ROYAL VISIT
PRESS
RELEASE
Friday, April 25, 1975
QUEEN FOR AN HOUR
"Marvellous Experience" Says Executive Officer Pauline Wong
Pauline Wong, 25, had the most unusual experience of her life
on Wednesday, April 23, when she stood in for the Queen at a rehearsal
of the harbour crossing and arrival ceremonies at Queen's Pier.
"I enjoyed every minute of it, because, like everyone else, I
an looking forward to the Royal visit, and it was absolutely marvellous
having such a role to play in the rehearsals now going on," Miss Wong
said.
She was particularly excited at being able to chat informally
with the Governor and Lady MacLehose on occasions in the last few days
when she had met them on "dry runs,"
"The Governor wanted everything to be perfect. Every official
concerned wanted the same thing, but the Governor went out of his way
to assure me that all I needed to do was to behave naturally. He was
gentle and very kind," she recalled.
This enabled her to be at ease when the Governor's yacht, The
Lady Maurine, berthed, and Sir Murray suggested that she go before him
while walking up the steps leading to Queen's Pier.
There she found herself the focal point of a battery of cameras,
and when she mounted the saluting dais a guard of honour, found by the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles, gave a royal salute.
"At the beginning
Page 10Page 11