Hong Kong Diaries
By Robert Harland

I was living in Hong Kong at the time of the handover to the Chinese in June 1997. As a Brit, it was a moving occasion even though I did not get an invitation from Prince Charles to join him for a cocktail or a cup of tea.

What I didn’t know at the time was the Prince has a habit of sharing his ‘real’ thoughts on various events with around 100 of his nearest and dearest friends.

Somehow, his views on the handover were leaked to the media and they make interesting reading.

Under the heading ‘The Handover of Hong Kong or the Great Chinese Takeaway’, he described Chinese diplomats at a ceremony as ‘appalling old waxworks’.

The Prince wrote: "After my speech, the President detached himself from the group of appalling old waxworks who accompanied him and took his place at the lectern.

"He then gave a kind of ‘propaganda’ speech which was loudly cheered by the bussed-in party faithful at the suitable moment in the text."

Prince Charles also talks of his flight arrangements for the handover ceremony. Initially, he was puzzled ‘as to why the seat seemed so uncomfortable’ before discovering he had been put in business class while political dignitaries had been seated in first class. "Such is the end of empire," he wrote.

On arrival in Hong Kong he said: "A rather bumpy landing at yet another colony of ours...my our ancestors got around a bit. Flew in over some shanty town called ‘Kowloon’ and could see what the poor dears were eating for breakfast. It certainly didn’t look like kippers and tea.

"Got off the plane in the usual regalia and discovered that summer here is hot. And humid. It’s a little squidgy in my underpants! Met some fat Englishman who tells me he’s the Governor here, which is nice as he seems like a good Tory.

"My, there are a lot of Chinese here...

"It turns out I’m here to yet again witness another bit of the Empire dropping off and going its own way. Not a word of thanks for all the things we’ve done for them. This time they won’t even join the Commonwealth."

The Prince ended by saying the handover ceremony was a miserable affair and such was his lot that he had to sit on stage, stay awake and smile.

"It’s not easy. No wonder Mummy didn’t want to come."

Thought for the day: If a convenience store is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the door?*