ON THIS DAY

FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE May 7, 1960

THE best years of their lives began today for Princess Margaret and Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones. The ceremony flowed smoothly in brilliant colour and pageantry in Westminster Abbey. Here is a love match between Princess and commoner, solemnised in one of our most historic shrines. May 7, 1992 MARLENE DIETRICH died yesterday, aged 90. A virtual recluse, the German-born actress who found stardom as a cabaret singer and then took Hollywood by storm, died at the small Paris apartment where she had lived alone for more than a decade. Weeping fans gathered outside after the news was announced by her grandson, Pierre Riva.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

ANYA HINDMARCH, 56. The Essex-born accessories designer has created handbags that look like a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box, and ones inspired by the doodles on her 1970s pencil case. Her bags cost up to £2,600 each. She sold a majority stake in her brand in 2012 before buying it back in 2019. SIR NICHOLAS HYTNER, 68. The Manchester-born former director of the national Theatre became a millionaire after directing Miss Saigon, but has had misses as well as huge hits. One new York Times critic ended the first paragraph of a review with ‘zzzzzzzz’. His first film, The Madness Of King George, was nominated for four Oscars.

BORN ON THIS DAY

EVA PERÓN (19191952). The wife of Argentinian president Juan Peron made her name as an actress and radio star. She pressured congress to pass a law allowing women to vote in 1947. Sixty years after her death she became the first woman to grace Argentina’s currency. JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897). The German romantic composer improvised his first piano sonata aged 11. When he was older he found his early works a bit embarrassing and destroyed the majority of them.

ON MAY 7…

IN 1940, George Lansbury, former Labour leader — and actress Angela’s grandfather — died, aged 81. IN 1945, Germany surrendered.

WORD WIZARDRY GUESS THE DEFINITION Appanage (coined 1602)

A) A bread basket. B) Drink made from apples.C) Maintenance for a king or prince’s young children.

answer below

PHRASE EXPLAINED Axe to grind:

meaning to have a grievance against someone; may come from the act of sharpening an axe with a grinding wheel, with the intent of getting revenge.

QUOTE FOR TODAY

There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.

Oscar Wilde, Irish writer (1854-1900) JOKE OF THE DAY

WHAT do you call a pop star having afternoon tea? Elton Scone. Guess The Definition answer: C.