Govt House clarifies coronation invitations

By REBECCA KUKU
GOVERNMENT House yesterday clarified that Buckingham Palace had invited Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae and Prime Minister James Marape to attend the coronation of King Charles III in London last Saturday.
Acting secretary Bill Toraso said Sir Bob attended with his wife Lady Emeline.
Toraso said the invitation from Buckingham Palace was also extended to 10 additional guests from PNG, as was done to all realm countries.
He said the guests included Deputy Speaker Koni Iguan and Department of Personnel Management Secretary Taies Sansan.
He added that acting Chief of State Protocol Noel Leana was the flag-bearer at the coronation event.
Toraso said a contingent from the PNG Defence Force also participated during the coronation procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
He clarified that Sir Bob would be accompanied by an official entourage on all trips – official or otherwise.
“In London, the Governor-General was allocated a security detail,” he said.
“The 10 invited guests also participated in various activities of the coronation.
“This is an historical event not only for the monarchy but also for our country.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko, who attended the coronation on behalf of Marape, explained that the invitation from Buckingham Palace was extended to spouses too.
He said because his wife could not make the trip, his eldest daughter Savannah attended the coronation with him.
In response to social media users questioning why his daughter was on the trip, Tkatchenko told The National that he did not respond to social media, and that “people need to find their facts out first, before opening their big mouths”.
He said his daughter, a lawyer, was a Papua New Guinea citizen who also held an Australian passport.
He confirmed that his daughter represented the country during the Head of Governments spouses’ event on cervical cancer eradication in the Commonwealth.