QUEEN ELIZABETH WENT TO THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON TONIGHT (26 MARCH) FOR A ROYAL GALA PERFORMANCE IN HONOUR OF THE BRITISH PRIMA BALLERINA, DAME MARGOT FONTEYN, WHO HAS DANCED WITH THE ROYAL BALLET FOR 35 YEARS.

THE QUEEN WORE AN AQUAMARINE SILK DRESS WITH A WHITE MINK WRAPOVER. AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE SHE WAS GREETED BY THE EARL OF DROGHEDA, CHAIRMAN OF THE OPERA HOUSE AND GOVERNOR OF THE ROYAL BALLET, WHO PRESENTED THE COUNTESS OF DROGHEDA, MR. JACK LYONS, A COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCING, MRS LYONS, SIR ASHLEY CLARKE, CHAIRMAN OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCING, LADY CLARKE, SIR DAVID WEBSTER, GENERAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, SIR FREDERICK ASHTON, PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER OF THE ROYAL BALLET, AND MR. JOHN TOOLEY.

DAME MARGOT FONTEYN, PERHAPS BRITAIN'S MOST FAMOUS BALLET STAR, WAS PARTNERED TONIGHT BY THE RUSSIAN DANCER RUDOLF NUREYEV IN A NEW BALLET, "PELLEAS AND MELISANDE", SPECIALLY CREATED FOR THEM BY THE FRENCH CHOREOGRAPHER ROLAND PETIT.

DAME MARGOT'S EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT OF 35 YEARS AS A BALLET DANCER (SHE IS IN HER LATE FORTIES, BUT HER POISE AND DELICATE GRACE BELIE HER YEARS) WERE THE MAIN CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION TONIGHT, BUT THE GALA PERFORMANCE WAS ARRANGED IN AID OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCING, OF WHICH SHE IS THE PRESIDENT.

THERE ARE OTHER FAMOUS BALLERINAS, BUT DAME MARGOT'S PLACE IS UNIQUE IN THE HEARTS OF LONDON'S BALLET-LOVERS. AND THERE IS NO TALK YET OF HER RETIREMENT.