"The Bathroom Door"

Outraged peers cast copies of certain of the London newspapers upon their glowing autumn hearths; vowed that the House of Windsor had suffered a besmirchment.

Crowed joyful servant girls: "Is 'Ighness 'as been alarkin' again! O Lor' !"

The Manchester Guardian mournfully intoned, "This is damaging enough to be the work of some hidden hand."

"This," when inspected, appeared superficially to be only a photograph of a svelt and alluring "redheaded vamp." Alas, her shoulders were a thought too broad, her hips a shade too neat! She was none other than Edward of Wales, snapped en costume while appearing in The Bathroom Door, a farce produced aboard the cruiser Repulse just before she docked at Portsmouth (TIME, Oct. 26) and returned the Prince from his South American tour.

To make matters worse, the photograph was obviously "posed" to the satisfaction of "the Royal Vamp," who is rumored to have impenitently "countenanced" its release by one of his suite.

Britannia seems unable to appreciate the jest. Court gossips said, "The King and Queen have been highly displeased. Immediate changes are to be made in His Royal Highness' retinue."

Cried the Westminister Gazette, unintentionally pat, "Don't stare at the Prince of Wales"; continued with an editorial in which Britons were urged to safeguard the Prince from serious risk of a breakdown by "respecting his privacy."