ROYAL VISITS TO CINEMAS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27124, 21 August 1953, Page 2

ROYAL VISITS TO CINEMAS

QUEEN’S BODYGUARD ALWAYS PRESENT

The announcement' that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the premiere of a film in Auckland and another in Christchurch during the Royal tour lends interest to the elaborate preparations made in London when the Queen accepts* an invitation to visit a cinema.

As a precaution against any untoward event, all electrical fittings, including light bulbs, at the theatre are examined, and emergency drill is practised by the staff. Sometimes the comfortable chairs in which the Queen and her party sit in the Royal box are brought from Buckingham Palace, partly as a safety measure. And the man responsible for seeing to all these details and ensuring the safety of the Queen is the Queen’s personal bodyguard, Mr Tom Clark. He must never allow any incident to occur, and no incident has occurred. When the Queen drives to the theatre, Mr Clark travels in her car beside the chaffeur. When they arrive at the theatre. Mr Clark takes a quick look round before he opens the car door, and watches the Queen step out. Mr Clark glances at the waiting crowd, where he has plain-clothes oolice on guard to see that the crowd does not press too closely round the Queen.

When the Queen mixes informally with oeonle in the foyer, or when presentations are being made, Mr Clark is unobtrusively in the near background. During the screening of the film he sits behind the Queen and watches her. He does not see the film, but he does see all who glance at the Queen, and makes a mental note of what seems to be the motive.

Very few know who Mr Clark is. To most people he is just one of the Queen’s party. But if anyone pressed to close to the Queen they would know his duty.