Warm Welcome To Queen In Madras

Press, Volume C, Issue 29444, 21 February 1961, Page 18

Warm Welcome To Queen In Madras

(Rec. 9 p.m.) MADRAS, February 20. Crowds, 30 deep in places, gave the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh a warm welcome when they arrived in Madras from Calcutta yesterday.

They stood m open cars on the flve-mile drive from the airport to the Governor’s residence in the city centre.

Along part of the route, crowds surged in close to the Royal procession and police had to clear a way.

Groups of flute players at the door of the residence serenaded the visitors when they arrived.

Before leaving Calcutta, the Queen and the Duke attended a church service, in which some 1200 persons took part Earlier, the Duke was captain of a team in a polo match at EUenborough course. He scored two goals for his side, which won, 5-2

The Queen and Duke began a 15-mile sight-seeing tour of Madras—the biggest city in South India—soon after they arrived. Crowds estimated at nearly a million jammed the city’s streets to see them. At one point, as the Royal cavalcade reached a narrow bridge, a large group of students swarmed across the road and almost brought the cars to a standstill. Volice officers jumped out of accompanying cars to clear a path for the Queen. The cars again almost came to a halt at another place because of the crowd, and sev-

eral cars began hooting. The Duke put bis fingers to his ears and waved to the drivers to be quiet. The Royal couple drove to St. Mary's Church, built in 1680 as the first British Protestant church in India. Inside the church, the Queen saw the signatures of her grandparents. King George V and Queen Mary. In the evening the Queen and Duke attended a reception, which included a display of traditional South Indian dances.