Through a Glass, Darkly

In the 1920s, oriental potentates began ordering their Rolls-Royces with smoke-blackened windows so that their wives could ride comfortably "in purdah"--screened off from the eyes of other men. Now "purdah glass" has been revived, and is the latest rage of London.

The Aga Khan and his uncle, Sadruddin, have the back and side windows of their Mini-Coopers done in inky black. So do Greek Snipping Scion Alex Goulandris, Actor Albert Finney and Beatle George Harrison. Fellow Beatle John Lennon's Rolls is completely blacked out except for the windshield--despite the impairment to vision. So is Prince Philip's experimental Ogle sports car.

Other converts to the windows: Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the Maharani of Baroda and Libya's King Idris I. Only trouble is that the purdah glass, in a way, is self-defeating. It is so noticeable that the instantly curious flock around to try penetrating its secrets, let an ordinary clear-windowed car go by without a second glance.

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