PRESS
RELEASE
Royal Visit.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1986
A ROYAL OCCASION AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE
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GOVERNMENT HOUSE WILL WELCOME THE RETURN OF THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH WHEN THEY LUNCH AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO HONG KONG.
ON THE LAST ROYAL VISIT IN 1975 THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP STAYED AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. THIS TIME THEY WILL BE STAYING ON BOARD HER MAJESTY'S YACHT BRITANNIA, BUT THE QUEEN WILL BE ATTENDING TWO FUNCTIONS AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE -- THE LUNCHEON ON THE FIRST DAY AND A GARDEN PARTY ON THE AFTERNOON OF OCTOBER 22.
PRESENTED TO HER MAJESTY AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE WILL BE DEPUTY CHIEF SECRETARY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE ROYAL VISIT STEERING COMMITTEE, MR ALAN SCOTT AND DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL AND DIRECTOR ROYAL VISIT, SIR MARK HEATH.
THERE WILL BE 140 GUESTS AT THE LUNCHEON WHICH WILL BE HELD IN THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE BALLROOM. AS THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP ENTER THE BALLROOM A FANFARE WILL BE SOUNDED FOLLOWED BY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYED BY THE BAND OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE.
THE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, WILL MAKE A SPEECH AND WILL PRESENT THE QUEEN WITH A SET OF GOLD COINS. TWO OF THESE WERE STRUCK TO COMMEMORATE HER MAJESTY'S VISITS TO HONG KONG AND THE OTHERS FOR EACH YEAR OF THE 12-YEAR CYCLE OF THE CHINESE CALENDAR,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE HAS SEEN MANY ROYAL VISITORS IN ITS 130-YEAR HISTORY. THE FIRST WAS A FORMER DUKE OF EDINBURGH, PRINCE ALFRED, ONE OF QUEEN VICTORIA'S SONS, WHO VISITED HONG KONG IN 1869, THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY TO DO SO,
THE QUEEN'S GRANDFATHER, THEN PRINCE OF WALES, LATER KING GEORGE V, VISITED GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN 1881 AS A MIDSHIPMAN ON BOARD HMS BACCHANTE, ANOTHER PRINCE OF WALES, LATER KING EDWARD VIII, THE QUEEN'S UNCLE, STAYED AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN APRIL 1922 ON WHICH OCCASION HE WAS TRANSPORTED FROM THE WATERFRONT TO THE RESIDENCE BY SEDAN CHAIR. THE USUAL MODE OF TRANSPORT IN THOSE DAYS. POLO PONIES FOR THE PRINCE'S USE WERE STABLED IN FRONT OF THE BALLROOM.
MEMBERS OF THE GERMAN AND IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ROYAL FAMILIES HAVE ALSO STAYED AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND IN 1881 KING KALAKAUA OF HAWALL WAS A GUEST THERE.