ASPECIAL message for the Queen and other members of the royal family and the wish that "the Lord give ample Divine assistance to the British Nation and all the peoples of the Commonwealth", was expressed by the Holy Father at the private audience given on Wednesday to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.
The Queen Mother, who was having her first audience with the Pope, and Princess Margaret, who was making a second visit to the Vatican — she met Pope Pius XII 10 years ago both wore black, with tiaras and Spanish style mantillas.
Hundreds of students and professors from the English, the Becht. and the Scots Colleges were there to welcome the Royal visitors and cheer them as they passed into the Clementine Halt of the Vatican Palace.
Swiss Guards in their colourful blue and yellow uniforms formed a guard of honour as Count Chiassi, a Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape bowed deeply. ceremoniously kissed hands. and with Sir Marcus Cheke, British Minister to the Holy See, escorted the Queen Mother and the Princess to the Papal library where a Papal Chamberlain, Mgr. Basile, presented them to the Holy Father. The Pope smiled in welcome as his visitors approached. The door was shut and the audience, which was conducted in French and lasted 23 minutes, had begun.
The Holy Father presented the Queen Mother with a gold medal of his pontificate and a mosaic of a Raphael painting of Our Lady. To Princess Margaret be gave a filigree box containing a similar gold medal.
Abbot Aldan Williams, 0.S.B.. who is Titular Abbot of Shrewsbury and Procurator in Curia, had an opportunity of speaking to Princess Margaret. reports "The Evening Standard". He spoke afterwards of her interest in courses of Higher Theology which are being given to nuns in Rome. "She spoke of Downside and Ampleforth and seemed to know a great deal about the Catholic Church in England". he said.