AFRICAN TOUR

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 291, 8 September 1928, Page 9

AFRICAN TOUR

PRINCES LEAVE LONDON NO FORMALITY, BUT GREAT ENTHUSIASM (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, September 6. The Prince of Wales and his brother, tlie Duke of Gloucester, set but to-day on their tour of Africa. They will traverse tlie continent from north to south, visiting Kenya, I ganda, Tanganyika. and Rhodesia by rail and motor-car. concluding their journey in time to spend .Christmas at Cape Town witli their uncle and aunt, the Earl and Countess of Athloue. In East Africa the Prince of Wales will be visiting the only considerable portion of the Empire be lias not yet seen. Tlie tour will combine a semiofficial visit and holiday, including big game hunting, and it is desirable to keep it as free from formality as possible. The Princes and a suite of four are travelling overland to Marseilles to join tlie liner Kaisar-i-Hlnd, which leaves for Alexandria to-morrow night. Before embarking the Prince of Wales will visit the Queen Alexandra Memorial Hospital and the headquarters of the British Legion. On arrival in Egypt tlie Princes will lunch with King Fuad, who has offered them a private yacht in case thej’ prefer to proceed to the Sudan by tlie river route. The provisional arrangements are that the Royal Party will join the liner Maida at Ismailia for a voyage down the east coast of Africa to Mombasa. From there the Princes will entrain for the interior of Kenya. While the Prince of Wales will receive addresses from native tribes and will inspect troops, schools, and hospitals on his way through Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda, the Duke of Gloucester will spend some days shooting in the big game fastnesses of Kenya and Tanganyika. The Duke will afterwards rejoin his brother on a caravan route journey through Rhodesia, changing to the railway at Broken Hill to proceed to South Africa. Absolute informality marked tlie departure from London this afternoon of the Princes. Tills was in accordance with the Prince of Wales’s personal wish. The Royal brothers arrived at Victoria station not in uniform, but dressed as ordinary civilians in lo.unge suits witli bowler hats. There was no official personages to bid them farewell, as, accompanied by their small suite, they entered a Pullman car of the boat train for Dover. A large crowd, however, witnessed their departure, and gave tlie Prince of Wales and ins brother an enthusiastic send-off. With similar informality tlie Princes embarked at Dover in tlie cross-channel steamer Invicta, walking direct from the train to the ship. There was no ceremony, but again the Princes received a great ovation.