PM Transcripts

EMBARGO: 6.00 p. m. 1, AU LRAU
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS * 13 JUNE ' 1978
STATEMENT BY ACTING PRIME MINISTER
Royal Visits
Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Mrs Angus Ogilvy and the Hon.
Angus Ogilvy will visit Australia in September 1978, and
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are to visit in February
1979. The announcement of their acceptances of invitations conveyed
to them by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Commonwealth
Government is being made in London today.
Princess Alexandra and Mr Ogilvy will be in Melbourne on
Saturday 23 September and will open the Annual Show of the
Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.
The Duke of Gloucester is Grand Prior of the Most Venerable
Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.
Actual dates for the visits and the States to be included in
the itineraries are yet to be decided. These details will be
announced as soon as practicable.
Princess Alexandra's first visit to Australia occurred in
August/ September 1957 for Queensland's centenary of responsible
government. Her itinerary began in Canberra and after spending
three weeks in Queensland was followed by shorter visits to
New South Wales including the Snowy Mountains Scheme and
Victoria. In February/ March 1967 Princess Alexandra and Mr Ogilvy visited
Australia privately. In Canberra they stayed at Westminster
House as guests of Sir Charles Johnston, British High Commissioner
and Lady Johnston, and in Sydney stayed at Kirribilli House as
guests of the Commonwealth Government.
The Duke of Gloucester lived in Australia from 1945 to 1947,
when his father the late Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester,
served a term as Governor-General of Australia.
In 19 62/ 63 as Prince Richard of Gloucester he spent several
months privately in Australia.