Royal Yacht In Rough Seas

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 13

Royal Yacht In Rough Seas

(/V.Z Press Association—Copyright) CAGLIARI (Sardinia), May 1. I he Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, cruising round the island of Sardinia in the Royal yacht Britannia, have had choppy seas since they left port.

Meteorological reports say the .seas are being whipped by increasing winds which may rise to force five or six before the day is out. The Britannia is expected to cruise near Sicily today and then continue its journey overnight unless the weather causes a change of plans, the British United Press reported. The Queen will arrive in Naples tomorrow to begin her visit to Italy, which includes visits to Rome, Venice. Florence, Milan and Turin and an audience with the Pope.

When the guns boom out a Royal salute at Naples for the Queen, the pages of British-Italian history will turn back more than 50 years. Just a few yards from pier seven, where the Britannia will tie up. another Royal yacht. the Victoria and Albert, brought King Edward

VII and Queen Alexandra to Naples in 1906.

The Britannia left Cagliari yesterday after an overnight delay because of a fouled propeller. British officials ashore said that plans for the cruise might be changed if sailing became too rough, the Associated Press said. They hinted that the yacht might put into some port until the storm eased. Union Jacks and Italian tricolors are flying in Rome and Naples ready for the Queen’s arrival. Italian naval vessels and aircraft will escort the Royal yacht from a point off Capri into Naples. President Giovanni Gronchi will greet the Royal couple in Rome, where posters today call on the people to give them an “enthusiastic welcome."

The posters say that the visit will lead to “even greater collaboration ... for the larger development of cultural and economic - exchanges between our two countries.”

The right-wing Rome newspaper, “n Tempo,” yesterday criticised the choice of Earl Alexander of Tunis to attend the Queen on her State visit to Italy. “Lord Alexander showed his deep contempt for Italy and the Italians, for the cowardice, meanness and apathy of our people, in an official historic document in 1950,” the article raid.