NAMES IN THE NEWS : Aide Absent From Queen’s Party

Royal aide Timothy Laurence, whose “hot” personal letters to Princess Anne have renewed speculation that her marriage is in trouble, was dropped from Queen Elizabeth II’s entourage at the public premiere of a new London musical.

But Buckingham Palace stressed in a statement that Laurence had remained on duty back at Windsor Castle Monday night.

The 34-year-old bachelor, a Royal Navy commander, had been scheduled to accompany the queen to a performance of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new show, “Aspects of Love,” in London’s West End.

As Scotland Yard investigated the theft of four of Laurence’s letters to Anne from the palace, speculation about her 15-year marriage to Mark Phillips made front-page news again today in London’s royalty-mad tabloids.