Duke Shown Annoyed By TV Technician

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31018, 25 March 1966, Page 13

Duke Shown Annoyed By TV Technician

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, March 24. The Duke of Edinburgh was shown swearing at a film erew in the United States in a television programme screened in London last night Queen Elizabeth’s husband, who had a microphone pushed under his nose by a technician, snapped: "Here comes that bloody machine again. Why don’t you stuff it up. It gets on your nerves.” The incident was shown in a programme subtitled “The Duke Goes West” about his recent United States tour. His remarks to the film crew were made as he arrived for dinner with a group of Americans at Houston, Texas. The Duke turned away from the man with the microphone and one of his equerries. Colonel William Heald was heard to say:

"Take the bloody thing right away. You would not like it if you were in his place. If you do that he will dry upf Mr Desmond Wilcox, editor of the “Man Alive” series in which the film sequence appeared, told reporters he thought it would have been dishonest to take the words out of the programme. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “We were not consulted by the 8.8. C. about the programme.” The Duke will give his first press conference in Britain tomorrow when he arrives at London airport from his two-week visit to the United States and Canada. It will be the first time a member of the Royal Family has given a full-scale press conference in Britain.

Officials say he will answer questions on matters confined to the American visit and the conference will not set a pattern for future engagements in this country.