PM Transcripts

EMBARGO: NOT TO BE CABLED, BROADCAST OR. TE-LECAST
BEFORE 7.903 P. M. E. S. T. MONDAY 30 DECEMBER 1968
FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 102/ 1968
VISIT7 BY THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE
AND DUCHESS OF KENT
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
The Prime Minister announced in Canberra this evening
that the following statement had been issued from the Buckinghamshire
residence of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Kent:-
" It was announced from Coppins that The
Duke and Duchess of Kent have accepted with very much
pleasure an invitation from the Australian Government
to visit the Territory of Papua and New Guinea in August
1969, when The Duke will open the Third South Pacific
Games at Port Moresby on 14 August.
" Their Royal Highnesses have acccpted
also with much pleasure an invitation subsequently to
visit Darwin, which will be celebrating the centenary
of its establishment, the Northern Territory, South and
West Australia. ", The Duke and Duchess are expected to4
begin their visit in Canberra from where they will travel
to Port Moresby for the Games.
The Prime Minister warmly welcomed the announcement
of the proposed visit to Australia by Their Royal Highnesses. He said
that he was delighted at the prospect of The Duke and Duchess of Kent
making their first visit to Australia. He recalled the deep affection the
Australian people had shown for the late Princess Marina, The Duke of
Kent's mother, when she visited Australia in 1964 and their sadness at
the time of the death of Prince Edward's father on Active Service in 1942
shortly before he was to have taken up the appointment of Governor-General
of Australia. Mr. Gorton said that while precise dates for the visit had
yet to be decided, consultations will take place to prepare an itinerary
and the details will be announced as soon as possible.
CANBERRA December 1968