NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.
Minutes. HWB 22/13
4
Flag B. Rag C Flag Flags Ea F.
Flag B.
Flag D.
Flay C
Mr. Carter
We have been asked to supply short notes for inclusion in the Permanent Under-Secretary's brief for the next of the Royal Visits Committee
meeting which takes place on 27th March. The notes are required to reach C.P.P.D. by 15th March.
2. The notes that we prepared for the last meeting of the Committee are at (19); Sir Saville Garner's comments are at (20) and the Minutes of the meeting are at (21). Since then there has been an exchange of letters with the Governor, which is at (22) and (23).
3. In our last note for the Permanent Under- Secretary's brief, we put forward the specific suggestion that the Duke of Edinburgh should visit Hong Kong in September/October, 1968, for the inauguration of the Plover Cove Water Supply scheme. The Minutes of the Committee's meeting on 10th October merely refer to the fact that "The Governor of Hong Kong was anxious that a member of the Royal Family should be present for the opening of the Plover Cove Water Supply scheme". They did not mention any specific member of the Royal Family. It is, however, clear from Sir Saville Garner's minute that the chances of the Duke of Edinburgh visiting Hong Kong are remote. I understand from Mr. Ellis of C.P.P.D. that the possibility of a visit to Hong Kong by a member of the Royal Family this year is being listed as an Agenda item for the Committee's meeting, on the understanding that no particular member of the Royal Family is mentioned by name. Mention of any particular member by name requires prior reference to the Palace before the item can be placed on the Agenda. I have accordingly arranged for the Schedule of Visits behind (24) to be amended to take account of this fact.
4. Meetings of the Committee usually take place every six months in May and November. However, on this occasion the meeting has been advanced from May to March. Even so, the next normal meeting of the Committee will be too late to have another
/look