A ROYAL VISIT.

Evening Star, Issue 21623, 19 January 1934, Page 8

A ROYAL VISIT.

It is not quite certain that a visit of Prince George, the King’s youngest son, will he ‘associated with the visit which he will make to Australia later in this year in connection with the one hundredth anniversary of Victoria’s founding. Following the announcement of the Australian engagement, the Governor-General has lost no time in inviting the Prince to visit this country also. No reply has been received yet from Prince George, on his way to make an earlier tour of South Africa and Rhodesia, but Lord Bledisloe has no doubt that he will accept the invitation. It is known that the Prince has been anxious to see this dominion, and an extension of his trip for that purpose seems to have been taken for granted in London from the first news of it. The visit may be regarded as being, therefore, as nearly as possible assured, and there is' no doubt that it will be warmly welcomed. Visits of the King and Queen, of the Prince of Wales, and of the Duke and Duchess of York have all left such cordial memories that there will be impatience to meet and greet the King’s youngest son. Time flies even faster than most of us recognise, and Prince George is now in his thirtysecond year. Following in his father’s footsteps, as a boy he entered the Navy, from which he retired for health reasons five and a-half years ago. Just before that, as a lieutenant, he was on the China station, in the midst of exciting happenings on the YangtseKiang, and he had the reputation of being the handsomest prince who had ever served in the Navy. Very much of his eldest brother’s disposition, his popularity was quite equal to his good looks, and that has grown wider since he has become better known at Home, taking an increasing part in public happenings. For a time he was associated with the Western Department of the Foreign Office, and since his visit to South America with the Prince of Wales two years ago he has been a naval aide-de-camp to the King. The Prince will be away till April 23 on his African tour, and not until that is over will the details of his Australian visit, much less of its hoped, for extension to New Zealand, be worked out. It is expected, however, that he will spend three months in the Commonwealth, arriving there towards the middle of October. His presence will be the happy crowning of the Victorian celebrations, and those will be of no common order. Successive great events in Australia would have made it almost incumbent for members of the Royal Family to visit that country if it was not their pleasure so to do, and the pleasure of its inhabitants to welcome them. The King and Queen went to open the first Federal Parliament, the Duke of York to open that of Canberra, and now comes this Victorian anniversary. New Zealand has been without these historical occasions, and. will lack them till the centenary of its official founding occurs in about six years’ time, but it is gratifying that, due to the love they bear us and our own country’s attractions, helped perhaps by a fortunate circumstance of geography', visits of Royalty to it have not been less frequent. It is not clear yet whether the Prince’s visit will be made on his way to or from Australia. The first arrangement would follow precedent, but precedent, it may- be conjectured, has been made by a consideration of the season, which in this case would suggest a visit on the return journey.