That time the royals came to visit

The couple were to have toured Australia in 1952, but this was postponed following the death of her father King George VI. Their 1954 visit to Australia would be the first made by a reigning monarch. Following the passing of Prince Philip, we thought it would be timely to reflect on this event, and to highlight other records documenting some of his subsequent visits to Canberra.

During their the first meeting of the Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council following the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, chairman Arthur Shakespeare proposed an "Address of Loyalty" to Queen Elizabeth II. After the motion was enthusiastically carried, the message that expressed the "humble duty and loyalty to the throne and the person of your Majesty" from the citizens of the Australian capital city, was printed and forwarded to Buckingham Palace via the office of the Governor General. Signed on June 22, 1953, the address also assured the Queen and His Royal Highness of a "most hearty welcome to Canberra" during their anticipated visit the following year.

The tour was rescheduled for early 1954, the Queen and Prince Philip flying into Sydney on February 3. Their program of events in Canberra began on February 13. Following their arrival, they were given a "citizens reception" that included a guard of honour at City Hill. They then left for Government House for a well-earned rest, and the following day was free of any public activities.

The next three days, however, were full of engagements that included the official opening of Parliament, a visit to Manuka Oval to view a school children's display, and meeting with ex-servicemen and women on the lawns of Parliament House.

The Parks and Gardens Section of the Department of Interior had an especially hard job making sure garden beds were colourful and lawns were in good condition at the end of a dry hot summer. Under the dutiful supervision of Lindsay Pryor, nothing was left to chance, including investigating the possibility of controlling flies.

It was less than a decade later that Canberra was making plans for the royal couple's second visit to Canberra in 1963 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the naming of the capital. In September 1963, the ACT Advisory Council received a report from the ACT Advisory Board on Tourism which was expecting an influx of tourists during the visit. The tourism board expressed its anxiety that:

Canberra should be suitably decorated and illuminated for the Royal Tour with particular attention being given to King's Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue and City Hill. The Board also recommends that immediate steps be taken to provide the necessary facilities for setting up temporary camping and caravan parks for the duration of the tour.

The Tourism Board's report presented to Council in January, 1963, provided an update advising that a temporary caravan park had been set up in Hackett for the royal visit and that the Tourist Bureau would also have to call on private homes to help in accommodating all the visitors to Canberra.

There was no doubt that the popularity of the royal couple would draw a big audience from Canberra and further afield. It was hoped that one of the sights they would be able to take in on this visit to Canberra was a recently completed Lake Burley Griffin, full to the brim with water. As the visit drew closer it became obvious that the severe drought the region was experiencing would mean that the lake would remain empty for quite some time. Some quick thinking and construction came up with the alternative, a building at Regatta Point to house displays and a model that showed the Queen and Prince Philip what Canberra would look like once the lake was full. This was the earliest version of the National Capital Exhibition building.

Prince Philip made several tours to Australia without the company of the Queen. He was the royal representative for the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956, and visited again to open the Empire Games in Perth in 1962. He also returned in 1965, 1967 and 1968. A proposed tour in 1960 was cancelled.

His first two visits, however, occurred while he served in the British Navy during World War II, previous to his 1947 wedding.

The main purpose of his 1965 visit to Canberra was to open the Royal Australian Mint. Despite the best-laid plans, the minutes of the ACT Advisory Council reveal that sometimes the correct protocol is not always carried out. During the meeting held in March 1965, Councillor Greenish asked the question as to why the "national anthem was not played at the ceremony in Canberra at which H.R.H. Prince Philip inaugurated the Mint?"

Apparently, Councillor Barrenger had advised that the Prime Minister's Department had sent him a copy of the arrangements for the event and that provision had been made for the anthem to be played. Unfortunately, he reported, "the fact that it was not played was due solely to an unfortunate misunderstanding". Sadly, the minutes do not record what this misunderstanding was, but perhaps we can assume that Prince Philip was amused by this breach of protocol.