PRINCE OF WALES

Southland Times, Issue 20585, 8 September 1928, Page 7

PRINCE OF WALES

TOUR OF AFRICA. DEPARTURE FROM LONDON. AN ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF. Rugby, September 6. The Prince of Wales and his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, set out to-day on their tour of Africa. They will travel the Continent from north to south, visiting Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Rhodesia by rail and motor car, concluding their journey in time to spend Christmas at Cape 'Town with their uncle and aunt, the Earl and Countess of Athlone. In East Africa the Prince of Wales will be visiting the only considerable portion of the Empire he has not yet seen. The tour will combine a semi-official visit and a holiday, including big game hunting, and it is desired to keep it as free from formality as possible. The Princes and their suite of four are travelling overland to Marseilles to join the liner Kaisar-i-hind, which will leave 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, the Princes will lunch with King Fuad, who has offered them his private yacht in case they prefer to proceed to the Sudan by the river route The provisional arrangements are that the Royal party will join the liner Maida at Ismailia for the 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 the native tribes and will inspect the troops, schools, and hospitals on his way through Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda, the Duke of Golucester will spend some days shooting in the big game fastnesses of Kenya and Tanganyika. The Duke will afterwards rejoin his brother on the caravan route journey through Rhodesia, changing to the railway at Broken Hill and proceed to South Africa. Absolute informality marked their departure. This was in accordance with the Prince of Wales’ personal wish. The Royal brothers arrived at Victoria Station not in uniform, but dressed as ordinary civilians in lounge suits with bowler hats. There were no official personages to bid them farewell, as, accompanied by their small suite, they entered the Pulman car of the boat train for Dover. A large crowd, however, witnessed their departure and gave the Prince and his brother an enthusiastic sendoff. With similar informality the Princes embarked at Dover in the cross-Channel steamer Invicta, walking direct from the train to the ship. There was no ceremony, but again the Princes received a great ovation. The Princes went straightway to their staterooms and remained in seclusion till the departure. Thereafter they were seen on deck taking a last look at the white cliffs of old England. They had a rough crossing to Calais whence they took the express to Marseilles.