FAROUK'S WEDDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1938, Page 9

FAROUK'S WEDDING

SIMPLE CEREMONY

JOYOUS CROWDS IN CAIRO

THE CITY ABLAZE

(L'niiefl Tress Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) CAIRO, January 20. The simple Moslem wedding ceremony of King Farouk and his bride, the 16-year-old daughter of a high Palace official, was completed at 11 o'clock. After the King had signed the Moslem marriage contract a Royal salute of guns was fired from the ancient citadel and repeated in every town in Upper and Lower Egypt. The wedding was conducted in the drawing-room of the bride's villa at Heliopolis.

Queen Farida heard the wedding ceremony from an adjacent room, but

was not permitted to see anything. She wore a Western grey coat and skirt and a small hat which contrasted with her Turkish veil. 3he drove to the palace in the King's own car with her father, Yussuf Bey Zulficar, who signed the marriage contract on her behalf.

The ceremony was very simple. The bride's father simply asked if his Majesty agreed to take his daughter Farida as his legal wife. The King replied: "I agree," after which the papers were signed. The King and the bride's father clasped hands while a representative of the Moslem Church held a handkerchief over their heads.

An officer ran up a white flag on the roof of the palace as a signal for the rejoicings to begin. After the ceremony the young Queen went home to luncheon with her own family. She will drive to the palace this evening to be presented to the King's relatives and will take up permanent residence there.

Members of the IJoyai Family will drive through the streets incognito tonight to view the illuminations.

Earlier messages stated that the palace garden was fairylike with a great illuminated crown suspended in midair against the background of the gorgeously lit building. Trees outside the bride's house were swathed in white silk and the house was brilliantly lit.

King Farouk personally chose most of the bride's trousseau. It was estimated that 45 exquisite gowns and coats cost £5000. Wedding gifts were sikted to be still pouring in from throughout the world.

A marquee was erected on the tennis court at Koubbeh Palace, where King Farouk was to introduce his bride to the Queen Mother and family. It was seventy yards square, draped inside and outside with 5000 yards of coloured silks, bearing their Majesties' monograms. The floors were covered with priceless Persian rugs.

Chefs from the palace made a nine-teen-foot wedding cake, which King

Farouk was to hold while the bride cut it with his gold-bejewelled sword.

The Cairo correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" stated that the wedding ceremony was rehearsed at Koubbed Palace.

Cairo was ablaze. Aeroplanes were lighted up overhead, and joyous crowds thronged the streets.

Twelve workmen were injured when a scaffolding collapsed, outside Koubbeh Palace. King Farouk rushed out and helped to lift the injured to ambulances.