Footage of Princess Anne's visit to the Australian National University, recorded 24 April 1970 (no sound)

Abstract

"...The president of the Students Representative Council, Mr Mark Cunliffe, escorted the princess on her brief, but much jostled, tour. He said she had appeared nervous at first, but was soon reassured by the sight of many Union Jacks and three cheers from the students shortly after she arrived. 'I thought they had it in for royalty', Princess Anne said. Someone in the crowd quipped back 'We're all royalists around here'. ...The students exhibited the same enthusiasm for the princess as they had done earlier in the week when a well-attended Students Association meeting resoundingly defeated a motion to boycott the Royal visit to the university. The few demonstrators, mostly protesting about Aboriginal land rights, were largely ignored. Princess Anne said that she failed to see the connection between the Royal visit and Aboriginal land rights. 'I can't see what it has to do with me', she said. Princess Anne declined to comment about the Vietname [sic] Moratorium despite repeated inquiries, saying 'I'm very practiced at saying no comment'. Princess Anne stopped several times along the route between the university library and the Union to talk to students. The standard questions were 'What are you studying?' and 'Where do you come from?'. The students singled out seemed embarrassed and generally either stammered a reply or giggled nervously." -- The Canberra Times, 25 April 1970, page 1. Show more