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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Princess's 'son' court bid fails | Princess's 'son' court bid fails |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man who claims to be the illegitimate son of the late Princess Margaret has failed in his court bid to access her will and that of the Queen Mother. | A man who claims to be the illegitimate son of the late Princess Margaret has failed in his court bid to access her will and that of the Queen Mother. |
| Robert Brown, a 52-year-old accountant from Jersey, had been seeking a High Court order to unseal both wills. | Robert Brown, a 52-year-old accountant from Jersey, had been seeking a High Court order to unseal both wills. |
| But Sir Mark Potter, the president of the Family Division, ruled the claim should be struck out as "vexatious". | |
| Sir Mark said it was made "solely for the purpose of seeking to establish an imaginary and baseless claim". | Sir Mark said it was made "solely for the purpose of seeking to establish an imaginary and baseless claim". |
| 'Perfectly rational' | |
| Brown was refused permission to appeal by Sir Mark, although he is free to make an application to the Court of Appeal. | |
| Frank Hinks QC, representing the executors of both estates, had previously argued that Mr Brown's claim was "scandalous" and founded on "an insane delusion". | |
| However, Geoffrey Robertson QC, representing Mr Brown, said his client was "a perfectly rational man who seeks peace of mind". | |
| Mr Brown was seeking peace of mind, his barrister said. | |
| Princess Margaret died in 2002 aged 71. | |
| Mr Brown believes he is her son and 12th in line to the throne. | |
| Although he was born on 5 January 1955 in Nairobi, Kenya, his birth was not registered until 2 February and the birth certificate gives the date of 4 June 1955. | |
| His parents are registered as Cynthia and Douglas Brown. | |
| Cynthia Brown was a model who worked for Hardy Amies - a favoured designer of the princess. | |
| Research carried out by Mr Brown has convinced him the princess was forced to give up her "secret" son and he claims a mystery Privy Council meeting on the day he was born will back up his claim. | |
| The wills of senior royals have been officially sealed since 1911. | |
| Mr Brown claimed a public right to unseal both wills, having earlier failed to establish any private right to do so. |