Princess

Aug. 31 1881 The first U.S. tennis championships (for men) were played, in Newport, R.I. 1997 Prince Charles escorted the body of his former wife, Princess Diana, back to Britain.

When Princess Diana walked through the front door at Kensington Palace, chef Darren McGrady instantly knew she was very unhappy. She slammed the door, which was not at all like her, and stormed into the kitchen where he was making a meal for her and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. She burst into angry tears. "I hate those paparazzi!" she sputtered. McGrady, Princess Diana's personal chef for four years - from the time of her split-up with Prince Charles in 1993 until her death in 1997 - was often privy to her thoughts and feelings that could pour out during a heated moment like this one, as well as when she just wanted to talk and would chat at the kitchen table.

With its production of A Little Princess at Chesapeake Arts Center Studio Theatre, Merely Players continues its tradition of bringing together intergenerational casts and behind-the-scenes youths and parents to provide high-quality theater. The show, which I believe is new to our area, is based on the children's story by Frances Hodgson Burnett. John Vreeke adapted A Little Princess for the stage with music by Will Severin and George David Weiss. Burnett, who also wrote Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Lost Prince and The Secret Garden, was adept at adding romance to her characters' difficult lives to create uplifting stories.

The damsel cast an image of striking beauty: mocha-colored skin, captivating eyes, coiffed hair, posing in a feathery dress and see-through veil. For a character that won't be in an animated movie for another two years, her arrival has been the subject of discussion for years -- long before she was ever drawn. Maddy, a 19-year-old heroine to be featured in the coming film The Frog Princess, will be Disney animation's first black leading lady. That makes her the Sole Sister among a group of cartoon icons that brings out the inner princess in preteen girls worldwide -- characters like Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel and Mulan.

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?We in the FBI, myself in particular, fell short.? FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, speaking before the Senate Judiciary Committee Article, PG 4a Up Next Tomorrow Joyner Show Live in B-more Gospel and R&B singer Shirley Murdock headlines the Tom Joyner Morning Show at Morgan State University. In Live! Disney movie milestone Disney recently unveiled information about its next animated film in production, called The Frog Princess, scheduled for release in 2009. But the most awaited element is that the lead character will be Disney's first African-American princess.

?It was just full of chaos up here. Now they are teaching them values, respect.? Rose Ellison on Edison Schools? management of Montebello Elementary, where six of her grandchildren have been taught Article, PG 1B Up Next Tomorrow Teen's 'teeth' goes abroad A Towson High School senior's photograph, "Stars Have Teeth," will be featured alongside works from 18 other students from countries around the world at the Tate Modern museum in London. in TODAY Thursday Disney movie milestone Disney recently unveiled information about its next animated film in production, called The Frog Princess, scheduled for release in 2009.

It is common these days for directors to shift the action of a play or an opera from the original location or historical period to a different one. This is the case with the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's production of the romantic comedy Love's Labor's Lost, which runs through Nov. 19 at Howard County Center for the Arts. In the program, director Jenny Leopold writes, "I chose a contemporary setting for this production in order to make the play more accessible and to highlight the timelessness of some of [the script's]

The photos from Emanuel and Janice Perlman's latest vacation are a little different from shots they took during other cruises. Along with photos of them smiling in tropical ports of call, they've got images of the medical triage area outside their stateroom and vans lined up to whisk passengers to the airport when the cruise was cut short. "We couldn't believe what we were seeing outside our window," Emanuel Perlman said at his Pikesville home yesterday. The couple were among about 240 passengers who were injured aboard the Crown Princess when the cruise ship suddenly tilted to starboard Tuesday afternoon, about an hour and a half after leaving Port Canaveral, Fla., on the last leg of a nine-day trip.

We are going to Alaska in August for a Princess cruise-land trip. What would you suggest we pack? A lot. This is the one time you don't want to pack light. The biggest packing mistake travelers make when they go to Alaska in summer is not being prepared for cold weather. Here are average highs and lows in August for places you will be visiting: Denali National Park and Fairbanks, 66 and 47; Anchorage, Seward and Kenai, 63 and 49; Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway, 62 and 47. Taking into account wind chill on the ship's decks, and especially if you plan to take small boats to look at glaciers and wildlife, you could be shivering.