All 3 Sydney channels present coverage of Princess Alexandra’s visit to Canberra in what is still considered to be a rare technical feat, requiring weeks of planning by technical staff, particularly as there was at the time no TV services operating in Canberra itself.
Sydney’s ABN2 was the host broadcaster, with its coverage being made available to ATN7 and TCN9, though the commercial channels also provided their own commentaries of the royal visit.
This day includes live coverage of the Princess’ visit to schoolchildren assembled at Manuka Oval. (ABN2 would replay this coverage on Tuesday night)
Later in the evening, ABN2 and ATN7 scheduled live coverage of the Princess (a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II who attended many royal engagements on the Queen’s behalf) attending the State Ball in Canberra. TCN9 schedules delayed coverage of the ball on film.
Film of ABN2’s coverage of the day’s events was sent to Melbourne for transmission on ABV2 later in the week.
The main purpose of Princess Alexandra’s Australian tour was to attend the Queensland centenary celebrations. After her stay in Canberra she spent three weeks touring Queensland.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane was named in her honour following her Queensland visit.
Source: TV News-Times, 15 August 1959
| ABN2 | ATN7 | TCN9 | |
| 6AM | |||
| 7AM | 7.01am News, Weather 7.05 Cartoons 7.10 Ray Taylor 7.45 News, Weather |
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| 8AM | 8am Ray Taylor 8.45 Autumn Affair |
||
| 9AM | 9am Music | ||
| 10AM | 10am Test Pattern, Music | ||
| 11AM | 11.15 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra | 11.15 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra 11.45 News, Weather 11.55 A Woman’s View |
11.15am Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra 11.45 Close |
| 12PM | 12pm Test Pattern, Music | 12pm Movie: Who Killed Gail Preston [IMDB] | |
| 1PM | 1pm Close | 1.30 Jane Wyman Theatre | |
| 2PM | 2pm Test Pattern, Music | 2pm Your Home. Del Cartwright 2.30 Dragnet |
2pm Rendezvous With Roger |
| 3PM | 3pm A Man Called X 3.30 Melody With Milton |
3pm Monday Matinee 3.30 Home And Beauty. Elaine White |
|
| 4PM | 4pm Woman’s World. Mary Mackay 4.30 New Zealand Mirror 4.45 Kindergarten Playtime |
4pm Ramar Of The Jungle 4.30 Small Time. Chris Beard 4.45 Cartoons |
4pm These Were The Hits 4.30 OSS |
| 5PM | 5pm Children’s TV Club | 5pm Rocky Jones Space Ranger 5.25 Crusader Rabbit 5.30 Teen Time. Keith Walshe |
5pm Annie Oakley 5.30 Desmond And The Channel 9-Pins |
| 6PM | 6pm Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians 6.30 The Life Of Riley 6.55 Focus |
6.30 Laurel And Hardy 6.56 News, Weather |
6pm The Mickey Mouse Club 6.25 Spunky And Tadpole 6.30 Huckleberry Hound 6.45 News, Weather |
| 7PM | 7pm ABC News, Newsreel 7.25 Weather 7.30 Glencannon |
7pm McKenzie’s Raiders 7.30 Movie: Sea Hornet [IMDB] |
7pm Robin Hood 7.30 Border Patrol |
| 8PM | 8pm Assignment Foreign Legion 8.30 Any Questions |
8pm The Restless Gun 8.30 I Love Lucy |
|
| 9PM | 9pm Sports Cavalcade 9.25 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra |
9pm The Loretta Young Show 9.30 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra |
9pm Whitehall Playhouse 9.30 Trackdown |
| 10PM | 10.15 Science In Close-Up 10.30 News, Newsreel 10.55 Close |
10.15 Feature | 10pm Gunsmoke 10.30 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra |
| 11PM | 11.10 News, Weather 11.20 Cue For Music. Roy Hampson 11.40 Close |
11.30 The Star And The Story | |
| 12AM | 12am Close | ||
| 1AM | |||
| 2AM | |||
| 3AM | |||
| 4AM | |||
| 5AM |
