TNAG-0360-FCO40-396-Visit-of-HRH-Princess-Alexandra-and-the-Hon-Angus-Ogilvy-to--1972 — Page 155

FM HONG KONG V63850Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 820 OF 6 SEPTEMBER

FROM NORMAN-WALKER.

NO

2129

HK 101):

PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING TO SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

BEGINS : QUOTE H.R.H. PRINCESS ALEXANDRA'S VISIT.

NO ACTION TAKEN BY CO DEPT. IN PASSING TO /

COTFRIED (DEPUTY COMMANDANT OF AUXILIARY POLICE) CALLED ON

DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR

THE AUXILIARY POLICE BALL ON WEDNESDAY 25 OCTOBER. H.R.H. HAD

ASKED THAT HER ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE BE AS INFORMAL AS POSSIBLE

AND IT WAS PROPOSED THAT SHE ARRIVE AT 2230 HOURS AND LEAVE AT

ABOUT 2335 HOURS.

2. GOTFRIED TOLD LEWTHWAITE THAT THESE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS

HAD MET WITH A BAD RECEPTION FROM THE BALL COMMITTEE OF THE

AUXILIARY POLICE. HE PUT THE VIEWS OF THE COMMITTEE AS FOLLOWS:-

1

(A) THE AUXILIARY POLICE WOULD LIKE H.R.H. TO MAKE AT LEAST A FORMAL

ARRIVAL AND IF POSSIBLE A FORMAL DEPARTURE:

(B) THEY HAD HOPED THAT H.R.H. WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND FOR DINNER

AS WELL AS THE BALL. ARRIVING SO LATE IN THE EVENING ALLOWED .

ONE HOUR TOO SHORT A TIME TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE.

(C) TO MAINTAIN OR BUILD UP THE PARTY SPIRIT, H.R.H. SHOULD ARRIVE EARLIER AND STAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BY NOT DOING SO, MANY OF THE

YOUNGER OFFICERS WOULD BE RELUCTANT ACTIVELY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE

BALL AND, IF THEY DID NOT BOYCOTT IT ALTOGETHER, WOULD NOT HELP THE BALL TO 'SWING'.

(D) BECAUSE OF (A) (D) AND (C) ABOVE, THE BALL COMMITTEE THOUGHT IT BETTER THAT INSTEAD OF A BALL, A RECEPTION COULD BE HELD, AT

WHICH NO GUESTS WOULD BE PRESENT. THIS WOULD ALLOW H.R.H.

TO MEET THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF AUXILIARY POLICE.

3. LEWTHWAITE DID NOT REACT TO GOTFRIED'S PROPOSALS BEYOND SAYING

THAT HE WOULD BRING THEM TO MY ATTENTION. UNFORTUNATELY,

SIR DOUGLAS CLAGUE IS NOW IN U.K. SO I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET HIM TO TALK SENSE TO THE AUXILIARY POLICE. GOTFRIED IS TODAY SENDING A TELEGRAM TO CLAGUE OUTLINING THE COMMITTEE'S VIEWS.

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