Judge grants full hearing into Princess Margaret's 'love child'

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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An accountant from Jersey who believes he is the secret son of Princess Margaret has launched a High Court bid to prove his outlandish claim to Royal blood.

Robert Brown is convinced the Queen's younger sister managed to conceal a pregnancy from public eye six years before the birth of her legitimate son.

The 51-year-old believes his birth in Nairobi, Kenya in 1955 may have been the result of on an affair between the late Princess and her former beau Group Captain Peter Townsend.

He says his father may also have been Robin Douglas-Home, with whom the Princess had a well publicised affair in the 1960s.

He's launched a legal case behind closed doors at the Family Division of the High Court and is thought to have won a full hearing.

If Mr Brown's suspicion proves true, he would be 12th in line to the throne - sandwiched between Zara Phillips and Margaret's son Viscount Linley.

He insists that pictures taken of Princess Margaret taken in 1954 show that her outfits yet steadily bigger as the months progress.

Speaking before the case, he said: "All I can say is that the pictures of the Princess during 1954 are inconsistent.

"Certainly in May of that year there are pictures of Princess Margaret where you could put your hand round her waist but throughout the year, the dresses are getting bigger."

He also says that around the time of his birth on January 5 1955, it was reported that the Princess was confined to bed with what was described as a 'hacking cough'.

Even Mr Brown concedes that his evidence is limited but his zeal has been fired by Buckingham Palace's refusal to deny his claims or accept his offer of a DNA test. If he wins, Mr Brown could be entitled to tens of millions of pounds in inheritance.

He went to court to challenge rules that bar public inspection of the 'sealed' wills of Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother. He hopes that somewhere within them, there will be a reference to him. His summons cites the Queen, the Attorney General and the executors of the wills.

The childless bachelor believes that Princess Margaret paid him a visit during a state tour of Kenya when he was one and a half and took a photograph of him, which he has kept to this day. But it is largely instinct and a feeling that he never really 'belonged' which is guiding Mr Brown.

"I realise that many people will think that I am simply barking mad and deluded but I have what I can only describe as a gut instinct about it."

Before going into court he said: "I am not here to embarrass anybody. They have never denied it. I just wish they would give me an answer, but doors have constantly been slammed in my face.

"This is about a child's rights and the right to identity. Not knowing has chewed at me for 15 years."

Sceptics point out that it would be highly unlikely that a public figure like Princess Margaret could ever keep a pregnancy hidden. On his birth certificate, his mother is named as Cynthia Joan Brown who was a society model working for Hardy Amies, the former official dressmaker to the Queen.

His father Douglas Richard Brown had been posted to Kenya with the Army during World War II. Mr Brown is sure they adopted him to cover up the scandal of a Royal lovechild.

His odd quest began five years ago, triggered by a jokey comment made by an uncle he was from the 'wrong side of the sheets.'

Harking back to his childhood, he then recalled a memory of a woman he now believes was Princess Margaret who came to see him.

He said: "I don't recall ever seeing her before but I know this woman spent some time with me. I remember we were playing games and during the day she told me that I must be on my very best behaviour because one day I might be king of England.

"That meeting has stayed with me and kept me going. Although I don't think I ever saw her again."

He does not believe he ever saw her again. Unfortunately, everyone who might have been able to assist Mr Brown is dead.

Princess Margaret died in 2002 at 71. Mr Brown said he "bitterly regretted" not doing anything when she was still alive.

Buckingham Palace have declined to comment. Royal experts have dismissed his claims as far-fetched.

Princess Margaret's biographer Christopher Warwick said: "The main question is why didn't this man make the claim when Princess Margaret was still alive.

"He seems to have waited until she died, and the bottom line is that he is going to have to come up with some better evidence for me to believe him or for the Royal Family to submit itself to DNA testing."

Yesterday's hearing within the Family Division of the High Court was held in private. Later Mr Brown said that he could not discuss what went on in court, but said: "I can categorically state it has not been dismissed by the judge and is still ongoing."

It is most likely to go for a full hearing before a judge of the Family Division at a later date.

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