PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS:
NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE 9.00 P. M. WEDNESDAY 23 DECEIBER 1970
P. M. NO. 122/ 1970
VISIT BY THE DUKE OF EDINhBURGH
The following-press statement has been released
from Buckingham Palace, London at noon today
" The Duke of Edinburgh has accepted an invitation
to visit Australia in March 1971 to take part in the
Anniversary Celebrations of the Royal Australian
Air Force. The itinerary will include South Australia,
Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
En route to Australia His Royal Highness will
7 take the opportunity to visit Pacific Island Territories
of the Commonwealth some of whom throughout their history
have not seen any member of the Royal Family.
Visits will include Pitcairn Island Group, Cook
Islands, Western Samoa, Fiji, New Hebrides, British
Solomon Islands and the Territory of Papua and New
Guinea ( Kieta, Madang and Port Moresby).
His Royal Highness proposes also to visit the
Galapagos Islands and Easter Island.
His Royal Highness will be embarked in H. M. Yacht
BRITANNIA for the journey across the Pacific.
H. M. Yacht will subsequently proceed to British
Columbia where Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal
Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will be embarking for
their visit to the Province in connection with the
Centenary Celebrations in May 1971"
The Prime Minister, Mr. Gorton, in welcoming the
announcement said that His Royal I:, ghness would visit Kieta
( 17-18 March), Madang ( 20-22 March), Port Moresby ( 22-23
March), South Australia ( 23-26 March), Western Australia
( 26-30 March) and Canberra ( 30 March 1 April).
His Royal Highness plans to leave Australia on
Friday 2 April. The Duke' s programme in Australia will provide for
Air Force functions in Adelaide, Perth and Canberra. These
and other proposed engagements will be submitted as soon as
possible to the Palace and will be publicly announced when
an approved programme has been decided.
Canberra. 23 December 1970.