Royal trout for lunch

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 1

Royal trout for lunch

(N Z. Pre st Association) ROTORUA, April 22. A surprise launch trip on Lake Taupo today for Princess Alexandra and her husband, Mr Angus Ogilvy, had its highlight when the Princess caught and cooked a Taupo trout.

The Royal couple slipped unobstrusively out of Auckland today in a Civil Aviation Friendship aircraft In the best-kept secret of the tour so far, they arrived unexpected and unannounced at Taupo shortly before 1 pun.

Mr P. J. Burstali, conservator of wildlife at Rotorua, was waiting to take them in his car to Kinloch, about 13 miles from Taupo. There the launch Lady Elizabeth took them round the western bays of the lake.

Soon after they left at nearly 2 pun, Mr Ogilvy hooked a trout of about 41b but lost it alongside the boat

Twenty minutes later Princess Alexandra caught her fish, a well-conditioned

rainbow ben trout, which she played for 10 minutes before bringing it aboard.

The owner of the launch, Mr C. Thurlow, showed Princess Alexandra how to fillet the fish and she then fried it in butter in the launch galley before sharing it with the party for lunch.

The launch arrived back at 4-30 pjn. and the couple were driven through Taupo on their way back to the airport. Word of the visit had spread and people lined the main street to wave.

Kinloch is a quiet holiday resort round the lake from Taupo, and is a favourite place of relaxation for the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake).

The place where Princess Alexandra caught her trout was not far from where Prince Charles was also successful trout fishing last year.