PRINCESS’S TOUR OF WEST INDIES

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27565, 24 January 1955, Page 10

PRINCESS’S TOUR OF WEST INDIES

ROYAL STATEMENT ON REPORTS (NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 21. A Royal statement tonight replied to newspaper reports that Princess Margaret will be hedged around with formality and needless security precautions on her coming tour of the West Indies. The statement, issued from Clarence House, referred to “inaccurate and misleading reports which have recently appeared.” It did not name the newspapers. But typical of several comments on the Princess’s visit was an article m the “Dailv Sketch” last Tuesday which was headlined “Set the Princess Free.’ It said that she would shake hands with nobody, would make no speeches, and would stand on a dais at a garden partv instead of mingling with the guests. It is extremely unusual for the Royal Family to contradict reports about them. The statement said: “In view of the inaccurate and misleading reports which have recently appeared in some newspapers in connexion with Princess Margaret’s tour in the West Indies, the following statement is issued from Clarence House: “(1) The programme has been planned on the principle that Princess Margaret will make at least one speech in each territory to be visited. Her Royal Highness will also reply to addresses of welcome and speak at other selected ceremonies.

“(2) Her Royal Highness, will, of course, shake hands with all of the considerable number of persons who are introduced to her.

“(3) In the early planning her Royal Highness expressed the wish that arrangements should be made for her to mingle with the guests at the various gatherings and wherever practicable this has been planned,” the