September 29, 1949
The Earl of Harewood and Miss Marion Stein were married this afternoon at St. Mark's Church, North Audley Street, in London, reports the New York Times.
More than 10,000 people lined the "streets and squares between the church and Buckingham and St. James's Palace," hoping for a glimpse of the royal family and the newlyweds.
The 26-year-old Earl of Harewood is the nephew of King George VI. He is the elder of two sons of Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, King George's only sister. He succeeded to the earldom two years ago following the death of his father. Austrian-born Miss Stein is 22 years old.
The ceremony was attended by all the members of the Royal Family with the exception of the groom's grandmother, Queen Mary. She did attend the reception at St. James's Palace, where the Earl and Countess of Harewood will have an apartment after they return from their honeymoon in France and Italy.
Miss Stein is the daughter of Erwin Stein, who came from Vienna to England before the war. Mr. Stein is a member of "music publishing concern in London."
A "wreath of tiny white gardenias encircled her head." Miss Stein was given away by her father. Lord Harewood's best man was his younger brother, the Hon. Gerald Lascelles.
Nine hundred guests were invited to the wedding, including King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret, all of whom sat in the front row. Other guests included staff from the 2000 acres Harewood House estate near Leeds, the actor Douglas Fairbanks and his wife and the recently engaged Marquess of Milford Haven, who is expected to marry American divorcee, Romaine Simpson in November.
Lord Milford Haven attended the wedding without his fiance, as Mrs. Simpson was not invited. Her spokesman, Frank Shaw, told the press that "no slight was intended." He explained that the "engagement was announced only Wednesday." The invitations to the wedding had been sent out some weeks earlier.
"A last minute invitation was considered," Mr. Shaw explained, "but as "Mrs. Simpson has not been presented at court it was thought her presence at the wedding might be a source of embarrassment both to her and to members of the royal family whom she would meet."
After their reception, Lord and Lady Harewood left St. James's Palace in a dark blue Rolls Royce for Northolt Airport for their flight to Paris. Lord Harewood had changed from his morning suit to a "light gray lounge suit." The new countess wore a "pleated dress, bolero jacket and "off-the-face hat in ice blue, accessories in burgundy and a pearl necklace."
Lord Harewood told the press, who were waiting at the airport. "We had a very exciting day."
No comments:
Post a Comment