Royal Tour Australia: ‘Ordinary’ People over Elites, Duke and Duchess Request
For their tour of Australia, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge requested for more time meeting with the ordinary people instead of politicians, judges and business people, according to Premier Campbell Newman. Hence, the meet-and-greet will strictly be an invite-only.
"It's no secret that the Attorney-General is very excited as well, but I've just cautioned him that (the royals) have expressed a desire to see a lot more of ordinary men and women across this state, people from all walks of life rather than politicians, judges and senior business people so maybe he'll miss out," Mr Campbell told Courier Mail.
If there is possibility that Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie will be left out, then no one from Queensland's social elite should have high expectations meeting with the royal couple. While this was sad news for the social elites, commoners were delighted to have heard of the request from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
In 2011, celebrities and business icons spent $500 per head to join Prince William during a fundraiser activity. For the Duke and Duchess tour on April though, they would have to wait for the ticket announcement from the Premier's office.
Entrepreneur Stefan Ackerie who paid for 2011 said that if luck works in his favour, he will be more than happy to meet the couple again.
"If I'm privileged enough to be invited, of course I would love to. If they don't invite me to be there, I'll just wish them the best," Mr Ackerie told Courier Mail.
The same goes for business icon Sarina Russo who also paid for the 2011 event.
"Prince William is most impressive - he's a young leader with extraordinary global qualities. I hope I get an invite from the Premier or the Government and meet him again," Ms Russo said.
While the elites were leaving their chance to luck, members of the Manly Life Saving Club were assured of their chance to meet the Duke and Duchess.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were already scheduled to watch lifesavers in action after their visit at Bear Cottage children's hospice in Manly on April 18.
The Manly Life Saving Club was fortunate to be chosen as host of the surfing show to be held along stretch of one of the beaches in the area.
The news came as a pleasant surprise for the organisation as they were only told about it Saturday.
''It came out of the blue. I mean, the competition season is over but we'll come up with something," Media and Communications manager Donna Wishart told the Sydney Morning Herald.