ROYAL VISITORS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17348, 13 May 1924, Page 8

ROYAL VISITORS.

RUMANIAN KING AND I QUEEN. WELCOMED TO LONDON By Telegraph- Frees Association —Copyrifflit Reuter's Telegrams. (Received May 13, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 12. Following on their visits to France, Switzerland and Belgium, the Rumanian King and Queen were this morning escorted across the Channel j bv four British destroyers and live aero- j lanes and lauded at Dover, where they were met by the Prince of Wales and j travelled by train to London. , On arrival there they were cordially welcomed by the King and Queen and Mr MacDonald and other Ministers and distinguished personages. The visitors and their British Majesties then drove through the cheering crowds and lieflagged streets to Buckingham Palace. Their visit will last four days. In he evening a banquet is to be given to their Majesties at Buckingham Palace, to which a very large number of distinguished guests will be invited. Before this banquet takes place it is understood that the King will invest King Ferdinand with the Insignia of Ihe Garter, and he will then wear the Star and Ribbon of this decoration for the first time. The Royal visitors will have public? engagements 'of one description or another for every day ‘luring their stay in London. One of the principal of these will be a drive to the Guildhall on Tuesday, in roder to receive an address of welcome and subsequently to i-ake lunch with the Lord Mayor and the members of the City Corporation. On another clay their Majesties are to be conducted over the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park, and they will he thefirst of the several foreign Royal visitors, it is hoped, to welcome to London during the course of the summer. The Government will likewise entertain their Majesties during their visit, and it is probable that a dinner will he given either at the Foreign Office or Lancaster House in their honour. Queen Marie of Rumania is a cousin of King George, being a daughter of the In.: e Duke of Edinburgh, so that this visit will be largely of a family character. During its duration some decision is expected to be arrived at as to whether the title of Duke of Edinburgh shall be revived in favour of Prince Henry or not. If the time at the disposal of the King of Rumania will permit, it is anticipated that he will pay a visit to Aldershot with the King in order to see the troops at work there. Shortly after the King and Queen of Rumania have left, it is probable that they will be followed to London by the King and Queen of Italy, whd are anxious to return the formal visit which King George and Queen Mary paid to Rome last year. Other Royal visitors who are likely to he seen in London this year are the King and Queen of Yugoslavia and the King and Queen of Spain.