"Pictured wearing a black, matt crepe dress by Paquin, embroidered round the sleeves with large black sequins. The Princess, an expert linguist, was, according to Harper s Bazaar, working with the BBC at the time of this photograph. "
Sir Charles arriving in Aden
"Born in 1912, Charles Johnston was educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, in Oxford. He entered the Diplomatic Service in 1936 and was posted as 3rd Secretary in Tokyo in 1939. He interned in Japan from 1940-1942 then moved to the position of 2nd Secretary in Cairo from 1942-1945. Promoted to 1st Secretary in Cairo 1945-1948 followed by a posting to Madrid from 1948-1951.
Johnston was Counsellor to Japan and Pacific Department and China and Korea Department, Foreign Office from 1951-1953 and Political Adviser to British High Commissioner in Bonn during 1953.
He became Ambassador to Jordan from 1956-1959 then Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Aden, 1960-1963. Following the change of status of Aden and the other member States to a Federation, he fulfilled the role of High Commissioner for Aden and Protectorate of South Arabia from 18 January 1963 to 17 July 1963. This was followed by a position as Deputy Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office, 1963-1965 then High Commissioner, Australia, 1965-1971, retiring in 1971. Sir Charles died 15 years later in 1986.
He retired a little earlier than intended from his position as Governor of Aden to be back in UK with his wife, who had been quite ill. In 1944 Charles had married Princess Nathalia (Natasha) Bagration-Moukhransky of the Russian Royal Family. "
also:
"His first senior appointment was as Ambassador to Jordan 1956-1959. He then became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Aden and High Commissioner for the Protectorate of South Arabia 1959-1963. His final posting was as High Commissioner to Australia 1965-1971. On retirement, he became a company director and published several volumes of prose and poetry. He also translated Alexander Pushkin's novel in verse Eugene Onegin from the Russian, preserving its unusual Onegin stanza form. The translation was published in 1977.rs
Within the Order of St Michael and St George he was successively appointed Commander (CMG; 1 June 1953), Knight Commander (KCMG; 1 January 1959) and Knight Grand Cross (GCMG; 1 January 1971). He was named a Knight of the Venerable Order of St John (KStJ) on 16 November 1960.
His papers, including letters to & from his wife are kept at Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King's College London.
