TNAG-2601-FCO40-3789-Departure-of-Lord-Wilson--former-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--July-1992 — Page 41

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

TELELETTER

OF 06140OZ FEBRUARY 92

CONFIDENTIAL

HKA 010/2

116

p.a.pls.

Qu

Qw 7/2

072406

MDTTAN 2082

FOR R J F HOARE, PRIVATE SECRETARY, GOVERNMENT HOUSE

FROM MISS E L WILLIAMS, HKD

THE GOVERNOR'S TITLE

1. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER SOME INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO

YOUR QUERIES ON THE DETAILS OF THE GOVERNOR'S PEERAGE.

2.

THE GAZETTE NOTICE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO JENIFER WAINE, CROWN OFFICE, HOUSE OF LORDS. HER LETTER OF 3 FEBRUARY (SENT BY AIRMAIL), IN REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR'S OF 27 JANUARY, CONFIRMS THAT THE GOVERNOR'S NEW TITLE WILL BE GAZETTED ON 14 FEBRUARY.

SHE HAS ENCLOSED A COPY OF THE ENTRY SHE WILL BE SENDING ON 14

FEBRUARY TO THE LONDON GAZETTE. THE LONDON GAZETTE WILL PUBLISH

THE NOTICE ONE OR TWO DAYS LATER. THE NOTICE IS NOT REPEAT NOT

RELEASED TO THE PRESS BEFORE 14 FEBRUARY. AN ANNOUNCEMENT CAN

BE MADE ABOUT THE PEERAGE IN HONG KONG IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER

OR NOT PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE IN THE LONDON GAZETTE HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. THE PEERAGE DOES NOT COME INTO EXISTENCE BEFORE 14000OZ FEBRUARY, SO IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ANNOUNCE THE TITLE IN HONG KONG UNTIL AFTER THAT TIME. THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTION TO, SAY, THE LONDON OFFICE MAKING A PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT AT SOMETIME ON 14 FEBRUARY, WITH HONG KONG DOING SO AT THE SAME TIME.

3.

DETAILS OF THE TITLE. MRS ALISON RIDER HILL, SECRETARY TO THE GARTER KING OF ARMS, HAS PROVIDED ALL THE ANSWERS ON THIS. BOTH LORD WILSON OF X AND THE LORD WILSON OF X ARE CORRECT FORMS. WHICH ONE THE GOVERNOR CHOOSES TO USE IS THEREFORE A MATTER OF TASTE. IT IS PERHAPS EASIER TO ANSWER THE OTHER QUERIES BY FIRST EXPLAINING THAT THE QUEEN'S APPROVAL OF THE NEW TITLE EFFECTIVELY MEANS THE GOVERNOR WILL FROM 14 FEBRUARY HAVE

A NEW SURNAME (WILSON OF X INSTEAD OF WILSON). AT ALL TIMES THE ONLY CORRECT VERSIONS ARE THE LORD WILSON OF X' OR 'LORD WILSON

OF X'. IT WOULD NOT BE CORRECT TO USE A SHORT VERSION FOR ANY PEER WHETHER HE IS OF SCOTTISH OR ANY OTHER ORIGIN. HE SHOULD

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL