ENG-1961 — Page 49

THE VISIT OF HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF KENT

Aptly, Princess Alexandra's name was translated into Chinese as 'Elegant Beautiful Coral'. Those people in Hong Kong who cannot speak Chinese soon had another name for her, however the Sunshine Princess. For her arrival on 3rd November coincided with crisp, cool days and brilliant skies that etched the harbour and the steep slopes of Hong Kong Island in arresting beauty throughout the twelve day visit.

The Princess, who had flown to Hong Kong by way of Hawaii, was greeted by a 21-gun salute as she crossed the harbour from Kai Tak Airport to Government House accompanied by the Governor, Sir Robert Black, Lady Black, and Miss Barbara Black.

After her long flight the Princess spent her first week-end in the Colony quietly. On the second day she met the Press and watched a fireworks display at night

on Sunday she attended St John's Cathedral and went launch picnic.

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At her first official engagement, the University Congregation, Princess Alexandra spoke of her first impressions of Hong Kong.

'I had heard much about Hong Kong,' said the Princess, ‘about its beauty, about its bustling activity, and above all about its wonderfully friendly people. Let me say at once that my hopes have been exceeded during the most enjoyable days I have already spent here.

‘And may I add that I am looking forward to all the chances I am to be given of meeting and talking to representatives of this thriving community, and also of seeing for myself a few of the many remarkable achievements which have been accomplished in Hong Kong since the war.

The Princess was given a warm and crowded welcome wherever she went. Hong Kong's 38 daily newspapers carried lengthy and well-illustrated reports throughout the visit and on the fifth day of her stay a crowd of half a million people lined the streets to give the Princess a tumultuous reception during a drive through Kowloon. At one point along the route the people rushed forward to surround her car and almost brought it to a stop. There was no doubt about their sentiments. It was a demonstration of spontaneous affection for Princess Elegant Beautiful Coral.

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It set the pace for the Princess' subsequent appearances. Wherever she went crowds waited for hours to see her pass. At So Uk Housing Estate it was estimated that there were 40,000 people—more than the total population of the estate-standing on the balconies alone. Thousands more lined the streets.

And so the tour went on visits to a nurses' training school, a community centre, to Army establishments in the New Territories, where Her Royal Highness watched Gurkha children dancing to traditional Nepali music; a dinner afloat on the Sea Palace at Aberdeen and a visit to Chinese opera at the Lee Theatre. Hong Kong, it has been said, is a little place with a big heart. It soon became apparent that Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra had captured that heart as no other visitor ever has.