Some Surprised At Royal Invitations

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 14

Some Surprised At Royal Invitations

(New Zealand Press . Association)

WELLINGTON. Jan. 28.

People from many walks of life, especially younger ones, have been surprised to receive invitations to Royal visit functions or to share in hospitality given by the Queen herself in the Royal yacht, Britannia, said a statement issued by the Royal visit office tonight. A number of younger people. including nurses, youth leaders and school prefects, have consulted Government House or the Royal visit office because they thought a mistake had been made when they received an envelope bearing the Royal arms or Crown and containing a "royal” invitation. The director of the Royal visit office, Mr J. V. Meech, said the Queen wished to meet as wide a range of

people as possible, especially those who were distinguishing themselves, or who were leaders in science, medicine, the arts or sport. For this reason many young people of university age or older, who were doing things of interest in the community, had been invited to meet the Queen.

Because space on the Royal yacht was limited many people who would normally receive invitations to Royal occasions had had to be left out. Every effort had been made to avoid one person being invited to more than one function and to distribute invitations as widely as possible, said Mr Meech.