‘Wrong’ for Royalty to attend World Cup

Press, 12 May 1987, Page 2

‘Wrong’ for Royalty to attend World Cup

Wellington reporter

It would be wrong for a Royal Family member to attend, at short notice, this month’s World Rugby Cup, said the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, yesterday. He was responding to suggestions by the Opposition spokesman on sports, Mr John Banks, that a prominent member of the Royal Family wanted to come and watch the cup matches but the Government would not Invite him. It is believed Mr Banks was referring to Prince Andrew.

Mr Lange said that was totally wrong. No such information had come from any member of the Royal Family. Royal visits were mat-

ters for’ consultation between Buckingham Palace and the Government. "For reasons which I

have conveyed to the Rugby Union, it is quite wrong and the Palace understands that it would be wrong, to have Royal patronage at short notice at an event which is, of course, potentially divisive.”

Mr Lange made clear that he saw the All Black captain, Andy Dalton, as the central cause of any division. He described Dalton as “a recent returnee from a mercenary trip to South Africa as a Cavalier.” No Cabinet Minister would attend World Cup matches which were connected in this way with South Africa, said Mr Lange.

“Any Cabinet Minister would have to be mindful of the fact that we have a

major responsibility in Government to uphold the Gleneagles Agreement” (The Commonwealth’s stand against sporting contact with South Africa.)

Mr Lange said it was almost certain a team would tour South Africa after the World Cup. But he had not had this investigated.

“No, and any answer I got from the Rugby Union I would not believe.”

The Prime -Minister said the Rugby Union had a duty to tell New Zealand whether there would be a trip to South Africa by the winning cup team or a composite side.

“They have been conspicuously silent on that matter,” he said.