Plane 4



Sign Mexico 2



luckage 5



Queen, Prince and princess Beatrix walking toward plane 13



cameraman 1



Queen, Prince and Princess Beatrix going into plane 8



Princess Margriet and Princess Christine 2



Departure plane 8



Spectators 5



Departure plane 5.




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Dutch royal family today departed for its Mexican state visit but without princess Irene.

As the Mexican-bound plane with only the queen, prince Bernhard and crown-princess Beatrix on board had left, official spokesman at Schiphol airport announced that Irene had officially out off her ties with her family and nation.

In what was to become the climax of the queen's second oldest daughter's controversial and mystery-ridden love-affair with a Spanish throne-pretender's son, Don Juan Carlos, Irene's secretary announced that the princess had renounced on her obligations as a royal family member and would marry abroad. Don Carlos leads the Spanish rightist extremist "Carlists" group. Irene's communique said QUOTE in accordance with the express wish of her husband to be, the princess would from now on participate in his work with all possible consequences of it UNQUOTE.

In the unprepared and hasty press-conference the Queen's secretary announced that Juliana and Bernhard had learned of the decision with deep regret.

Both communiques carried official government consent.

The rupture of the official ties with the royal family was stipulated as follows: QUOTE the princess will not participate in the state visit to Mexico as to separate the personal responsibilities of her movements completely from those of the royal family - notably as not to create any political problems for the queen. UNQUOTE. Irene became a Roman-Catholic to clear the way for her sudden audience with the Pope of yesterday, several events seem to introduce what was going to happen, such as prime minister Marijnen's absence at a meeting of television-chiefs, excused as having urgent talks at the Hague government center.