Postponed

The 75-year-old mistress of vast, gloomy, allegedly haunted Glamis (pronounced Glarms) Castle in Scotland, legendary scene of Macbeth's murder of Duncan, died of heart disease last week in London. She was the hardworking, domestic, society-shunning Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, wife of the 83-year-old 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Descendant of England's famed Cavendish and Bentinck families, the daughter of a clergyman grandson of the. third Duke of Portland, the Countess was the mother of ten children, six of them still living. By far her most noted child is England's Queen Elizabeth, consort of George VI.

Formal court mourning is an expensive undertaking against which many London businesses--notably caterers--are insured. The English court never prescribes mourning for those not of the Royal Family, no matter how close their relationship. Death of the Queen's mother proved no exception. The Earl of Cromer, Lord Chamberlain, announced "no commands for Court mourning will be issued by the King," added that "Their Majesties will observe family mourning as also will members of the Royal households when in attendance upon Their Majesties."

The Countess' death came only six days before the long-awaited, elaborately-arranged State visit of the King & Queen to Paris was scheduled to take place. From France came regrets from President Albert Lebrun, a promptly accepted suggestion that the visit be postponed until July 19.

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