Most Non-Spontaneous Event

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30073, 6 March 1963, Page 13

Most Non-Spontaneous Event

(NJCJ’A.-Rcutsr— Copyright)

UOKDOU. Mar. 5. The Royal visit to a children’s playground in Sydney yesterday "was probably the most nonopositoneeuo. non - impromptu event of any Royal tear in history,” Bene Mac Coll reported in the “Daily Express” tedßjr. Mac Coll mid the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh “dropped in” at the playground, apparently as an afterthought.

“What spoiled the act was that officials solemnly distributed a handout, mimeographed far in advance,” he

MacCoH said the handout read: “Embargoed— embargoed embargoed not

to be released until confirmation of the visit hae been established. Queen visits play centre. “The Queen took time out from her official duties today to meet some uninhibited “fair dinkusn* children at play. With Prince Philip she made a surprise mid-day visit to the Moore Park children’s recreation centre. "About 40 children at the centre knew nothing of the visit until the entourage putted up suddenly outside.

Mac Coll said: “AH this was of course nonsense. The visit had been planned just as rigidly as everything else on toe Royal programme. "To pretend that M was

spontaneous was an embarrassing piece of hooey.” Stabilisers were used to keep the Britannia steady in a south-easterly swell north of Sydney today. The Royal yacht, with the Queen and toe Duke of Edinburgh aboard, is voyaging to Brisbane for toe next stage of toe Australian tour.

A message received from the accompanying Royal Australian Navy wantoip, H.M.AB. Anzac, said that apart from occasional showers this morning toe outlook promised to be fine and sunny, giving toe Queen and toe Duke toe opportunity of a restful day before they arrive in Brisbane to-