When Prince Philip came to lunch

It was 1971 when Des Clifton-Bassett and his wife, Marie, heard the news that they would be hosting the Duke of Edinburgh. Des was the new District Commissioner of the Madang region in Papua New Guinea. “We couldn’t believe our ears,” Marie tells The Weekly. The 92-year-old, who now lives in Castlecrag, NSW, treasures her memories of that visit. “We planned every detail with military precision. There was huge excitement as the Britannia sailed into the harbour, welcomed by a flotilla of canoes. The itinerary consisted of a Sing Sing [a ceremony with traditional dances], a reception for 200 townspeople, and dinner with the Prince at our house for a dozen people. “Over coffee, the royal barge streaked past with flags flying. HRH then had a swim, changed and left.…

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The Australian Women's Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 2021

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