}
Reference.....
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Mr Collins, P&CD
CONFIDENTIAL
STATE VISITS AND OUTGOING ROYAL VISITS 1974 AND BEYOND
1.
In your minute of 17 May you asked for comments on the attached schedule of royal visits.
2.
I have no comments on the schedule in so far as it reflects visits arranged or proposed so far. However, I wish to propose one amendment and one addition for discussion at the Under-Secretaries' meeting of 30 May.
3.
The amendment is for the Queen's state visit to Japan and Hong Kong in May 1975. The visit to Japan was announced some time ago. But the proposal to visit Hong Kong at the same time has not yet been announced. The reasons were that the Palace were not at that stage certain that a visit to Hong Kong could be fitted in. There was also the residual possibility of trouble with China which might make the announcement of a visit to Hong Kong inappropriate so far ahead. Since we are now within a year of the proposed visit I believe that these objections must fall away. The Governor of Hong Kong will be here for talks from 17-21 June. After discussing the proposal with him once more, and subject to any further comments from Peking, I recommend that we should ask the Palace to go ahead with the announcement and timing of the Hong Kong visit.
4.
Secondly, we should insert a possible visit by a member of the Royal Family to Independence celebrations in Seychelles at the end of 1975. These are not yet agreed, and no dates will even be discussed until the constitutional conference expected in the autumn of this year. But we should put down a marker now. Princess Margaret, who has already visited Seychelles, might be a possible for this.
AcSto
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean
Dept.
21 May 1974
сс
G&GD
Mr Youde
Mr Wilford Mr Larmour
Sir D Watson
Mr Goog
PA
BJ
22/5
Please who afry to to March, FED.
hurys
CONFIDENTIAL