Buzz-Fuzz

London's gossips were hot on the scent of a royal snub. "You notice the Duke of Gloucester wasn't there," said one. "And there wasn't a single member of the royal family in the wedding picture," added another, "except, of course, the Princess Royal, and she had to be--being the groom's mother." "Margaret didn't even bother to wear a new dress," sniffed a third, pointing out (correctly) that the Princess' grey lace had made its debut at Ascot a month before.

The buzzing was caused by the fact that Queen Elizabeth II had abruptly canceled her plan to attend the wedding of her cousin, chunky, auto-racing Gerald Lascelles, 28 (never a royal favorite), to a stage-struck blonde, Angela Estree Lyssod Dowding, 33, daughter of a divorced corset manufacturer.

The Queen's excuse was illness (described by her husband as "a temporary and rather violent disturbance"), but gossips, private and professional, were quick to point out that Her Majesty had seemed in excellent health at a royal investiture that very morning, and even haler at a reception for nearly 1,000 in honor of the diplomatic corps the next day.

Whether or not she had snubbed Gerry, the Queen was neither ill nor standoffish two days later when some 7,000 guests swarmed over Buckingham Palace grounds for a garden party. Peers and plain people, a Maltese Boy Scout, a Sikh naval officer, the president of the Mormon Church, a pink-trousered lady from Pakistan and a bearded artist in a bright green suit were just a few of those among whom the Queen strolled, chatting pleasantly and shaking hands at an average of once every 15 seconds. Even a downpour of rain which sent many guests scuttling into the palace failed to deter her. Protected by an umbrella held by a lady-in-waiting, and preceded by a dignified spearhead of ice-breaking courtiers, Queen Elizabeth II went right on doing her democratic duty. "It is all "very interesting," murmured a general from the Soviet embassy. "I am here three times now."

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