ROYAL FUNERAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 46, 23 January 1936, Page 7

ROYAL FUNERAL

SIMPLICITY AND GRANDEUR. HOMAGE AT SANDRINGHAM. SERENE IN DEATH. (United Press Association—By Electric T elegrapli.—Copy right.) LONDON, Jan. 22. The Royal funeral will be attended by the King and Queen of Norway, the Kings of Denmark, Bulgaria, and Belgium, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, the Grown Prince and Princess oi Sweden, Crown Prince Paul of Greece, Prince Nicolas and other Rumanian dignitaries, M. Le Brun, President of France, and M. Laval, the Prime Minister, if he has not resigned, American, Portuguese, and other Ambassadors, Baron Von Neurath, possibly General Goering, and Princess Juliana.

The Duke of Kent and the Earl of Harewood to-day walked on either side of the Queen on the way to church, at Sandringham, the Princess Itoyal and the Duchess of Kent following them. Earlier in the day, by permission of the Queen, servants of the estate, employees, and officials filed through the bedroom. , Among them were bent old men and women who stumbled away blinded by tears. Late to-night the Queen walked again through the darkness to Sandringham Church. She dismissed the servants watching over the coffin and knelt for ten minutes in silent prayer. Earlier in the day a death mask of King George’s face was taken. The coffin is now closed, and bears a brass plate with the inscription George Frederick Ernest Albert Windsor, 1865-193 G.

To-morrow tenants and members of the household will visit the church throughout the day, but no members of the public will be allowed to enter. The Daily Telegraph’s Sandringham correspondent says that before King George’s body was borne to Sandringham Church, 40 Royal servants were permitted to enter the bedroom separately for their last look at their dead master, who lay in the open coffin in the middle of the room, the lid being placed across the lower portion of the coffin, on which lay bunches of carnations and heliotrope, the King s favourite flowers. The King lay with a half smile on his lips and an expression of complete serenity. He was clad in a silken shroud with a white ruffle at the throat and his arms at his sides. An eye-witness said: “He looked exactly, as in life, and I half expected him to open his eyes at any moment and awake from his sleep. Here, obviously, was a man who died at peace wtili the world. The slight colour in his cheeks enhanced the nobility of liis calm features. He looked splendidly regal in death.” The chamber was exactly as in the King’s lifetime. The bed was made, the coverlet turned back, and a silken lounge robe hung against one wall as though at any moment its customary wearer might need it. A Court Circular says that during the King’s last moments the Archbishop of Canterbury read special prayers and conducted a short service in King George’s room. It is stated on the highest authority that the Queen will continue to be known as “the Queen” until after the funeral. Beautiful wreaths are arriving at Sandringham to-night by road' and rail from all parts of the country.

JOURNEY TO CAPITAL. The Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of York are expected at Sandringham to-morrow. The remains of King George will be removed from Sandringham to London on I hursday. After a brief service at the church at Sandringham the coffin ivill be placed on a gun-carriagfe by Grenadier Guards. The King’s Sandringham company of SO from the Territoiial Battalion of the Royal Norfolk ltegiment will provide a guard of lionou), the Grenadier Guards bringing up the rear. Male members of the Royal family will walk behind the gun-car-riage, and the Queen and other ladies will ride in horse-drawn carriages. The procession will prueeed to A\ olferton Station, where the coffin will be placed in a special carriage with purple hangings. All members of the Royal families will travel by a train which is due to arrive at King’s Cross at 2.30 p.m. Here there will be a procession to Westminster Hall, where the body will lie in state throughout l'nday, Saturdav, Sunday and Monday. It is expected that King George s pet Cairn terrier “Bob” will follow the coffin to \\ olierton Station. llieic will be a full State procession on January 28 from Westminster Half to Paddington Station, where the body will be entrained for the funeral at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The guncarriage will be the histone vehicle used at the funeral of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. It will he drawn by naval ratings from the Royal Naval Gunnery. School at \\ hale Island, where King George served as an officer and where the carriage is now stationed. Troops of the Household Cavalry will escort the coffin from Windsor Station to the chapel. Guards will line the streets. The scene at the chapel will be brilliant with Royalties seated on the choir seats and Knights ot the Garter in the stalls. , ... ~ When the coffin is lowered into the Royal 'vault it will be near King George’s icither and mother and close to the body of his elder brother, the Duke of Clarence. Others buried in the vaults beneath the choir are Henry VI Henry VIII, Charles I. George lII’, George IV, and William IV. RULES FOR MOURNING. ■ The first six months of full mourning means that women in Court circles are required to wear complete black ensembles, including black shoes, gloves, and ornaments and little or no jewellery, except diamonds. One departure from precedent is that foi tile first time it is not compulsory for women to wear black stockings. These may be of gnmnetal or other sombre, hue as a concession to modern fashion 'file prevailing trend of fashion will be uninterrupted though formal evening dress will be less decollette than ordinarily. Evening coats will be oi black velvet chiffon, heavy crepe de chene or satin. Fur coats are permissible. Dozens of London women today bought complete outfits of mourning and the windows of many store* are entirely, redressed with black garments. The public will never know the terms of King George’s will. Ail official of Somerset House said: The King’s will is a thing apart. We have no jurisdiction over it. It is not subject to probate or death duties. The Times, in an editorial paying tribute to the Queen, says: Next to the sense of personal loss uppermost in the minds of all people of the Empire is sympathy and admiration for her. For 42 years she has enjoyed the happiness of an ideal union and set an example to her husband’s subjects, which, particularly in the disordered years following the" war, has been of incalculable value to the national life.

The usual crowds throng the West End to-night, yet everywhere there is gloom. The theatre areas are like streets of thei dead thronged with the living. 1