Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1936 THE KING AND HIS PEOPLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 30 January 1936, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1936 THE KING AND HIS PEOPLE

KING EDWARD lias already done at least two things which indicate his ability to lead the nations of the Empire. Seeing that those nations were about to exhibit their mourning for his dead father in various ways which would entail dislocation of industry and loss of time, King Edward signified his approval of two minutes’ silence being observed as an appropriate and adequate means of mourning for the deatli of King George. Then, with his Royal brothers, King Edward mounted guard for lialf-an-hour over his dead father as he lay in stale in Westminster Hall, and this action was performed so unostentatiously that the multitude of mourners, passing reverently by the bier, did not realise what was happening. No doubt this action, performed by the four soils of King George, was prompted spontaneous y by a sense of filial piety, but it \ an action which will be recorded in hislr.ry, in order to indicate to future generations the extraordinary loyalty ui affection felt for King George V ! y l.is subjects, whether princes or commoners. So it will be seen that already, vhni bis reign has hardly begun, King Edward lias made two gestures which lave profoundly impressed and affected iis subjects in every part of the globe.

They will realise that there is on the British throne a monarch who not only is alive to the greatness and dignity of his august position, but is able by bis thoughtfulness to touch the hearts of his innumerable subjects by bis acts more effectually than . by any other means.

King George’s funeral brought to England five monarchs —King Haakon of Norway, King Christian of Denmark, King Leopold of Belgium, King Carol of Rumania, and King Boris of Bulgaria, and in addition there were present the President of France, Al. Le Brun, and many princes and heads of foreign missions, in all some fifty august notables. King Edward, again with a wonderful sense of the dramatic as well as of hospitality, invited all these great people to dine at Buckingham Palace—for kings must eat, though they are engaged in an act of filial devotion —and there were present, at what was assuredly the greatest gathering of its kind in history, a galaxy of potentates and princes unequalled since time began. For it must be remembered that it was the modern means of travel, by railway, steamer, and aeroplane, which made such a gathering possible; and it is to be noted that this most historic of all dinners was served on gold dishes and plates, in order that the greatest possible honour might be paid to the royal guests. Once before in English history there was a dinner somewhat, comparable to that referred to. It was when King Edward 111 entertained the King of Scotland, the King of France, and the King of Cyprus. When they had finished eating, these potentates began to play for high stakes, and it is on record that the King of Cyprus lost not only his money but his temper, and that, to appease him, the King of England gave him back all the money he had lost, and so the happiness of the kingly gathering was restored. It is picturesque lhat in these supposedly prosaic modern times history should in a measure repeat itself. But the occasion of King Edward VIII’s dinner was a solemn one, and there was no such thing as gambling. The six Kings and the rest of the fifty guests doubtless observed the strictest decorum, and probably they realised that they were taking part in a unique event, the like of which may never occur again. It is to be noted that King Edward has a just appreciation of kingship, and it is evident that he proposes to do everything which will exalt the royal status, for the Crown is the keystone of the British Eimpire’s structure, the golden link which welds together the British Commonwealth of Nations and the countless races which are united under the British flag.