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Monday, November 17, 2014

Extra protection for George and Marina's wedding

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 November 17, 1934

Scotland Yard will take "extreme precautions" from today to "prevent any act of violence marring" the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Duke of Kent, reports the Associated Press.

The couple will be married on November 29 at Westminster Abbey.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Although we do not anticipate any trouble, steps are being taken officially to deal with the situation."

No details were being released as officials were hesitant to discuss the security arrangements, but it is understood that officers have already started to "make certain that no undesirables will be included in the throngs looking out the windows" along the wedding route.

The names of spectators who have rented space from businesses along the route have been handed over the Scotland Yard, and an effort is being made to check every name.

Scotland Yard is also checking the "whereabouts of certain unnamed undesirables."

Princess Marina will receive protection from the moment of her arrival in England.  More than 8000 uniformed police will be on duty during the wedding, as well as 6000 special constables.

Scotland Yard officials pointed out that the "extreme precautions" were not unusual, and no different than other recent royal occasions.  Princess Marina is from a "foreign nation," which is one reason  "for adopting steps to secure safety."


A large number of foreign royal guests have been invited to the wedding.  The King and Queen of Denmark, the King and Queen of Norway, Prince Valdemar of Denmark, Prince George of Greece, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Kirill of Russia, and Princess Marina's two sisters, Princess Paul of Yugoslavia, and the Countess von Toerring-Jettenbach and her husband will all be protected by Scotland Yard.

Prince Paul of Yugoslavia will not be able to attend the wedding, as he has "new duties," as a member of the regency for the young King Peter, who succeeded his father after the assassination of King Alexander last month.

The foreign royals will have day and night guards, and plainclothes policemen "familiar with the identity of extremists" will be "close at hand when the Kings and princes move about the city."

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