Thousands of Jamaicans gathered to catch a glimpse of the Queen as she arrived in Jamaica. People gathered along the route of the motorcade. The Queen and the Duke interacted with the crowd at some points under the watchful eyes of the security forces.

Published Sunday, April 27, 1975

A royal welcome for Her Majesty

JAMAICA GAVE A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as she arrived here yesterday afternoon on her third official visit, this one coinciding with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being held in Kingston this week.

A large crowd, headed by the Governor-General, the Most Hon. Florizel Glasspole, and the Prime Minister, the Hon. Michael Manley, was at the Norman Manley Airport to greet the Queen as she flew in from London by British Airways, accompanied by his Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Crowds lined the route from the airport into downtown Kingston along which the Royal couple rode in an official motorcade to the Victoria Pier at the foot of King Street.  There the Queen and the Duke were welcomed by another gathering, there to see them as they made their way aboard the Royal yacht, Britannia, at anchor in Kingston Harbour.

Today, Her Majesty and Prince Philip begin a busy round of activities, which make the official programme for their visit.

The arrival of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh at the Norman Manley International Airport went smoothly and without a hitch from the moment the Royal couple stepped off the plane until the official limousine bore them away through waiting crowds.

Heavy rain drenched the airport, up until ten minutes before their arrival, but cleared before their plane touched down. The waving gallery was packed with spectators, kept some four feet from the rails by a police cordon. The remainder of the airport complex was closed to the public.

Shortly before 5 p.m., a helicopter arrived from Jamaica House bringing the Prime Minister and Mrs Manley, who were escorted by Mr Louis Boothe, Director of Protocol, and members of the Prime Minister’s staff.

Mrs Manley wore a nutmeg beige dress and jacket.  The jacket had linen lapels trimmed with cutwork, and she wore a linen broad-brimmed hat with cutwork on the brim and a handbag in the same embroidered linen.

A guard of honour of the 1st Battalion the Jamaica Regiment marched on to the field led by the Regimental Band and formed near the ramp.  His Excellency the Most Hon. Florizel Glasspole. Governor General, took the salute from a dais while the Jamaican National Anthem was played.

Exactly at 5 p.m., the British Airways flight could be seen circling to land, and it touched down a few minutes later to a 21-gun salute from the Jamaica Regiment.

The Royal couple stepped from the plane to be welcomed by the Governor-General and the Most Hon. Mrs Glasspole.

The Queen wore a gold-patterned dress with belted waistline and skirt to just below her knees.  The dress had white lapels and she wore white gloves, carried a white handbag and wore a white organza turban hat trimmed with the dress material and with a bow of the same material on top.

Mr Glasspole chose a long-sleeved pink dress, with a fedora-style hat in a slightly paler pink trimmed with white spots.

The Governor-General presented the Prime Minister and Mrs Manley, the Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, Brigadier Rudolph Green, and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Basil Robinson.

The Queen then inspected the Guard of Honour and stood on the dais to take the salute while the British National Anthem and the Jamaica National Anthem were played.

Presentations then took place.

Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh spoke a few words to each person presented to them.  Many of the Duke’s remarks were jocular, and laughter followed his progress along the line.

At the end of the presentations, the Queen and the Duke entered the waiting limousine and the 14-car motorcade moved off for Victoria Pier.

Cheering crowds

As the 15-car motorcade left the airport for the 10-mile journey to Victoria Pier, it was greeted with cheers by hundreds of people who had gathered there from early in the afternoon.

Passing through an avenue of soldiers in red and blue Army dress and policemen in their white and blue uniforms, the motorcade continued up to the airport roundabout, where hundreds of cars were parked on the sidewalk.

Most of the occupants were seated on top of the cars, and they waved happily as the motorcade passed.

A slight drizzle started but lasted only a few seconds.  Her Majesty and the Duke smiled at the crowd and waved.

At the Harbour View roundabout, where thousands waited when the pilot car came in sight, they began cheering and kept cheering as the motorcade went by.

Market vendors on their way home in buses and trucks waved handkerchiefs and hats.

Along Rockford Road and into Victoria Avenue, thousands of women, men, and children cheered the Royal couple. Smiling and waving, the Queen and the Duke acknowledge the welcome.

Union Jacks

At the Kingston Parish Church, there were also thousands of people and another avenue of solid soldiers and policemen.

The motorcade proceeded slowly down King Street and slowly down King Street, and spectators cheered from the roofs of some of the buildings, where flags fluttered in the early evening breeze.

Thousands waited at the foot of King Street, where the Royal couple walked to Victoria Pier. Hundreds of British nationals residing here were at this point, having miniature Union Jacks.

The Queen paused momentarily at the right side of the street and shook some of the hundreds of hands that were thrust at her, through police barriers, and above other people’s heads and underarms.

Waterfront construction workmen waved and cheered. The cheers followed the Queen until she boarded the Royal Barge for the Britannia at anchor off Victoria Pier.

Later, the Prime Minister came down to the pier to go aboard the Royal yacht for his audience with the Queen.

After a 45-minute audience, Mr Manley returned ashore.  He told a Gleaner reporter that Her Majesty had expressed her pleasure at being in Jamaica once again.

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