| Description | Written while Shuckburgh was Ambassador to Italy, the diary begins on 2 January and ends on 21 May. Most of the diary describes Shuckburgh's official engagements, which include meetings with many Italian and British politicians. There is an index of names, dates, and page numbers at the front of the volume.
Meetings in the diary include lunch with Meloy, the Minister at the UK Embassy, including a discussion about de Gaulle who is 'still trying to break up Canada', 3 January
/16 a visit to London for a Conference of Foreign Ambassadors about 'next steps in Europe', 18-21 January;
/39 a meeting with Prince Philip, 2 March;
/45 calling on Ferrari Aggradi...to enlist his support for the PAL system of colour television against the SECAM system, 6 March;
/56 visiting Freya Stark, 15 March
/85-/102 description of a state visit with President Saragat to the United Kingdom, during which Shuckburgh stayed at Windsor Castle and attended several official dinners, 21 April;
/103 copy of a letter from Shuckburgh to HM The Queen thanking her for her hospitality at Windsor Castle, 29 April;
/104-/105 the official visit of President Saragat to Scotland, where he visits Glasgow and Edinburgh, 25 April;
/109 reaction to the resignation of Charles de Gaulle, 28 April;
/111 official dinner at the Guildhall in London in honour of President Saragat, 28 April;
/113 visit to Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, 29 April;
/115 phone call from Lord Avon concerning Macmillan's book, 1 May.
There are two documents bound with this diary: /76a text of an after dinner speech given by Shuckburgh at Bagni di Lucca, Italian, 11 April 1969; /76b Press cutting of an article by Shuckburgh entitled 'The Real Basis of Unity in Europe', nd. |