THE ROYAL WEDDING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 21

THE ROYAL WEDDING

ENGLAND'S NEW PRINCESS

SCENES OF SPLENDOUR IN THE

ABBEY

ARCHBISHOP'S INSPIRING

ADDRESS.

tFROH OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 4th May.

At 10 o'clock on the morning of the Royal wedding April rain clouds hastened across the sky. Sometimes a leaden light brought anxiety to the million people who ■ waited along the route of the Royal procession. Sometimes the sun would burst out from a. sky of blue. It was an.important matter, for though the chief ■ actors in the wedding ceremony might suffer little inconvenience"

from the. April showers, it was a people's day, and the people wished the sun to Bhine on the young couple as they took their first journey together as man and ■wife.

They were not disappointed. As the moat important part of the marriage service -was in progress A gleam of sunlight flashed over the sacrarium. The ray was limited by the breadth, of' the Abbey window, but it fell just where the bride and'bridegroom stood- as they, repeated their marriage vows. From that time oii.the gleaim and gloom chased e3ch other in jthe stately building, but- when the procession formed up to return to the Palace v,there "was a blue sky overhead which .gave a satisfying complete- ■ ness to .the" Royal pageantry; . At 10 o'clock the first of the Royal guests were allowed -into the Abbey. The lights were low;.and there was a certain gloom ip the historic grey building. From that time onward, however, the kaleidoscopic .picture began' to form. From a' • teihporary gallery where ■ the chroniclers of this.'ceremony were privileged to sitfjbne could watch the tranEepts gradually filling. Beyond the asfiemWihg guests oneicoul'd see the raised

sacrarium lighted, for "the moment by several hundred candles. Here were the v white .and', gold chairs set- for the families of th<3. bridegroom.and the bride, the banners,-the splendid throne of the Dean, .the pictures of ancient kings, the t Gacred vessels'of ■ gold, and., the high nltar. .■;., ■'■'. • ■"

SCARLET. AND GOLD,

On all .these State occasions it is the clothing of the men which gives brilliance to the colour scheme. Women's dresses, beautiful and expensive, cannot compete in vividness with, the scarlet and gold, the blue and' gold, the colouredf.sashes or orders. .And-'so the women, so;..far as brilliance, of attire! was concerned;: were completely. outshone by the men;' even when they were wrapped in tissue 'of isilver arid'gold. Beautiful dresses'were of lace,, crepe romaino, satin beaute, often wonderfully embroidered with pastel col : curings, and with beads. Hats were often feather-trimmed, or-were forests of graceful ogprey. ..'•.■

Among, ths. . early arrivals - were the . 'Eight .'■[:. Hon:. J. E. Clynes and hia;-. wife. Mrs' Asquith was coon. after: Sir. Aspuithl followed in ihe': uniform, of Trinity House. Lord and Lady Curzon and Mr. Bonar Law;cam'ein together, the Premier tak*, ing a'front: seat to the left of the sanctuary steps. With the Duke of Devonshire,, was the:;:'newly-betrothed Lady Rachel. Cavendish, one of Princess Mary's bridesmaids. Mr. and Mrs.. Austen Chamberlain, Mr. .and.-Mrs. Lloyd 1. George, Mr. Winston Churchill, and a hundreds others whose names are well lcnown could be seen taking their allotted seats. Included among them were Dr. W. A.. Chappie, M.P., and Mrs. Chappie.. 1 But the guests were wonder-, fully representative of the King's subjects. Boy Scouts smartly turned out distributed'the order of.service. Naval, military, and' political chiefs/ of course, were most .conspicuous, but one recognised scientists and writers whose; names are world famous, leaders, of the, stage and. luminaries of every section of the Church. But, the Duke had se'en that invitations had_ been sent to regresentatives of the working classes. •'• There' v;as a foreman labourer .from. Dockland, a clerk 'from 'a leading draper's and a number of others whom the Duke. of York had. come.in contact .■with, in the course of his many visits to factories and other business establishments. And every now and then "there entered a representative of the Dominions. Sir' James and Lady Allen had. seats in the north transept between the great door and the charicel. Other New Zealariders who were fortunate enough to be in the Ab» bey were Colonel the Hon. W. E. Collins, C.M.G., M.L.C., and Mrs.. Collins, Mrs. Mathew Holmes, Mrs Henry Cotterill, Mrs. Malcolm Boss, and Mrs. D. Colquhoun. .' : Soon after 11 ,o'clock the .nave' and transepts were filled. : The lights were up, music was issuing from the organ, and the distant clash of bells'could be heard. Then the . processions began. Through the cloister door on. the south side came His Majesty's Bodyguard of Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms. Even the generals and the admirals' uniforms paled before these resplendent people. Scarlet and gold they wore, all men well over six feet, with helmets of burnished brass and long drooping white plumes'; These' wonderful helmets they wear inside church and out. Were it not so it would'tie difficult to know how they, would carry them. Then the "Beefeaters," the Yeomen of the Guard, tramped stoutly in and took up their positions with sloped pikes before each pillar of. the nave. Thus the setting was complete for the central picture. ■ >

THE ROYAL PARTY,

The first to take their places on the Bacrarium were the greater clergy: the Primus of Scotland, the Bishop of London, the Archbishop of York, and last the' Archbishop of' Canterbury, followed by his Primatial Cross. Robed as they v.-Krft, they might have been the church dignitaries of centuries ago. Then, almost unexpectedly, as the whole congregation stood, the head of the Royal procession was passing. A conspicuous figure was the Marchioness of Carisbrooke, closely followed by Lady Patricia Ramsay, first of all modern Abbey Royal brides, with her husband, in the uniform of the Senior Service. The Duke of Connaugbt escorted Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, and was followed by Princess Christian and Princess Beatrice, together; the Princess Royal had'Priri-'----cess Victoria as'her companion. ■ Princess Maiid walked "between P.rincess Helena Victoria, and her sister; the Earl of Athlone escotted Princess"'Alice.' Then came Princess Mary, with her husband; Qqeen ..Alexandria, full _ of, smiles and gracious bows for those between. whom she passed, the Empress" Marie on one side; and .Prince George, in.midshipman.^ the other: And,fol-lowing.-them came the King, in naval uniform, and the Queen together.

Queen Mary was very attractive' and stately in her dress of aquamarine blue and silver. A foundation of soft aquamarine tissue was veiled by a, classically draped overdress, in which the white rose uf York in silver was interwoven with delicate blue threads, 'the two. forming the lace-like material through which now and again it was poFsiblq to get- a. glimpse of the skirt beneath. Showers of blue,\igt&d stmamaiiiie crystals sparkled on,

the skirt and the corsage, and edged the slenves, and her diamonds flushed fire.

There was a slight cessation in the procession, and then c;;me the Abbey clergy, in cape? of crimson velvet, stiff with gold embroidery. Following them was the Royal bridegroom. He was immaculately clad in the uniform of the Royal Air Force. He walked proudly, with head erect.- "With him was the Prince of Wales, in scarlet Guards' uniform, and Prince Henry in the blue andi gold of (■he Hussars. The three princes mounted the steps of the sacrarium and all bowed to the Royal Family." The Queen Mother they saluted with a kiss. . -.. ,

ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDE.

And then came the moment for which all had been waiting—the arrival' of thebride. The choir began the ■ hymn, " Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us," and the bride, with her father, appeared at the west door. She carried in her hand a bouquet of white roses, and when opposite the tomb of the " Unknown Warrior," she paused, and, with happy inspiration, she placed the flowers onthe sacred spot. Lord Strathmore's scarlet uniform made the shimmering white and silver of the bride's dress Took all the fresher and sweeter. From an excellent point of vantage it was possible to see how lovely wag the bridal gown, designed on simple Botticelli lines. It was of white moire mousme, -with skirt that just-touched the ground.. The squaienecked bodice was trimmed in front with four inset bands of silver; lame, bordered with an attractive design in pearl pearl bead embroidery, the 1 longest band encircling the iront of the low waistline. A similar band was used as a lengthways panel down the front of the skirt. The tiny .sleeves were bordered, with pearl embroidery. From: the waist a full train of moire mousme fell for about half' a yard on the ground. A second train of fine net partly bordered with Nottingham lace was arranged from the shou'ders, covering 12ft to 15ft on the °xomd. Over this was : laid a white pawl of pearlembroidered silver lame reaching as far as the. material train. The beautiful antique lac.c lent to' Lady Elizabeth by the Queen was arranged over the head as a cap, confined in front by a chaplet of tiny green leaves with 1 clusters of orange blossom and miniature ■ white roses at each side. _ It then' fell with cape-like effect,' making an outer .train of. the same length as the pet one. Lady Elizabeth's shoes^—very, tiny ones— were of white satin embroidered with silver and pearls to. match the dress^' The bride carried a tiny white satin handbag, which.,was covered;-with white, orange blossom,.and looked more like a, pendant bouquet than, what it really,was.' ,''

Behind her'came, .the: eight bridesmaids, simply clad' in' cream chiffon, petal-pointed and picot-edged—three layers'of the filmy fabric being posed over a slip of cream crepe He-chine. A girdle of;,siiver leaves and.three trails of silver leaves falling on each', side of the skirt formed the . only /decoration/ and just at'the right side; was'^ posy of white"' ■ heather, a' white <and, silver rose, from which fell a long ■ streamer of lilylnai, green tulle.. Wreaths.;'of green, leaves outlined in silver, with bunches of white roses placed • over,,the ears, completed the bridesmaids' headdresses: ■ Their'bouquets were of white roses.' 'First came the bride's two little nieces; Miss'.Elphiinstone mid Miss Bowes-Lyon, who -bore her Jong veil; then Lady. Mary 'Gambridge and Lady- May Cambridge, and behind them, rising, in ; order of height, Lady' Mary, .Thynne. >nd Mks Gator Lady. • Katharine Hamilton, and Miss Hardinge. . ; ■. • Very - composed the bride and bridegroom ' loQked, and although one could rip£;-• hear- ■■th'eir^resj'Oßseg^ipJMi^lijiß^'.the^: 'we^:■■^Yen^^jtJl,•';■B^adfi£|^tf^ilJJ^Jife'l^ is' nothing dra.wn ;out; about tlie",lharvi* age ceremony. ' The approach to it'seen>. ed.'ib last.only a niinuiß or two. „,/^yith.i a clatter of his sword, the Prince of Wales stepped' forward and gave , his brother the ring. "Those whom> ,God hath joined together, let no man' put asunder." It was the Archbishop ■ speaking, clear and strong. "For as much.as Albert Frederick Arthur George ~ and Elizabeth Angela Marguerite have eontogether in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by "giving -and receiving of a ring, and'by joining ..of hands, I pronounce that they be-man and wile together in the'Nanie.;of.; the Father andi of the Son,andoftheHoly Ghost.—Amen." The Duke':andi TJuchess of York moved up tothe altar man and wife. ■.'■'. .•..'■.'

AN INSPIRING ADDRESS.

In his address the Archbishop of York explained in simple words the deep inner meaning of a ceremony on which the • attention of the whole Empire was concentrated. . .

"To. this.great, this crowning, day of your 'lives, you .have come, attended by. the-august-and moving memories'of this, hallowed place and by the ' kindly",j thoughts and wishes of the nation. 'Be-, i fore tliis ;host of witnesses, seen and unseen, you", have/., offered ■ your!,love to one another..and to.God- You 1 have 'received from' Him at.'this altar a new life-'wherein ■-, .your , separate lives are now, till'death, 'made one., ■■ Will' you take,and keep this gift of wedded life as a, sacred trust? ' Sacred it m'uet be, for- your "love.and God's love are within it. With:all our hearts we 'wish 'that it may be.happy. Biit. you cannot, resolve that'it'shall be. happy. '.You- can and will resolve that it shall' be noble. You will think mot .so. much of enjoyment as of achievement. You w.ill.have a great ambition'to. make; this one-life-now given to you something rich .and true . and beautiful. Inspiration aud strength to fulfil this, sacred trust wilhj come to you from Gods'.Who gave it. Hk I love will be the deep perennial spring by which your love, for one another, itself an outflow of His love, will be ever refreshed and renewed. His presence with you, realised by you in remembrance and prayer and Sacrament, will hallow your home and giye.Jt security and peace and joy. The nearer you keep to Him the nearer you will keep to each j other. So let the deepest part of your lives be that which you most truly share together; and let your loyalty each to the other find its abiding strength and j gladness in loyalty to Him.

A PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S LIFE.

"And 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 struggle, have most need of help and cheer. The warm and generous heart of this people takes you to-day into .itself. .■Will you not, .in re-^ sponse, take that heart with all .its joys 1 and sorrows into your .own? You,' Sir, have, already given ,mariy proofs of your care for. the welfare ,of our- working pe6ple ; You' have made' yourself ; ,at' home in their" mines, and shipyards, aiicV factories.; You "have brought the boys: of-the -workshop and' the public school together in -free and • frank companionship. , You. have done much to show .your, own sense and to increase the -pubIre sense 1 of \the.honour;, and. dignity .of 1 labour. And you/'dear.,'bride, in your" old Scottish home, have grov.-n up-from childhood among' country lolk, and friendship witli them has been your native air. So have you both been fitted for your place in thefpebple's life. "The nations'and classes-which make up. our Commonwealth too often live their lives apart. It is therefore v great thing that there sliould.be in our midst one family which, regarded by mil as iv & i£ua. souse iiisir cko 4 jnaks* the whole .

Empire kin, and helps to give to it the spirit of one family life. It is your privilege to be members of that family and that central home. 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 are some of the hopes we cherish for yon. But after all it is to yourselves as simple man and maid, now husband and wife, that our heart turns as you go forth to meet the years that are to come. On behalf of a' nation happy in your joy we bid you Godspeed and 'wish you good luck in the name of the Lord.' Through all the changes and chances of this mortal life may God's love overshadow you, His power protect you, His Spirit guide you, and His peace enfold you."

SIGNING THE REGISTER,

The service was over; the contract was made; the bridegroom and bride were man and wife. Of formality nothing remained to be done but the signing of the registers. The Abbey.keeps its registers in duplicate; and besides these there is the Royal book in which all the births, ma-mages, and deaths of the Royal Family are entered, and the big white book ,in which ' the Abbey keeps its record of its great visitors. All these were set out on a v ancient oak table beneath the shrine and tomb of King Edward the Confessor, just behind the altar of the Abbey.The King and Queen, Queen Alexandra; the Empress Marie, the Prince of Wales., the bridegroom-, the bride and her two smallest bridesmaids, Lord and Lady ■Strathmore, the Duke of Portland, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Dean of Westminster went through the door in the screen to .the north of the altar to the Confessor's .tomb, and^ there the registers and; books were signed. Among the pens .used* was one in the form of a gold feather, a wedding present to the Duke' of York. .And while this' final act' was being performed we in the church listened to the anthem, "Beloved, Let us Love One Another, which, composed- by Mr. • Sydney Ji. Nicholson, ends.with a hymn of which the words were' written; :by'-the; late Bishop Mandell Cfeightori. '.;.-';. ;. Then the bride, looking very yoUng and happy, with the briclegroom, came, down-from the sacrarium, and she ..replied, to. the general glances of good wishes,with a smile that;was charming -in its shyness. [' . The procession of the clergy, the King arid' Queen, and the Royal Family passed elbwly'.dbwn the nave, and the^ ceremony was. over. ' - 'With a -sudden"_ shock the congregation, .leaving ,' the quiet, grey solemnity of the Abbey, found ,themgolves in a world of pealing bells and lusty cheering, with tho sun painting everything with gold., >

NEW ZEALAND SIGHTSEERS,

The women who made their way from all over London to Whitehall and the squares before Westminster Abbey outnumbered the, men by at least five to one. Women predominated among those- who had paid ten guineas for seats in. the stands, and women by the thousand 'were to be seen in the privileged windows of the Abbey, and of.the Government offices. Invitations had been issued to a number of;-New Zealanders to'visw the prooess.ip.il from the windows of the Colonial Office. ''Amongst these were Mrs. T. R. Lees,'"Mrs. P. W. Robertson, Mr. N. C. Barrett, Mrs.. C. T. Branting, Mrs. \Ji4ll Holmes, Miss Theresa Wardell, 4fisf;:W. M. Wood, 0.8. E., Miss Es'tfte'Nplan, Mi'H. W. J. Moore, 'Miss M. Hiiucliinson, Mrs. H. T. Fulton, Mrs. 'W l,. G. Malone, Miss J. Bicknell, and -Mrs. ■ Guthrie Moore.

■ The women preponderated overwhelmingly in • the six to twelve-deep street crowds. They were the best customers of the sellers of heather —"white heather 'from Scotland for luck, lady"—and on every side one heard, from feminine voices, the lineage and family' history of the Strathmores, besides the Duke of York's doings as fiance and as airman. For the rest, they waited four impatient hours, exchanging comments and sandwiches with strangers who happened to be their neighbours.

THE LINE OF ROUTE,

Now and then, an over-excited woman would', faint, and, with down-hanging head, be carried away by alert ambulance orderlies. The threat of rain soon passed, and the sun was making infrequent appearances by the time the preliminaries to every big procession had begun—the lining of the route by tall men made taller by their bearskins, the marching:to stirring,tunes of various guards of honour, the passing of mounted police commissioners with their, escorts. The arresting and magnetic influence of the Cenotaph may be responsible for the huge crowds that assembled in Whitehall. All those who arrived much, .later than 9 o'clock were classed at iate-comers. Trafalgar square was n solid mass of humanity, and the route up the; Mall .to 1 the Palace very, early had its two walls of sightseers.- Bound about the Abbey itself people 'needed to come, very early indeed for a place. on the pavement. While they waited for'thq Royal procession they had the interest 6f watching the numerous guests'arrive." Guests in cockaded hats and court breeches^, guests in red'; and gold hats and gold-braided tunics, guests' in top 'hats and morning coats, guests in silk and ..satin, of every colour and shade.were driving up to the Abbey in luxurious motor-care, in coronated broughams drawn by high-stepping hopes, or in plain. taxis of which the drivers wore,white buttouholes for their share in the wedding finery. A rumbling, of cheers from Whitehall way preceded the arrival at a minute before 11.of the glistening limousine that brought Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles, and while the band at the entrance to .Deans Yard .played "God Save the King," the Princess —well habituated to'the Royal wedding enthusiasm —bowed and smiled. Afterwards the timetable of .the ceremonial was translated with almost perfect precision. It was exactly 11.17 when the Captain's Escort of Life:' Guards that surrounded Queen Alexandra's coach trotted round the corner from Parliament square and made the Abbey yard vivid with their scarlet clonks. The Queen Mother, who, in acknowledging the cheers, had reserved a specia) wave of 'greeting foi the nurses of Westminster Hospital, was helped from her coach at the West Door by the Dean of Westminster. .....

Another and more numerous detachment of Life Guards, another and louder sequence of cheers, and —again punctual to tflie minute—the magnificent State coach of the King and' Queen came, into vie v. Handkerchiefs were waved, hats were waved. The King bowed to the left; the Queen bowed to the right. Prince ■ George bowed from opposite them. The only impassive . participants were'tjie Life' Guardsmen and the ■ gilded,'.\.b.owiggcd; 'cockaded ijostillioiis-. ',--■" ".'■'. ' '■"■'■. |

•ARRIVING AT THE ABBEY, i The last notes of the National Anthem had only just died away when the opening bars ...wore' begun again, for the bridegroom's party were throe minutes in advance Moro cheera and waving enthusiasm, which Wiiig-Conniiin'dt.T ilio Duke of Yoi-k acknowledged rather diflicJojitlv, ub tho.ugh he realised thai, after nil, the bridegw.ii v.-ua not. Uip dii'sf '^isi'ifoa vi * .wedding, Xh*j I Jriucg pi

Wales, seated on the Duke's left, leanfid back nonchalantly. Even the bride was early. The Strathmore coach rounded the Abbey at 11.26 instead of 11.28. She was not yet a Royal duchess, and therefore had no black-horsed Guardsmen as retinue. Instead, mounted police on gray horses surrounded the coronet - empanelled coach. "Give her a really good cheer," shouted an enthusiast in the front rank, a3 he turned round. The crowds gave her not one, but three, and they were rousing and prolonged at that.

In answer, a pale, lovely, and quite self-possessed face, beneath" white lace, framed itself in the window and smiled The Earl handed'his daughter from the coach, and she disappeared ' into the Abbey.

,AT THE PALACE WINDOW.

When the Royal party had arrived back at the Palace the vast crowds looked for the time-honoured custom, and were not to be disappointed. -The Duke and -his bride,, came .on, .to.t.hi;; balcony, and there was a roar of welcbiriq. . Handkerchiefs and wedding favours were waved. The colours were, chiefly ■ those of white for York and red for'Sfc,' George. The Duchess made . a vast.- number . of friends whom she.had never seen before. It could almost be described as love at first sight. She won.the hearts of .the people at the first glance, and she enjoyed as much as they, did' the Embarrassment/ of an ermine "stole which wou'd not stay where it ought to be. And had to be put'straight by her husband on the one side and by "the Queen on the other over and over again. .It became a joke between the bride and th& crowd. . -' .-.'.. ;

HONEYMOON IN' SURREY.

i After the ■wedding breakfast, the bride and bridegroom' left for -.the country—» at English honeymoon following an English wedding, all. in an . English spring. They departed a- little. after 4 o'clock, ih«v bride wearing a brown costum» and a. biu\vn hat with a small ostrich feather. The Duke of York was in oivilian cloUies, with a silk hat. As their ope<i; landau, drawn by grey horges, . with. .postillions, passed under -the- arch way .thajr wore pelted with rose petals by the .Qutfen, Princess Mary, Viscountess Lasoellts, olid Princess Vie- : toria, who held a commanding position on the balcony. The Prince of Wales. Prince Henry, and Prince George took 'up positions in the forecourt, and__threv bandfuls of confetti, an attack whfch th<: .. ftrid? and bridegroom tried with much laughter, but less sucoess, to evade. Tiny silver slippers we're: also thrown for luck 'Hearty cheers accompanied the passage.of the Duke and puchess to Water lob .Station, and when they arrived a* the little village of Great Beckham, ii Surrey,, several thousand people assembled to welcome the Duke and Duchest as they passed through on their way tc the old mUnsion of Poleaden Lacey.