PRINCE IN KILT AND BALMORAL

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19010, 29 July 1933, Page 12 (Supplement)

PRINCE IN KILT AND BALMORAL

When the Prlnoe of Wales paid his first visit to Rothesay, the Royal Burgh from which he derives his premier Scottish title of Duke of Rothesay, thousands of tipliday makers and townspeople awaited Ills coming to the brightest Jewel In the diadem of the Firth of Clyde - resorts, _eays & London paper. Ex-servicemen were In great foroe to welcome the Prince, the reason of his visit being not only to receive the freedom the burgh, but to attend once again , the annual conference of the Scottish section of the British Legion. It was a day of hustle for His Royal Highness, who travelled from London by the Night Scot, arriving at Glasgow Central about 9.30 a.m. He proceeded thence in a special saloon by train to Gourock, where the destroyer Valorous was waiting to take him, with an escort part of the way, to the Isle of Bute. • f." ... - ■> Parade of British Legion. ■.

The day’s proceedings In Rothesay began with a parade of the British Legion at the War Memorial, where a wreath was laid by General Sir lan Hamilton, their president. Sir lan, who wore a Glengarry and the kilt of the “ Gay Cordons, ’’ later addressed the - conference of 400 delegates In the Winter Gardens, i 1 ■ •., ,

Shortly before- ii.3o the destroyer. With the Prince aboard was seen approaching. '• {.* As president Of the Royal Lifeboat Institution, His Royal Highness had for the final stage of his journey an 'escort of two of the latest types .of motor lifeboats. On board one of them was the Duke of Montrose. -"The Royal destroyer was heralded by rockets and cheers from the "townspeople. ■ The Prince, came ashore on a pinnace fromirthe destroyer and landed at the allay steps used by the King - Queen-, when they landed from trio Royal Yacht in 1920. - V The. Prince’s host, the Marquis of Bute, was among those who greeted him at' the pier-head, where the Provosts, In their ermine cloaks, headed the civid reception. The -Prince -walked through the streets' on his way to the castle passed over the drawbridge spanning the moat, and through a romantic archway leading into the' courtyard • amid the ruins \Vhere, standing to receive him, were a privileged thousand ■•Citizens.:: Many of them; like the lfr Highland costume. ''Robert the Third., The Prince wore a tartan kilt, a ‘Mack ■■and'white check Jaoket, and a Balmoral cap.

The Prince received his Burgher’s certificate In a silver casket at the hands of Provost Halllday, and in acknowledgment, His Royal Highness said: '

11 This title, Duke of Rothesay, which I am so proud to claim, is the oldest of my Scottish titles. It dates from the 14th century, and was first held by one whose name I bear. “ Over 500 years have elapsed since the creation of the title, and you In Rothesay may well have wondered how many years It would be before the present holder.oame to set foot in your burgh. "I have ’refused more than one cordial invitation since I came of age, and although this,visit is long delayed, if it Is true that‘since 5 those days of Robert the Third- no Duke of Rothesay has entered these/ historic castle halls, I am doubly glad'to be the first to remedy the omission:” The Prince remarked that he was also glad to come during the conference of the British Legion in Scotland —•“ that great national organisation which is doing such fine work ins Britain at the present time." The band played “ God Bless the Prince of Wales ” at the conclusion of the ceremony, and remarkable scenes of enthusiasm marked his arrival at t’he conference of the British Legion. Cheered Again and Again. The delegates cheered again and again, and sang “ He’s a Jolly Good Fellow." , - - .....The Earl of Haddington,- chairman of the Legion in Scotland,-, expressed a hearty greeting, and the Prince then addressed the conference. “ There is one thing . I have not told you,” he said, “ that when I left His Majesty the King 'he asked me.where I Was going-. (Laughter.) “ I told him: 1 1 am going. to Rothesay, because I have been Duke of Rothesay 23 years and I have never paid them a visit.’ “ The King said: ‘I was Duke of Rothesay nine years, and I never paid them a visit. You had better throw those nine years in and pay a visit for both of us,’ ’’

The Prince added: “Not mind you, that His Majesty ‘or myself are proud of keeping away so long, but I think

First Visit to Rothesay, Where He Was f Presented With the Freedom of the - Burgh of His Dukedom.

you will admit that the team work Is good.”

Recalling that he took part In the last Armistice celebrations In Edinburgh, "the Prince went on: “I was impressed by the way in which Scotland honours the memory of her fallen. I was also able to see in Edinburgh how the collection of the Earl Haig Fund Is organised. “ Besides t'he constant desire to help our ex-servicemen, the community also pay tribute to the memory of Lord Haig, that great Scotsman who founded the British Legion died In harness, and gave the last years of his life to assist -the men who fought under him in France.” Success of the Pensions. Concerning the pension ; fund, -the Prince said: “By t’he end of the year we hope to have a thousand of these pensions awarded. They will help men prematurely aged by wounds or siokness as a result of the war, and enable them not merely to 'exist, but to exist in moderate comfort -for the last few years -of their lives. “ It is to be hoped that by the end of this year over 30,000 jobs will have been found for ex-servicemen. In .these depressed times you will agree that is a very wonderful figure and very constructive work, and far better t'han any form of relief. “ Six months ago I appealed to the British Legion to do what they could to make the lot of the unemployed a' little lighter, not by financial aid, hot by the kind of work that the National Council-of Social Service’is doing. “ I have been around every part Of Great Britain, and, though I know Its work is not -the solution, men are getting benefit from learning useful work, from physical exercise, and from some place where t'hey can go in these long, dreary days, and weeks, and years when they out of a Job.’’ Regarding the general work of the Legion, the Prince concluded: “I thfnk we of the British Legion have indeed consolidated our position now. If we take the long view and the broad view that we are not merely an organisation Instituted for helping exservicemen, but that we realise we are a great national institution, then we can help our country through these depressed and difficult times.”