ROYAL WEDDING CEREMONY AT PALACE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 November 1935, Page 5

ROYAL WEDDING

CEREMONY AT PALACE

Tremendous Enthusiasm CROWDS LINE THE STREETS Simple, Impressive Service BRIDE DRIVES IN GLASS GOACH

(United T-re.ss Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright). Received 12 noon to-day. LONDON, Nov. 6.

The Duke of Gloucester’s wedding day was favoured with what Londoners have come jto call “Royal weather.” Brilliant, sunshine and unclouded skies recalled the jubilee day rather than the foggy November morning when the Duke and Duchess

of Kent were married. Although the pageantry and the Abbey ceremony were cancelled, crowds, however, gathered near Lady Alice’s home at Grosvenor Place, from which she left in a glass coach drawn by four bay horses. Hundreds gathered in front of the Palace at an early hour to see the bridal pair and the Royal Family appear on the balcony after the ceremony. Trains all night long brought sightseers from the provinces, including a little group from the Buccleuch estate, some of whom had known 'Lady Alice since childhood.

The Duke of Gloucester breakfasted with Their Majesties and from the windows of the Palace saw crowds lined ten-deep.

DECORATIONS IN CHAPEL,

The first guests arrived at about 11 o'clock. They found the Royal chapel decorated with hundreds of white flowers. Two gold vases, bearing sheaves of long florum lilies, white heather, orange blossom, roses and narcissi and sheaves of flowers six feet high adorned the pillars. The colours of the disbanded third battalion of the Scots ( Guards were conspicuous. Their Majesties Queen Maud of Norway and King George of Greece, and the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of York and the Princess Royal sat at the right of the altar. Behind them sat the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Princesses Louise and Beatrice, the Crown Prince of Sweden and the Earl of Harewood and his two sons. Opposite sat the Duchess of Buccleuch. The Dowager Duchess sat at the rear of the chapel with other relatives and members of the Cabinet.

•Crowds cheered members of the Royal Family driving through the Palace gates. Among the first arrivals were the little Princesses in white fur capes Over their bridesmaids dresses. They leaned forward excitedly and waved to the cheering crowds. When the sunlight, reflected Lady Alice’s glass coach the enthusiasm was tremendous. Vast crowds, mainly women, lining the entire road from Grosvenor Place to Constitution Hill, waved flags and handkerchiefs. Lady Alice was calm and self-possessed and continually smiled and waved her white gloves. Her gown looked dead white in the strong light. She held her bridal bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley. 'She entered the Palace supported by her tall, fairhaired brother, the now Duke of Buccleuch, who Avas dressed in the scarlet and gold uniform of the Grenadier Guards.

The bride entered the drawingroom, where the eight bridesmaids were drawn up in two ranks. The bridal procession then entered the chapel. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York stood behind the Duke of Gloucester, who was a magnificent figure in his blue and gold tunic, scarlet breeches and black topped boots. The Prince of Wales wore the uniform of a colonel of the Welsh Guards, and the Duke of York the uniform of a cblonel of the Scots Guards.

The Bishop of London, Dr. /Winnington Ingram, opened the service. While Lady Alice and her bridesmaids walked up the aisle the hymn, “Praise My Soul,” was sung. The Archbishop of Canterbury married the couple and the Primus of .Scotland prayed for God’s blessing. The Archbishop of Canterbury then made a short, address and ended the service by blessing the couple. Lady Alice showed not the slightest trace of nervousness and she spoke the responses in a firm voice. At the conclusion the Duke bowed to liis parents as he led out the bride who, with the bridesmaids, curtsied in unison. The

Royal party, after signing the register, proceeded to the balcony. Tremendous cneers greeted the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and were renewed when the King, bareheaded, with the Blue Ribbon of the Order of the Garter across his scarlet tunic, and Queen, dressed in blue and gold, followed. The Duchess of Gloucester waved repeatedly before leaving the balcony.

KING PROPOSES TOAST,

The "wedding breakfast was very simple and was served at twelve round tables. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Elizabeth sat with Their Majesties. The King proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom in a very few words. The sky was clouded and there was a slight drizzle after lunch. Nevertheless, the Duke and Duchess adhered to their engagement to drive to the station in an open landau. The Prince of Wales headed the Royal Family and the bridesmaids in showering rose leaves and confetti on the pair. The King farewelled them at the main entrance to the Palace, while the Queen wrnved good-bye from the balcony as the carriage was lost to view amidst the cheering crowd's and proceeded up the Mall along the Strand and then to St. Pancras station. Every inch of the route was lined with people, }while thousands watched from the windows of offices and shops along the route and shouted good luck. The Duke and Duchess had to Tun the "gauntlet of photographers entering the silver jubilee express, which was lavishly decorated with flowers. They waved the last farwell from the windows as they departed for Kettering. The bridal train was cheered at each station as it passed, and the Duke and Duchess were given an enthusiastic reception at Kettering.

New Zealand Sloops Fire Royal Salute of 21 Guns (By Telegraph—Press Association), AUCKLAND, Nov. 6. The two Imperial sloops attached to the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Leith and H.M.S. Wellington, and the training ship Philomel were dressed to-day for the occasion of the wedding of the Duke of Gloucester and Lady Alice Scott. A Royal salute of 21 guns was fired at noon.

Congratulations on Behalf of People of New Zealand

WELLINGTON, To-day.

On the occasion of the marriage of the Duke of Gloucester the GovernorGeneral sent the following message to His Majesty the King: “I beg to assure your Majesty of the homage and unabated loyalty of the people of New Zealand and to express on their behalf most sincere congratulations and good wishes for the future happiness of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on the occasion of their marriage.” His Excellency to-day received the following repl3 r from His Majesty: ‘‘l warmly thank you for the kind message of congratulation which you have addressed to me on behalf of the people of New Zealand and for the expression of good wishes for the future happiness of my son and his. bride, which are much appreciated.” Signed, George R.I.