FROM THE ARCHIVES:The post-Christmas visit of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth's sister, and her husband of six months, Antony Armstrong-Jones, to his mother at Birr Castle was one of the main domestic stories at the end of 1960, even before they arrived, as this report indicates – Joe Joyce
There was still a great air of mystery last night about which page of the book of protocol will be turned over for Princess Margaret and her husband when they arrive to-morrow afternoon at Shannon Airport, on board a scheduled Aer Lingus Viscount flight from London, to spend a quiet holiday in Birr Castle, the home of Mr Armstrong-Jones’s mother, the Countess of Rosse. Apparently the Department of External Affairs has not sent any specific instructions about protocol to the airport authorities.
Although the airport has been host to royalty from many parts of the world-from the Queen of Holland to the Emperor of Abyssinia – no very important passenger has ever caused the excitement which awaits Princess Margaret’s arrival tomorrow. Behind the scenes, the powder-blue uniformed airport receptionists, and the “girls in green” – the Aer Lingus ground hostesses – have been quietly practicing their curtsey, but they do not know whether they will be given an opportunity of welcoming the princess to Ireland.
While the decision to fly to Ireland in an Aer Lingus plane was generally welcomed, there was some disappointment that Queen Elizabeth did not make available a Heron aircraft of the Queen’s Flight, even though the airliner will be both faster and quieter. It had been hoped in Limerick that a local man, Group-Captain Jimmy Wallace, DSO, who is deputy commander of the Queen’s Flight, would have flown Princess Margaret to Shannon in one of the royal planes. However, Captain Aidan Quigley, who will be the pilot of the Aer Lingus Viscount, is also well-known in the Limerick area, as he served for some years at Shannon.
Because the 12-day visit is a private one, there cannot be an official reception, and this is setting a poser for the Shannon authorities. They do not want to give an impression of indifference which might be misunderstood by people in Britain. A senior official at the airport summed up the situation last night when he said: “They are certainly welcome, both privately and officially, but we are not in a position to express that welcome.”
Because of security restrictions, nothing is being said about the programme following the arrival of the aircraft.
Our Political Correspondent says: “It would appear that the visit of Princess Margaret to Ireland had no impact in Government or in official political circles. It is almost certain, however, that there would have been ‘soundings’ of one kind or another before the visit was finally approved. Any nod of disapproval, or even of caution, from official quarters here probably would have meant the postponement of the visit.”
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