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THE QUEEN DESCRIBED THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAD PRODUCED MODERN HONG KONG AS UNIQUE AND REMARKED THAT THERE COULD NOT BE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY QUITE LIKE IT. ITS REPUTATION STOOD HIGH IN THE WORLD. FEW OTHER COMMUNITIES HAD HAD GREATER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH OR HAD CONFRONTED THEM WITH GREATER VIGOUR, OR HAD SURVIVED AND IMPROVED THE LIFE OF THEIR MEMBERS AGAINST GREATER ODDS.
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SHE ADDED, +HONG KONG IS FAMOUS FOR THIS, AS IT IS FOR THE VIVID COLOUR AND MOVEMENT OF ITS DENSELY PACKED LIFE AND FOR THE BEAUTY OF ITS SCENERY. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT IS A REAL PLEASURE, AND AN EXCITEMENT FOR PRINCE PHILIP AND ME TO BE HERE.+
HER REMARKS WERE FOLLOWED BY PROLONGED APPLAUSE.
THE OFFICIAL WELCOMING CEREMONY OVER, THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE THEN RETURNED TO THE CITY HALL FOYER WHERE SOME 400 PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ABOUT 20 SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS CATERING FOR DISABLED CHILDREN, ACCORDED THEM THE BRIGHTEST AND NOISIEST WELCOME OF THE DAY.
WHAT THE CHILDREN LACKED IN NUMBERS THEY MADE UP FOR WITH THEIR VOICES AND COLOURFUL FLAGS. THE QUEEN PAUSED BRIEFLY AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT WITH A SMILE AND WAVE. SHE THEN DESCENDED WITH THE DUKE TO TALK WITH SOME OF THEM.
WHILE THE QUEEN SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE DISABLED CHILDREN IN THEIR WHEEL CHAIRS, THE DUKE WAS CAUSING SOME EXCITEMENT WITH ANOTHER GROUP AS HE LAUGHED AND GESTURED WITH HIS HANDS.
THE DUKE HAD APPARENTLY FORGOTTEN FOR A MOMENT THAT IT WAS SUNDAY, AS HE ENQUIRED OF THE STUDENTS WHETHER THEY HAD BEEN SPECIALLY LET OFF SCHOOL FOR THE CEREMONY. +OH YES, IT'S SUNDAY ISN'T IT,+ HE LAUGHED.
THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE SLOWLY MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE LINES OF STUDENTS AND STEPPED OUTSIDE WHERE THE QUEEN PAUSED AGAIN TO CHAT WITH A YOUNG BOY SCOUT BEFORE ENTERING THE CAR FOR THE DRIVE TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ACCOMPANIED BY A LAST LONG CHEER FROM THE THOUSANDS WHO HAD TURNED UP TO EXTEND THEM A WARM WELCOME.
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