Behind The Royal

Visit To Fiji

A PRIVATE resident of Fiji, wh attended most of the officii functions during the Visit, makes these comments in private letter to the editor: “I formed the opinion that tH Governor and his wife worked veitj hard indeed and deserved gresj credit for what they achieved hex on the recent visit of the Queo and the Duke of Edinburgh . . . : is evident now that the Queen am the Duke would perhaps have like: less formality and more informr. ality—they enjoyed Lautoka venj much for this reason—but theirs was little precedent and experience

guide official Fiji in making parations. . . .

I found the Queen and the Duke y and natural to talk to, and ,1-informed on world matters, h political and social. I also med the opinion that he is a rer of strength to her in the ivy task which she carries . . .

The Queen was rather tired at end of the day and no one Id blame her for having left the ,1 at 11.30 p.m. instead of mid ht. To say the Ball was a “flop’ > a grave exaggeration. The ;en was very gracious and quite lumber of people were taken up ler and presented, and she spoke ;ly to them. . . .

But this criticism is deserved: ; way some of the women simply red at the Queen for a long time [ just bad manners; and I don’t iw how to express in words my nion of the behaviour of many pie at the supper-table. It was super’ supper; but, apparently, le people, where food is con ned, just cannot behave —vulgar I coarse to a degree.”