Down Under with the Prince

In Short

Everard Cotes’s Down Under with the Prince is a first-hand travel narrative chronicling the 1920 imperial tour of Edward, Prince of Wales, aboard the battlecruiser H.M.S. Renown. Traveling through the Panama Canal, New Zealand, Australia, and the West Indies, Cotes captures public receptions, rural landscapes, civic infrastructure, and political shifts. The narrative serves as a vivid journalistic record of early twentieth-century British Empire diplomacy, detailing how remote dominions asserted their growing independence while remaining tethered to monarchical tradition through personal affection for the young Prince.

The Story

The book opens with the departure of H.M.S. Renown as it embarks on a forty-five-thousand-mile voyage across the globe. Passing through the West Indies and navigating the newly completed Panama Canal, the vessel makes its way into the Pacific Ocean. Before reaching Australasia, the crew engages in elaborate Equatorial crossing ceremonies presided over by "King Neptune," setting a tone of naval camaraderie and maritime tradition that anchors the long sea transit.

Upon arriving in New Zealand, the Prince receives an enthusiastic welcome marked by civic parades, military reviews, and cultural encounters with Maori communities. Journeying across both the North and South Islands via specialized mountain railways and rural roads, the tour exposes the correspondent to the Dominion's thriving agricultural landscape, political stability, and high standard of living. Cotes pays particular attention to the egalitarian spirit of the country, noting how widespread land ownership fosters political conservatism and social health.

The narrative then shifts to Australia, where the Royal party lands to sweeping public celebrations across Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland. In Melbourne and Sydney, vast crowds line the streets, while official functions bring the Prince into contact with political leaders across the spectrum, including Commonwealth Prime Minister W. M. Hughes and state Labour cabinets. The tour moves deep into the backblocks and sheep-runs, showing the Prince taking part in sheep shearing, riding through the bush, and meeting returned soldiers, war widows, and local workers. A dramatic train derailment in Western Australia highlights the physical hazards of the journey, though the Prince continues his schedule uninterrupted, winning broad public admire.

Leaving Australia, the Renown heads eastward across the Pacific, making stops in Samoa, Honolulu, and returning through the Panama Canal to visit Trinidad, Demerara, and Bermuda. Across these island territories, local populations greet the Royal visitor with elaborate decorations made of indigenous crops, military parades, and civic receptions. The journey concludes with reflections on the broader geopolitical significance of the trip, emphasizing how the Prince's personal charm helped consolidate imperial sentiment across distant territories while showcasing the economic vitality, military potential, and emerging national identities of the self-governing dominions.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins H.M.S. Renown sails through the Panama Canal, where the party observes the engineering feats of the locks, Gatun Lake, and flooded forests from the Control House.

Neptune boards the ship Crossing the Equator, the ship’s crew and passengers participate in traditional line-crossing ceremonies, complete with elaborate costumes, mock trials, and playful initiations on the forecastle.

Arrival in New Zealand The tour reaches Auckland and proceeds southward through the North and South Islands, featuring mass gatherings of schoolchildren, Maori welcomes, and steep mountain train ascents across the Rimutaka range.

Welcome to Australia Landing in Melbourne and Jervis Bay, the Prince inspects naval cadets, attends agricultural shows, and navigates dense crowds while meeting political leaders from both the Government and Labour opposition.

Into the backblocks The journey extends into rural Western Australia and Queensland, where the Prince experiences a train derailment, visits vast sheep stations, handles power-driven shearing clippers, and meets local jackaroos.

Homeward through the islands The Renown retraces its path back through the West Indies and Bermuda, where tropical cities decorate their streets with native produce and stage final civic receptions before the voyage ends.

The People

The Prince of Wales (H.R.H. Edward) The central figure of the journey, who seeks to fulfill his diplomatic duties across forty-five thousand miles of travel. He faces grueling public schedules, overwhelming crowds, and physical hazards like a railway derailment, ultimately emerging as an accessible, popular figure who connects deeply with ordinary citizens and returned soldiers.

Everard Cotes The observant press correspondent accompanying the tour, who aims to provide readers with an authentic, detailed account of the journey. Standing on the sidelines of official functions and country visits, he maintains a steady perspective on the political, economic, and social developments of the regions visited.

W. M. Hughes The Prime Minister of Australia, who represents the political leadership of the host nation. He seeks to demonstrate Australia's fierce loyalty to the crown while emphasizing its growing national importance and distinct identity within the British Commonwealth.

The Dominion Citizens and War Veterans A collective central presence consisting of civic leaders, rural squatters, Maori groups, and returned soldiers. They seek recognition for their wartime sacrifices and local achievements, transforming formal royal protocol into personal, enthusiastic encounters.

In Its Own Voice

"The great design was in action before our eyes."

From the veranda of the Canal Control House, the correspondent observes the smooth operation of the locks as the battlecruiser navigates Gatun Lake.

"The Royal Navy does nothing by half."

Ahead of the equatorial line-crossing ceremony, the crew engages in elaborate preparations, crafting rhymed patter and original costumes for the traditional initiation.

"Homage to Mrs. Roberts, war-worker, be her style married or single."

Greeting an elderly local figure waving a flag in Tasmania, Cotes reflects on the quiet resilience and devotion exhibited by women across the Empire.

What It's Really About

Beneath its chronological record of speeches, parades, and naval transits, the book explores the evolving relationship between Great Britain and its self-governing dominions in the aftermath of World War I. Cotes examines how shared military sacrifice deepened imperial loyalty while simultaneously fostering distinct national identities in Australia and New Zealand. The narrative investigates how agrarian life, democratic governance, and widespread land ownership create stable, conservative societies resistant to radical political unrest. Ultimately, the book considers how personal diplomacy and symbolic monarchy function as unifying forces across vast geographical distances and diverse colonial territories.

Why Read It Today

Down Under with the Prince offers a vivid, historical snapshot of the British Empire at its post-World War I apex, captured through the eyes of an experienced journalist. Readers interested in naval history, early twentieth-century travel, or the social histories of Australia and New Zealand will appreciate Cotes's detailed descriptions of landscapes, agricultural practices, and early infrastructure projects like the Panama Canal and mountain railways.

The text reflects period attitudes, language, and colonial viewpoints that require a critical eye, particularly regarding indigenous populations and imperial governance. However, Cotes avoids mere promotional praise, delivering a grounded narrative filled with specific observations of daily life, political dynamics, and regional geography. It remains a fascinating historical document illustrating how public spectacle and personal charisma were deployed to sustain international alliances in a rapidly changing world.