22 FEBRUARY 1946, Page 4

The facts concerning King Zog's wardrobe—if they matter a stiver

to anyone—are being straightened out. The Times, it will be remembered, stated unequivocally one day last week that this former sovereign, who had just left England, had ordered thirty suits of clothes while here. That seemed to raise questions of coupons—of which thirty suits require 780—and someone asked Sir Stafford Cripps about it in the House of Commons. His answer was that the ex-king had been granted 242 coupons in the ordinary way and too plus 8o in special issues. But that only makes 422 coupons altogether, leaving a gap of 358 to account for. However, the late monarch's nephew now explains that only five suits (13o coupons) have been taken out of England, though other " suitings " (which apparently is what ex-kings wear) are to follow as part of the uncouponed and much-to-be-encouraged export trade. So that is all happily cleared up. And as for The Times' assertion that 2,000 pieces of luggage went too, it is rejoined with indignation that there were only 136 pieces between 19 people. The party, in short, travelled virtually in what it stood up in.

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