EMD1BARGO NOT TO BE PUBLISHED, CABLED, BROADCAST OR TELECAST
BEFORE 11.00 P. M. ON WEDN. CSDAY, 27TH JANUARY, 1965
FOR PRESS Visit by T. R. H. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
Canberra Programme
Statement by the Acting Prime Minister the Right Hon. John
McEwen, M. P.
The Acting Prime Minister to-night announced the
engagements which Their Royal Hiighnesses The Duke and Duchess
of Gloucester have been pleased to accept for the two occasions
when they are in Canberra from Saturday, 13th to Wednesday,
17th March and again from Friday 23rd to Monday, 26th April.
Mr. McEwen said that The Duke and Duchess of
Gloucester will arrive in Canberra on Saturday morning, 13th
March. Their Royal Highnesses will travel from Sydney Airport
to Canberra by R. A. A. F. Viscount following their arrival from
overseas. In Canberra " he Duke and Duchess will stay at
Government House until they leave for Tasmania on Wednesday
afternoon, 17th March. Thereafter Their Royal Highnesses will
spend some time both officially and privately in Tasmania,
Victoria, New South W , ales and Queensland. They will return
to Canberra from Brisbane on Friday afternoon, 23rd April and
on Monday, 26th April, will leave for Sydney in transit for
their return to London.
In announcing the programme of engagements for
Canberra, Mr. McEwen said that Their Royal Highnesses, on
arrival at the R. A. A. F. Base, Fairbairn, will be met by the
Governor-General, accompanied by The Honourable Anne Sidney,
and by the Prime Minister and Dame Pattie Menzies. The R. A. A. F.
2.
will provide a Royal Guard of Honour which His Royal Highness
will inspect. On Sunday, 14th March, Their Royal Highnesses will
attend Divine Service at the Church of St. John the Baptist,
Reid, and on return to Government House, will meet Press, Radio
and Television Representatives. In the evening they will dine
at The Lodge with the Prime Minister and Dame Pattie Menzies.
On Monday morning, 15th March, His Royal Highness
will make an informal visit to the Royal Military College, and
Her Royal Highness will undertake separately a brief tour of
Canberra. They will both have luncheon with the Commonwealth
High Commissioners and their wives at Canberra House, the
residence of the British High Commissioner. In the aiening, they
will attend a dinner party at Government House.
On Tuesday, 16th March, Their Royal Highnesses
will visit the National Capital Development Commission's Planning
Exhibition at Regatta Point, and afterwards drive to Civic
Centre to observe the development of Canberra's main commercial
area in recenit years. They will then return to Government House.
Mr. McEwen said that the Government's official
function will be a luncheon at Parliament House on Tuesday, 16th
March. In the evening, The I~ uke and Duchess will dine at
Government House. The following day, Wednesday, 17th March,
The Duke and Duchess will leave Canberra to visit Tasmania.
On their return to Canberra from Brisbane, in the
late afternoon of Friday, 23rd April, Their Royal Highnesses
3.
will again stay at Government House and on Saturday will visit
the National Headquarters of' the R. S. S. and A. I. L. A. where The
Duke and Duchess will each plant a trce. In the evening, Their
Royal Highnesses will meet Anzac Veterans at Government House.
On Anzac Day, The Duke and Duchess will attend the
ceremony at the Australian War Memorial to commemorate the
Fiftieth Anniversary of the Anzac Landing a~ t Gallipoli. His
Royal Highness will take the Salute during the march past by
ANZAC Veterans, other Ex-Servicemen and women, and members of
the Armed Forces. On Monday, 26th April, Their Royal Highnesses will
leave Canberra from the R. A. A. F. Base, Fairbairn. This will
again be a ceremonial occasion, with a Royal Guard of Honour
being mounted. Mr. McEwen said it was eighteen years since The
Duke and Duchess had resided at Government House, Canberra, and
he was sure that Their Royal Highnesses would enjoy seeing the
many changes which have taken place, not only in the National
Capital, but wherever else they happened to be during their stay.
Mr. Mc~ wen referred to the programme of engagements
which The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have agreed to undertake
while they are in Australia and said that comprehensive formal
visits imposed a severe physical strain and therefore he was
pleased to see that Their Royal Highnesses would spend some of
their time privately, revisiting personal friends and places
already known to them.
2 7 JAN