“Margaret Rose Dance Termed ‘Just Ordinary’”

Reading Eagle – July 16, 1949

London, July 16 (INS) – It wasn’t the can-can that Princess Margaret Rose and Sharman Douglas danced at a private party given by U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Lewis Douglas in London the other night.

It was, Mrs. Douglas insisted today, “just an ordinary dance.”

Sharman herself had nothing to say, but her mother was emphatic in stating:

“There is not a word of truth that Danny Kaye taught Sharman and Princess Margaret Rose the can-can.

“He (Funnyman Kaye) just dropped in one afternoon and watched the girls rehearse. They didn’t dance the can-can. It was just an ordinary dance.”

Mrs. Douglas did not say what kind of dance it was.

Double-talking Danny Kaye, only recently the rage of London, is back in Hollywood. He said there yesterday he didn’t teach the can-can to anyone.

Through his agent, Danny said Miss Douglas ran through a dance number a few days before the party, while he watched. But Margaret Rose wasn’t there, he said. Flatly, he declared:

“I didn’t teach anyone the can-can.”

The party at which the famous dance was a feature was given by Ambassador and Mrs. Douglas at their Hyde Park residence for some 400 selected guests last Monday night.

Reaction of Buckingham Palace to the stories is not known. Palace spokesman never comment on such things.

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