QUEEN’S ATTITUDE TO BIG CROWDS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27212, 2 December 1953, Page 8

QUEEN’S ATTITUDE TO BIG CROWDS

Nervousness Shown In Canada PREFERENCE FOR INFORMALITY (From a Reuter Corres-po-n.6.ent) xl _ . TORONTO. Enthusiastic New Zealand crowds who show their exuberance during the Royal vilit may be reminded that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have their likes and dislikes—particuarly a dislike of big, unrestrained crowds During the Royal tour of Canada two years ago, when the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, and the Duke received a tumultuous welcome, it was evident that on several occasions the Queen displayed nervousness when big crowds crushed around her. The Queen, used to the more restrained crowds in Britain, pressed her hand to her husband’s arm on occasions when the crowds surged around her car making passage difficult. One of the biggest crushes of all in Canada occurred in Toronto on the night the Royal couple drove into the floodlit city. An estimated 500,000 people gave them an uproarious welcome.

Tens of thousands milled about the City Hall and police had to force a way through for the Royal car. The Queen looked anxious on several occasions as the crowds pressed right up to the car windows, and could not .hide her anxiety as she finally stood on the steps and looked down on the tremendous crush.

Duke Annoyed The Duke of Edinburgh was visibly annoyed on another occasion in Toronto when press photographers ran beside the Royal car while it was circling the exhibition stadium. The photographers blocked the view of thousands of cheering schoolchildren. The Duke waved them away so that the children could obtain the best possible view of the Queen. New Zealanders will soon notice the great reliance that the Queen places on the Duke when public acclaim runs high, and also at official functions when some of the ceremonies become long and tedious. A leading Canadian newspaper commented on this two years ago, saying: ‘‘Many have thought and said how charming it is to see the Duke lend his easiness, his relaxed and friendly strength to his slim, shy wife. He

appears never to be at a loss for a moment—a comradely word, a quiet word, 5 quiet sentence of reassurance to his wife to bridge a pausing moment.”

The Queen is usually more relaxed when the event’ is informal and the crowd is small. The Queen was always thrilled when she was with the youngsters of Canada and was visibly affected when thousands of young voices sang the British and Canadian National Anthems.

The Queen likes to have time to study the history of cities and towns before she visits them. Canadian officials said they were amazed at her knowledge of their history. She likes to read local newspapers as well as the London press. Throughout her tour of the North American continent. British and Canadian newspapers were delivered to the Royal train every morning.