ROYAL WEDDING.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17748, 27 April 1923, Page 9

ROYAL WEDDING.

! CEREMONY IN ABBEY. A BRILLIANT SPECTACLE. (Received Aprii i'oth, 11.3-5 p.lit.') ! LONDON April 26. For the so con a time w.thin fourteen months the Abbey was the scene of a Royal wedding. Three thousand guests attended what was a brilliant spectacle. while outside was a scene of jfcimation and enthusiasm nlong the route between the Abbey mid the Palace where, from an early hour, I sightseers began to occupy coigns of vantage. During the past weeks the Duke of York and his Sottish bride have become increasingly popular, and bis selection of a bride from his own land has won the entire approval of the people. In most respects the wedding ceremonial closely followed that of Princess Mary's. The route was lined by the first battalions respectively of the Grenadiers, Coldstreains, Scots and Welsh Guards, while the various Guards' bauds were stationed at points along the route. At the Abbey, a dismounted party of the Eleventh Hussars and detachments of the Somerset Light Infantry, Ea-st Yorkshire Regiment, and the Army Ordnance Corps lined the pavements. The Duke of York's connexion with the Navy and Air Force was marked by the guards of honour at the Abbey doors being furnished from them. In addition to the military, nine thousand police were stationed along the route. Queen Alexandra preceded the King and Queen to the Abbey by a few minutes, while the Duke of York, accompanied by tho Prinoe of Wales and Prince Henry, left the Palace shortly after his parents. The bride, accompanied by her father, left her home in Brutou place just after eleven. The procession of Royalties was along a gaily decorated, route down the Mall, across the Horse Guards' Parade into Whitehall, thence to the Abbey, which was entered by the west door.

While the congregation was assembling, Mr S. H. Nicholson the Abbey organist, played PurceiPs Suite, Basil Harwood's "Andante and Finale" from the "Sonata in A Sharp Minor," Handel's "Minuet" from "Berenice," and Saint-Saens's "Benediction INuptiale."

A great ovation was accorded their Majesties as they alighted at the Abbey. As the King mareS in She procession to his appointed place the organist played Elgar's "Imperial March." For the bridegroom's procession Parry's "March in C" was played.

When the Duke of ( York, accompanied by his brothers, took his allotted place, the bride, escorted by her father, walked to the altar preceded by the choir singing the hymn, "Lead Us, Heavenly Father." As the young couple took their places before the altarj the Dean of Westminster read the exhortation, after which the Archbishop of Canterbury began the service. With him were the Archbishop of York, the, Primus of Scotland, and the Abbey clergy. The scene was impressive. The great congregation was hushed to silence as the Archbishop began the marriage service. When he had finished, the choir . chanted the Psalm, "God be Merciful Unto Us," to Wesley's setting. ' Then followed prayers, after which the Archbishop of York delivered an address to the newlymarried couple. The Archbishop said: To this great, this crowning, day of your lives, you have come attended by the august, moving memories of this hallowed place, and by the kindly thoughts and wishes of the nation. Before this host of witnesses, seen and unseen, you have offered your love to one another and to God. You have received from Him at this altar new life in which your separate lives are now till death made one. Will" you take and keep this gift of wedded life as a sacred trustf Sacred it must be, for your love and God's love are within it. With all our hearts we wish that it may be happy, but you cannot resolve that it shall be happy. You ! can and will resolve that it shall be ; noble. You will think not so much of enjoyment as of achievement. You will have great ambition to make this one life - now given to you something rich and true, a beauti- i ful inspiration. Strength to fulfil this sacred trust will come to you from God who gave it. You will, we are assured, resolve to make this wedded life of yours a blessing not only to yourselves but to others, not least to those who in a world of toil and strugggle have most need of help and cheer. The warm, generous heart of this people takes you to-day into itself. Will you not in response take that heart with all its joys and sorrows into your ownl You, sir, have already given many proofs of your care for the welfare of our working people. You made yourself i at homo in their mines, shipyards and factories. You have brought boys in the workshop and public school together iu free and frank companionship. You have done much to show your own sense and increase the public sense of the honour and uignity of labour. And you and your dear bride, in your old Scottish home, have grown up from childhood among country folk,' and' friendship with them has beei your native air, so you have both been fitted for your place in the people's life. The nations and classes which <nake up our Commonwealth too often live their lives apart. It is therefore a. great thing that there should be in our midst one family which is regarded by all as in the true sense their own. It makes the whole Empire kin and helpft to give it a spirit of one family life. Let the example be ever before you of Him who, though Lord of all men, is yet their brother, and who was and is content to be among His Brethren as one that serves. These same! hopes we cherish for you, but after all, it i» to yourselves as simple man #od maid, now husband and wife, that oar heart turns as you go forth to meet the yeare to come. On benalf of tho. roiwn happy in your joy,wa-tad yon God speed and wish yon good look in the name of the Lord through all the

changes in this mortal life. May God'a love ever shadow you! His power protect yon, His spirit guide you, His pence enfold you. After the address the bridal party retired to the vestry to sassn "Uk> regisier, the hymn "Praise my soul. King of Heaven,being sung, followed bv the choir singing Orlando (ribbon's " Amen" and the anthem "Beloved, let us love," composed specially for Princess Mary's wedding. hen the party emerged from the vestry Mendelssohn's "Wedding March"" and Stanford's "Marcia Eroica" was played. As the Royal procession moved from tho ALhey its bells pealed as never bofore. About five thousand changes were rung, looting three and a half hours. The crowd vied with the bells in giving the wedded couple a warm send off. The bridal pair returned to the Palace by a route which extended through the Mall to St. James's street, Piccadilly, Hyde Park and Constitution Mill. There was one long continued ovation. The King and Queen, accomjMinied by field officers and an escort of Life Guards, Queen Alexandra with captains and an escort of Life Guards, returned to tho Palace by a shorter route to welcome their son and daughter-in-law. The Abbey guests included every phase of society, a strong representation of the foreign diplomatic corps, representatives of all the overseas Dominions and the agents-general.

UNPROPITIOUS WEATHER

CROWDS GATHERING. (.Received April 26th, 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 20. After a whole day's rain came a brief fair interval late in the evening, l>ut from midnight the downpour continued hour after hour., For this reason there were fewer night assemblers outeifio the Abbey and along the route as on the occasion of Princess Mary's wedding. It is surprising that there were any at all. Little groups, including women, sheltered in doorways near Whitehall and in the vicinity of the Abbey. The weather forecast is for fairer intervals, but there is no sign of them. The decorations are drertched, but many were withheld till early tliis moriiing. Crowds, undeterred by rain, waited outside Buckingham Palace yesterday to see the Duke of York, Lady Elisabeth and her mother, who left late in the afternoon, the Duke of York es:orting them to, the doorway, and chatting to them in full view of the crowd. It is expected that a million people will witness the processions to and from the Abbey.. Thirty working-class boys will be. in the A-bbey itself, also four-ing-men selected from the dockland organisation. The decorations include many Dominion flajs. The newspapers have a full programme of pictures and leading articles commending the Duke of York's choice.

Threatening weather continued early in the morning, with showers at intervals. Crowds commenced to asaemWe at 6 o'clock over the greater part of the route. It was. notable that Piccadilly nnd St. James street were practically empty. In tho vicinity of the Abbey hundreds Were waiting all night long. Many I roughit their own camp Stools. There was plenty of room. At 9 o'c'ock the sun made a feeble attempt to shine, but the conditions were ominous. ' •

Hundreds of police, wearing raincoats, had parts of the route practically to themselves. Towards 8 o'clock crowds arrived and joined those who had brought their own breakfast, the remains of which were strewn along the route. Of the earliest places rushed the Mall near the Palace, and Marlborough Gate, were most favoured, also the Horse Guards' Parade, where the King and Queen pass on their way to the Abbey and which the bride and bridegroom traverse on their return to thei Palace. 1

the cake described.

A CONFECTIONER'S TRIUMPH. (BY cabix—MNl AMOCUWO*—comwdHT.) (austbaliait ASS H.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATIO*.) LONDON, April 25. The Boyal wedding cake ii nine feet high in four tiers, and weighs eight hundred pounds. On the lower tier are ; six delicately-wrought sugar lace cupolas, forming the cake into six panoß Five bear sugar plaques, representing v Love, while the sixth bears a silken plaque on which is a coat of.,arms representing the uiuon of both houses. When the bride cuts the cake she will insert the blade under this, enabling a container to be removed by a silk ribbon. This contains gol4 cake charms, consisting of, a ring, thimble, horseshoe, donkey, and a goose, and a]po threepenny pieces. The second • tier is a representation of the balcony . scene from "jßomeo.and Juliet." Surmounting the cake is a hexagonal bowl borne by Cupids, and other Cupidß are poised on the bowl, distribating flowers. The bowl is supported by a silver stand,- at each corner -of' which is a lion rampant.

The wedding invitations issued, in addition to official representatives, include the following New Zealanders.Colonel and Mrs Collins and Mesdames Holmes, CotteriU, Boss, and Colquhouii.