Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip

FARMER JONES MOSCOW (UPI) - What does one say to the husband of the Queen of England at a cocktail party in the capital of the Soviet Union? Royal etiquette dictates, even in a communist country, you don't speak to a Prince until spoken to. The protocol of princely encounters is one of the hidden aspects of Prince Philip’s three-day visit to the Soviet Union to inspect facilities for equestrian competition at the 1980 Olympic Games. The test will come today when the British Embassy holds a cocktail party for the 57-year-old Prince. 

If the Prince approaches you, an embassy official explained, one should stop smoking, drinking or eating. Men should bow the heads and women half curtsey. If he speaks to you, address him first as Your Royal Highness and sir thereafter. Just to make sure the British diplomats themselves knew the proper form, the embassy circulated a memorandum in advance of the party explaining how to act in the Royal presence. 

Some embassy staffers bristled at the guidelines, but others found them helpful, one diplomat said. After all, it's not every day you meet the Duke of Edinburgh, he said. Prince Philip, in his capacity as President of the International Equestrian Federation, donned a hard hat, green gumboots and a windbreaker Tuesday to inspect the main Olympics equestrian stadium. He told his Soviet hosts spectators at the stadiums dressage arena would need more room. The 4,000 seats provided were not enough, he said. Dressage is the pride of Soviet horse-riding and we expect that a lot of people will want to come and watch it, he said. 

Responding to a comment the drainage in the stables seemed inadequate, an official said it would be adequate. I suppose he's hoping the horses wont all pee at once, the Prince said. "And where will the dung heap be? If you know what I mean. Protocol still applies when royalty visits. — The Californian, Salinas, 1979

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