The Queen may attend the 150th Melbourne Cup

Last week the Vice-Regal Notes on the website of Her Majesty’s Representative in the State of Victoria, the Governor of Victoria, had an interesting note.

On Saturday 30th January 2010 it registered: The Right Honourable Christopher Geidt, CVO, OBE, Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen, arrived to stay at Government House.

This is not unusual, but considering Premier John Brumby’s meeting with his Queen at Balmoral Castle in October 2009 and his declaration after the audience, that he had invited The Queen to attend to 150th Melbourne Cup in November 2010, a visit of Her Majesty’s Private Secretary cannot be considered a coincidence.

On 2nd February Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls, who with his other hat as the state’s Attorney-General had decreed a month ago that The Queen will be replaced by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Victoria’s legal system, refused to reveal to The Age whether or not The Queen had been invited to attend Australia's premier horse race.

"I know that the Queen is a great racing fan, and I honestly don't know whether or not she has any plans to come here," he told reporters. It was “up to her” if she wanted to attend the 150th Melbourne Cup he stumbled into the TV cameras.

As if she would fly to Melbourne just because she wanted to see a good horse race. But who would expect a nice and friendly invitation by someone with the freezing charms of Rob Hulls?
">The Queen received Her Victorian Premier on 5th October 2009.