Prince Charles arrived in Texas on Monday, stepping off the royal aircraft onto a sunbaked runway while fur-cuffed bagpipers played ”The Yellow Rose of Texas” and ”Scotland the Brave.”
Charles, who came to kick off the 150th anniversary of Texas`
independence, made no remarks and after a brief handshaking session with Gov. Mark White and local mayors he was ushered into an armor-plated Jaguar and whisked to an undisclosed location for the night.
”I have played for the Vatican, and I have played for the Royal Family around the world,” said Ronald McShannon, 29, one of 25 pipers flown in from Scotland for the occasion. ”But this is the first time I`ve seen Prince Charles, and I had to come all the bloody way to Texas to do it.”
Charles will haul back to his Kensington Palace home crateloads of souvenirs, mostly tourist stuff given by companies and cities at each of His Royal Highness` numerous stops. The booty will include lizard-skin boots, platinum coins, Sam Houston swords, booze and bronzed microchips.
Among other celebrities, Charles will meet with country-western singer Willie Nelson; Lady Bird Johnson, the former First Lady; Nancy Reagan, the current First Lady, and former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite.
Oddly, this trip is billed by press aides as a low-key ”commercial and business venture,” a term which most observers take to mean that Charles is not accompanied by his wife.
