The Queen asked for "The Hand" offered her at the Robb College reception on Tuesday as a souvenir of her visit to the University.

At her request, it was sent to Sydney by air yesterday for delivery to the R.Y Britannia.

"The Hand", fitted with a white chamois leather glove, was offered to her by a group of students at the entrance to the college.

It was their silent comment on the ordeal that Royal visitors undergo everywhere in shaking hands with hundreds of people.

"The Queen smiled at us and asked us to put it in her car," Graeme Hardley (Economics III ) told the Express.

"Prince Philip shook 'the hand' and Princess Anne asked if we had borrowed one of her gloves," he added.

Read more:

But the chauffeur would not let the students put "The Hand" in the Queen's Rolls Royce.

"And then the police came up and stopped us."

"And under the circumstances that wasn't surprising," Mr Sinclair-Wilson, the Master of Robb, commented laughing.

The Queen also asked for a letter from the students who brought "the Hand" to the reception giving their identity.

The letter, written by Graeme Hardley, reads:

May it please Your Majesty.

I am greatly honoured by Your Majesty's request for the artificial hand which attracted some attention at the Royal Reception at Robb College yesterday.

It might please Your Majesty to learn that this " hand" was featured recently in a student display known as "Prosh" for the purpose of collecting funds towards sponsorship of Aboriginal Scholarships for tertiary education, a cause for which many Australian students feel much enthusiasm. On that occasion the "hand" was made by and was used by two of my contemporary students of Robb College, Messrs Ronald Moore and Anthony Willsallen.

I offer my most humble apologies for any unintended disrespect in the manner in which the Royal progress was impeded by he "hand" at yesterday's reception.

We members of Robb were all greatly honoured by Your Majesty's visit and interest and we are overwhelmed by he fact that our "hand" should be honoured as a Royal souvenir.

I have the honour to be Your Majesty's most faithful and dutiful servant,

Graeme R. Hardley.

The Royal request for "the Hand" came from the Premier's Department, who collected the souvenir and sent it on to the Royal yacht.

Monday, May 4, 1970

The Armidale reception to the Royal Family was the best in any country centre, a member of the tour directorate told Mr Ken Jones, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and Princess Anne's escort at the Royal garden party.

Mr. Jones reported this comment with satisfaction and pride at Friday's meeting of the Chamber.

His satisfaction with the arrangements for the visit in retrospect was shared by any members of the Chamber.

Mr. Jones said only quarter of one per cent were not happy about the visit.