IOR/L/PS/12/1490

The file contains papers regarding a visit by the King of Italy (Victor Emmanuel III) to Aden and Italian Somaliland [present-day north eastern, central and southern Somalia], during October to November 1934. The King arrived on board the Savoia, escorted by the cruiser Gorizia.

The majority of the file comprises correspondence between the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Aden Chief Commissioner (Bernard Reilly), the Italian Embassy in London, the British Ambassador to Italy (Sir Eric Drummond), the Admiralty, and HMS Penzance. The correspondence concerns arrangements for the King's arrival, the confusion over the public or private nature of the visit, whether the standard should be flown, and what honours and salutes should be granted accordingly.

The file also contains a letter from Reilly remarking on the King's visit (folios 20-21), and a letter and report from Drummond providing details of the King's tour of Italian Somaliland (folios 13-18). Later correspondence concerns the confusion over the arrival procedures, and the question as to whether a formal complaint should be submitted, plus details of additional expenses to be met by the Government of India.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 1).