Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra (cousin to Queen Elizabeth II) and her Husband Honourable Angus Ogilvy visited the Turks and Caicos during November 1988 as part of a tour of British overseas territories in the Caribbean. She arrived at Grand Turk on the 14th November and was greeted by the His Excellency Governor Bradley and the Chief Minister Oswald Skippings, along with other dignitaries. Unfortunately just prior to her arrival and after the gathered officials had been lined up in the order they were to greet her the skies opened up and deposited large amounts of rain water, scattering all but the Governor and his wife who had brought umbrellas. After the plane had landed they waited for the rain to subside before the formalities could begin. Whilst on Grand Turk she was given a tour of the Hospital by the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Hugh Malcolm and The Turks and Caicos High School by the principal Mrs Lillian Swann Missick. However, the highlight of her tour was a visit to the Grand Turk’s Training and Education Centre for the Handicapped, an area close to the Princess own interests and charity work. The Princess brought with her a range of equipment donated from Britain for use at the school, which was presented to Mrs Allison Ingham, President of the Grand Turk Disabled Association.
On the 15th November she flew over to Providenciales and visited the Conch farm and the shipyard. Her main task though was to open the “Princess Alexandra National Park”.
Throughout their trip they stayed at the Hotel Kittina on Grand Turk and there were several receptions were held in their honour at Government House (Waterloo).
Contents of this story:
Turks and Caicos National Museum
Nigel Sadler
See Summer 2002 issue of Astrolabe |
