINCE WILLIAM and Camilla Parker Bowles are expected to be the most
not-able absentees at the biggest Royal Family birthday party for a
decade at Windsor Castle tonight.
The Prince, deep in his A levels at Eton, celebrates his 18th birthday
today, but the call of revision is likely to take precedence over
celebration; he has to sit a paper on the history of art tomorrow
morning.
Mrs Parker Bowles, who accompanied the Prince of Wales to a well-
publicised gala dinner in East London last night, is not expected to
attend. Royal aides believe that it would be too big a step in their
efforts to draw the Prince's companion gradually out of the shadows in
the hope of winning public acceptance for her. Prince Harry will also
be absent, being judged too young for such a late event.
Tonight's party, hosted by the Queen in the State Apartments, will be
the largest family gathering since her golden wedding ball in 1997.
More than 600 guests, including almost the entire British Royal Family
and a smattering of their crowned European relatives, will celebrate
the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the 70th of
Princess Margaret, the 50th of the Princess Royal and the 40th of the
Duke of York, all of which fall this summer.
Buckingham Palace last night refused to disclose any details of the
occasion, saying that it was a purely private family occasion. It has
emerged from other sources, however, that the Queen has spent £100,000
of her own resources on the occasion, and that the entire palace
domestic staff, numbering some 300, have been asked to report for duty,
dressed as though for a full-blown state banquet.
Each of the principals has been allowed to invite 125 guests, either
family or friends. The Queen, in a mood of reconciliation, has allowed
her second son to invite his former wife, the Duchess of York, but only
for the dancing afterwards.
The evening will start with a sitdown dinner in the restored St
George's Hall for 80 family members and close friends.
Other guests have been asked to arrive at 10pm for an evening of
dancing to the Grahamophones, a band skilled in producing the music of
the 1920s, which is a particular favourite of the Queen Mother. They
will be followed by the Chance band, whose repertoire is more up-to-
date and who played at the Duke of York's 21st birthday party at
Windsor.
Guests outside the immediate royal circle are expected to include
Stephen Fry, the actor, and Darcy Bussell, the Royal Ballet star, both
regular favourites at royal parties.
Guests not included in the formal dinner will be served drinks and
canapés on their arrival, and will be offered an early breakfast of
scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, black pudding, kedgeree, toast and
coffee from 11.30pm until the function winds up at 3am.
One of the last to leave is expected to be the Queen Mother; despite
being less than seven weeks from her centenary, she retains a
formidable reputation as a night-owl.
Prince William's greatest wish for his birthday is said to be a
motorcycle, a gift at which most parents would baulk. But his father is
reported to have obliged with a relatively low-powered Kawasaki 125cc
machine, which costs about £2,400. The Prince will be encouraged to
ride only on private roads at Balmoral and other royal estates.
Last year the Prince, tutored by experts from the Metropolitan Police
driving school, passed his car driving test and now legally sits behind
the wheel of the Volkswagen Golf his father gave him for his 17th
birthday. To ride the Kawasaki, however, he would have to pass a
separate motorcycle test.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.