Prince Andrew cancels Hong Kong visit

Press, 27 July 1988, Page 10

Prince Andrew cancels Hong Kong visit

NZPA Hong Kong

Prince Andrew has cancelled plans to visit Hong Kong with a British Naval task group next month, according to a British military spokesman in Hong Kong. The Duke of York, a lieutenant on the destroyer H.M.S. Edinburgh, was to have visited the territory on August 24 with the task group for a South China Sea naval exercise.

A spokesman for H.M.S. Tamar said the impending birth of his first child had prompted

the Duke to miss the Hong Kong stop. The six-ship flotilla is currently in Singapore and the Duke has been reported in one newspaper as being ready to fly home because the Duchess is reportedly ill.

The Ark Royal, a destroyer, a frigate and three auxiliary ships sailed from Britain on June 13 on a six month voyage codenamed. Outback 88.

Meanwhile two New Zealand frigates, Wellington and Waikato, are participating in Exer-

cise Starfish out of Singapore with British, Australian, Malaysian and Singaporean warships. The commander of the New Zealand Force South-East Asia, Air Commodore Stewart Boys, said the South China Sea exercise would conclude later this week.

The exercise is being held under the umbrella of the Five Power Defence Agreement finalised in 1971 before Britain withdrew from South East Asia.

Sea Harrier planes and Sea King helicop-

ters from the Royal Navy are also participating in the exercise. Following Exercise Starfish the Royal Navy flotilla is scheduled to visit the United States naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines before sailing on to Hong Kong. Highlight of the Royal Navy deployment is expected to be participation in the Australian Bicentennial Naval Review in Sydney on October 1. Prince Andrew is expected to be on hand to take the naval salute on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.