D
E
F
3.
In the event the Chinese did not issue an invitation
to the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State did not raise the possibility of a visit by Princess Alexandra. The Private Secretary informed The Queen's Private Secretary
of this, and added that the possibility of a visit by the Princess could be pursued later, either by Mr Addis in Peking
or with the Chinese Ambassador in London.
Argument
4.
The suggestion for a visit by the Princess originated
with Sir John Keswick. It was made at a time when there
was general enthusiasm for the improved state of our relations
with China. The Governor of Hong Kong, however, took a more
cautious view, and suggested that it was not necessarily to our advantage to hurry the timing of a Royal Visit.
5. The Secretary of State's visit itself has confirmed
the wisdom of caution. The Chinese did not invite the Prime
Minister, and implied that they are unlikely to do so before their own Foreign Minister has visited London (probably in mid-summer 1973). Although the absence of a Prime Ministerial
visit in the autumn removes one of the arguments against a
visit by the Princess in July (namely that following the
visit of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to
the British Industrial Exhibition in March this would have
given rise to too many high level British visits to Peking in one year), it nevertheless makes it less appropriate that
the Princess should go to China quite so soon. Her Majesty The Queen's reservations were based on general considerations as well as the desirability of the Princess following rather
/than
2
CONFIDENTIAL