Royal Visit 1957

From Great North Road

Royal Visit – 1957

Opened my Times this morning to find reported the sudden death of HRH Princess Margaret, a favourite royal, and my mind went back to happier times in NR, which includes the visit of the Queen Mother, our Lady of Glamis, to the Roan about 1957. We mounted security for a luncheon hosted by the mines. I believe she is frail now and this will be a dreadful shock. Royal watchers among northerners have my sympathy at this sad time.

I've attached pics of the Princess' visit to Oz when I escorted her for five weeks around the antipodes and observed at first hand her wonderful works with children's hospitals and the disabled. Here she presents the Cox Plate to the winners at Flemington, while I seem busy myself keeping dry. [The label in case I got lost]. Shopping Plaza opening. Country show, and a Guides Camp. These are unpublished snaps taken for security reasons.

Royal Visit – 1957.

Royal Visit – 1957.

Royal Visit – 1957.

Royal Visit – 1957.

On transfer from Lusaka to Canberra ? I apparently inherited this pleasant duty departure from more internecine criminal matters. Possibly by reason of national service with the Scots Guards at various palaces in London and Windsor. Found myself with Charles in Papua New Guinea for independence arrangements, and before then on board the Britannia at Montreal with HMQ during the games there, working on proposed tours down under. Perhaps we can outline more at a future time for those royalists among our readers.

Contributed by: Don Bruce, Canberra.

February 2002