ROYAL TOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 104, 15 February 1950, Page 4

ROYAL TOUR

HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH

VISIT POSSIBLE IN 1952 STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER (I>.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 14. News that the King and Queen are planning to visit New Zealand in 1952 was given this evening by the Prime Minister (Mr S. G. Holland). He said the Gov-ernor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg) had been advised from Buckingham Palace that the King, who had been giving careful attention to a visit to New Zealand and Australia in 1951, now found to his sincere regret that he was unabie to do so, but it was his constant hope that he and the Queen make such a visit in the autumn of 1952.

“The reason why His'Majesty cannot make a visit in 1951 is the holding of the Festival of Britayi, which there is every reason to expect will be formally ; opened by the King in that year,” said Mr Holland. “As will be appreciated, the success of this carnival, which is really of first-class importance to the general economy of the United Kingdom, would be severely endangered if the King and Queen were not able to launch it, and with other members of the Royal Family to participate in its subsequent activities.

“The festival is one of special significance to Their Majesties because it is in its origin a celebration of the centenary of the famous exhibition of 1851, planned and organised by the King’s great-grandfather, the Prince Consort,” said Mr Holland. “For that reason, the King has decided it his duty to devote the period in question to the festival and remain in the United Kingdom for this purpose. “Our disappointment at the cancellaation of the Royal tour last year was overshadowed by the greater distress we all felt at its cause. It is therefore a matter of great relief and rejoicing to know that His Majesty has recovered in health sufficiently to enable him to resume the heavy duties of head of the State and that, in addition, he is able to plan the eagerly desired tour of his farflung Dominions, >’ “I know I am .voicing the sentiments of all the people of New Zealand when I say we are delighted to learn Their Majesties are planning to come to us in 1952. We regret it cannot be sooner but, whenever the King and Queen do find it possible to visit us, they are assured of the most loyal and sincere and enthusiastic welcome.”

GOOD RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS (Rec. 10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb: 14. The number of public engagements which His Majesty the King will carry out this spring and summer indicate that he has made a good recovery after his operation last J/larch. The State opening of Parliament on March 6 will be the first big Royal occasion. Another March engagement will foe the New Year’s Honours List investiture, on March 14. The King’s engagements include several military parades, the Royal Air Force display, the British Industries Fair and the Royal Tournament. In May, there will be three presentation parties at Buckingham Palace.

One of the most striking ceremonies of the year will be the annual service of the Order of the Garter in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Princess Margaret’s engagements this year will be more numerous and also more important than before. Princess Elizabeth has many March engagements. It is expected that in April she will fly to Malta again to join her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is serving with .the Mediterranean Fleet.

The King and Queen and Princess Margaret will return from Sandringham to-day. On March 7, the President of France (Mr Vincent Auriol) will arrive in London on a three-day visit. Mr Auriol and his wife will be the guests of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace.