§ 2.46 p.m.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)My Lords, in the absence of my noble friend the Lord President, I am very much pleased to be able to report to the House the announcement, which I am sure many of your Lordships will already have heard, of the engagement of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to the Lady Diana Spencer. I am sure the House will wish to have an opportunity in due course to convey a more formal message to Her Majesty the Queen. In the meantime, your Lordships will, I know, wish to join with me in conveying our heartfelt congratulations and every good wish to His Royal Highness Prince Charles and the Lady Diana.
§ Lord PeartMy Lords, the House will be most grateful to the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor for his announcement to us of this happy news. I know the whole House will join with him in the warmest congratulations to His Royal Highness and the Lady Diana Spencer.
§ Lord ByersMy Lords, from these Benches we would also wish to be associated in full with the congratulations and good wishes expressed by the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Lady Diana.
§ Baroness Hylton-FosterMy Lords, I feel sure that this is an occasion when the Cross-Bench Peers would also like to be associated with the good wishes and congratulations from this House to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on this happy occasion of his engagement to the Lady Diana Spencer.
The Lord Bishop of SalisburyMy Lords, we on these Benches shall continue to pray that God's guidance and richest blessing may attend His Royal Highness and the Lady Diana Spencer to the end of their days.