are royals boycotting Margaret's wedding?

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 April 11, 1960

Several British newspapers have decided that members of Europe's royal families are 'boycotting' Princess Margaret's wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones, which will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, according to a Reuters report.

Press reports are insinuating that the regrets are being sent in response to the wedding invitation because Armstrong-Jones is a commoner.   A palace official in Oslo says the report is "absolutely silly," while the Swedish press has been "quick to fight back in print."

It appears that most of Europe's reigning royal families "have found something else to do" when Margaret marries Armstrong-Jones.

King Gustav VI Adolf and his wife, Queen Louise, who is the Duke of Edinburgh's aunt, will be "entertaining" the Shah and Empress of Iran on May 5 and 6.  A court spokesman said it was unlikely that any of the King's four granddaughters would be able to attend the wedding during the Shah's visit.

King Olav V of Norway and his daughter, Princess Astrid, will be attending the "200th-anniversary celebrations of the Norwegian Society of Science.  Crown Prince Harald is away on military maneuvers.

King Baudouin of the Belgians has a "long-standing engagement" in Antwerp on May 6.

The New York Daily News is reporting that Queen Juliana, Prince Bernhard, and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands have declined their invitations.

Queen Ingrid of Denmark will be attending the wedding, but her husband, King Frederik IX will not.    The Greek royals remain on the "undecided" list.  It is not known yet if the Prince and Princess of Monaco will be attending.

King Olav's Lord Chamberlain, Ingvald Smith-Kielland said the 'boycott' rumors were "especially silly" as the King's elder daughter, Princess Ragnhild, is married to a commoner, shipping director, Erling Lorentzen.  They live in Rio de Janeiro.

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One newspaper, the Daily Herald, states that being a commoner is only one reason.  Another reason was the concern in European royal houses over a "stream of lurid so-called biographies of Armstrong-Jones and his friends, Jeremy Fry and David Hicks, which have been published in the Continental press.

Frye was set to be Armstrong-Jones' best man, but stepped down last week due to "ill-health".    David Hicks, an interior designer, married Lady Pamela Mountbatten, in January.  Lady Pamela is a first cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Another London newspaper, the Star, said the boycott comments were "ill-timed" as Margaret's wedding was "very much a British family affair.  It takes a lot of stupidity to turn it into an international incident."