ROYAL BABY PUTS TRADITION TO THE TEST

He is a Prince born to be King- second in succession to the British crown and heir to immense wealth and privilege. But he's also burdened from the opening hours of his life with awsome responsibility. And the shape of much of his life will be decided by national and family traditions. one or two have already been broken. Prince Charles was born with an embarrased British government minister present. Queen Elizabeth broke that tradition with the rest of her confinements, and Princess Di is the first royal mother to give birth to a direct heir to the throne without a cabinet witness. Princess Di has broken another tradition by insisting on breast-feeding her child.... Like all royal children, the little Prince will have a nanny, but tradition has been broken here, too. Princess Di, demonstrating her renowed independence of spirit, insisted on choosing her own nanny, turning down the suggestions of the Queen, her mother-in-law, and snubbing Mabel Anderson, who was Charles's own nanny. Princess Di decided she wanted someone who would not take a "Nanny knows best" attitude as an older woman might have been inclined to do.... Princess Di, who cared for children in a nursery school before she became engaged, has also insisted that her son travel with her when she is on royal tours. That is still a matter of debate in the royal household. -by Peter Fearon (New York Post, June 22, 1982) 1