TNAG-0100-FCO40-136-Hong-Kong-royal-visits-1968 — Page 8

HWB 22/13

CONFIDENTIAL

29 May, 1968.

(28

At our meeting on 27th March, the Royal Visits

Committee considered the question of a visit by a

member of the Royal Family to Hong Kong in the autumnia

for the opening of the Plover Cove water supply scheme.

There was some doubt whether such a visit could be

recommended in present circumstances and the Committee

accordingly invited the Commonwealth Office to discuss

the matter with the Governor during his recent visit to

this country and to let you know the outcome.

This we did. The Governor agrees on balance with

the view of the Foreign office and ourselves that the

risks involved in a Royal visit to Hong Kong in the near

future would be unacceptable; and we have therefore

decided that we must now drop the idea.

I am sending copies of this letter to Burke Trend

and Gore-Booth.

AST

29

REF.

(Morrice James)

Lt. Col. The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Adaane,

P.C., GCVO., KCB.

Buckingham Palş

LGERFIDENTIAL

c.c. Mr. Ellis, CPPD

Mr. Denson, FED.