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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1977
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA VISITS
LEK YUEN ESTATE
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MOST OF THE 12,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN LEK YUEN ESTATE, IT SEEMED, TURNED OUT TODAY (FRIDAY) TO WELCOME PRINCESS ALEXANDRA AND HER HUSBAND, MR. ANGUS OGILVY.
EVERYWHERE THE PRINCESS WENT, SHE WAS MET BY CROWDS OF HAPPY SMILING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND EVEN HELMETED WORKMEN BUILDING THE NEARBY WO CHE ESTATE DOWNED TOOLS TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE PRINCESS. ALL VANTAGE POINTS WERE CRAMMED WITH EAGER SPECTATORS.
THE ROYAL VISITORS SPENT 30 MINUTES AT THE ESTATE, WHICH IS THE FIRST TO BE COMPLETED IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN. THEY ARRIVED ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, AND WERE INTRODUCED TO THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, MR. DONALD LIAO, AND OTHER HOUSING DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS. MR. LIÁO CONDUCTED THE TOUR OF THE ESTATE.
THE IR FIRST CALL WAS AT THE BENEVOLENT LIGHT KINDERGARTEN IN SAU CHUEN HOUSE. THE PRINCESS BEAMED AS SHE LISTENED TO THE 100 THREE-TO-FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, SMARTLY TURNED OUT IN THEIR BLUE BLAZERS, SING A SONG SPECIALLY FOR HER.
FROM THE KINDERGARTEN, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WENT TO THE FOUNTAIN AREA WHICH IS A FEATURE OF THE ESTATE - AND THIS WAS WHERE THE CROWDS SHOWED THE IR ENTHUSIASM AT HAVING A PRINCESS IN THEIR MIDST. HUNDREDS GATHERED ROUND HER, FOLLOWING HER AT EVERY STEP SHE TOOK. WITH THE GOVERNOR CLOSE BY, THE PRINCESS STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES TO GREET YOUNGSTERS STANDING ON WALLS TO GET A CLEAR VIEW OF HER.
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THEN MADE HER WAY SLOWLY TO THE SWING SUPERMARKET WHERE SHE WAS PRESENTED WITH A BOUQUET BY THE MANAGERESS. THE PRINCESS CHATTED AWAY WITH THE CROWD - WHILE HER HUSBAND SPOKE TO A YOUNG MOTHER WITH A CHILD IN HER ARMS.
THE ROYAL COUPLE THEN MOVED ON TO A ROW OF SHOPS WHERE THE PRINCESS SHOWED INTEREST IN THE PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY, ESPECIALLY THE CHINESE SAUSAGES. AT THIS STAGE, THE CROWD HAD SWELLED TO ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE PROPORTIONS.
THE FINAL CALL WAS TO THE MARKET WHERE SHE TOOK PARTICULAR INTEREST IN PRODUCTS SUCH AS BEAN CURD, LIVE CHICKENS AND FISH. AS SHE EMERGED FROM THE MARKET A LION DANCE PERFORMANCE BY THE TUNG KOON YOUTH GYMNASTIC CLUB OF SHA TIN BEGAN.
AT THIS STAGE A PICTURE WAS PRODUCED OF THE PRINCESS PLANTING A TREE IN SO UK ESTATE WHEN SHE CAME HERE IN 1961. SHE APPEARED HAPPY TO LEARN THAT IT IS NOW FULLY GROWN.
WITH THE LION DANCE OVER, IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE AND THE LARGE CROWD SURGED FORWARD FOR THEIR LAST GLIMPSE OF THE RADIANT PRINCESS, WHOSE WISH FOR GOOD WEATHER DURING HER VISIT TO HONG KONG WAS FINALLY GRANTED. IT WAS A CLEAR, SUNNY DAY -
IT WAS A CLEAR, SUNNY DAY AND THE PRINCESS WAS COATLESS.
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LEK YUEN ESTATE WAS COMPLETED IN 1975 AND WILL EVENTUALLY HOUSE 22,000 PEOPLE WHEN FULLY OCCUPIED BY JULY. IT HAS SEVEN RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS, A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX, OTHER SHOPPING FACILITIES AS WELL AS SPORTS AND RECREATION GROUNDS, CAR PARKS, A POLICE STATION AND A FIRE STATION.
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