PRINCESS VICTORIA

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 299, 4 December 1935, Page 7

PRINCESS VICTORIA

KING’S SIS lER DIES Transfusion Unsuccessful IVER VILLAGERS DISMAYED (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received 4, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 3. A bulletin announces the death of Princess Victoria, elder sister of King George, aged 67. Owing to her death His Majesty will not open Parliament in state to-day. No procession will take place and the King’s speech will be read by the Lord Chancellor. Two volunteers, a man and a woman, from the Blood Transfusion Society, whose names were kept secret according to custom, made a dramatic car dash from Loudon to Priucess Victoria’s bedside in response to the doctor’s urgent telephone call. Within 20 minutes they had given more than a pint of blood and the Priucess appeared to rally.

Few villagers knew of the Princess’s illness, although she had attended a specialist for two months. Members of the Royal family frequently visited her. Their Majesties motored tc Iver only last Saturday and the King arranged for his own personal nurses to attend her and summoned Lord Dawson of Penn.

The Queen of Norway, His Majesty’s only surviving sister, who is at present in England, was informed of Princess Victoria’s death by telephone.

The villagers were dismayed at the news. They declared that Princess Victoria was a sort of godmother to Iver. Everyone testifies to her goodness, especially poor children. A high parliamentary authority states that there is no precedent for the cancellation of the state opening of Parliamdnt. Owing to the lateness of the hour of the cancellation it was decided that the only course was to broadcast the news by wireless. It was impossible to obtain workmen to dismantle the special seating. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have cancelled their plans to continue their honeymoon in Ulster. The King has ordered six weeks’ Court mourning. Messages of sympathy are pouring in. All flags in the city are at half-mast.

The funeral will take place in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on December 7. The service will be confined to members of the Royal Family and personal friends. Simultaneously a public memorial service will be held in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace. Fifty peeresses in deep black attended the opening of Parliament, which was rubbed of its colour and pageantry.

MOURNING IN DENMARK

(Received 4. 9.40 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, Dec. 3The Court will observe 10 days’ mourning for Princess Victoria.