Coronation Comedy

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22725, 11 May 1937, Page 21 (Supplement)

Coronation Comedy

CORONATIONS have not been without the comedy that is in all human things. The official kisis between men, which is so ordinary an occurrence in France, has always been unpopular in England. It is, therefore, not surprising to learn, says one historian, that when the order of the Coronation service was submitted beforehand to William IV. that unsophisticated person strongly objected to the kiss of homage, and insisted particularly that he must not be kissed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. His Grace just as strongly remonstrated against the omission of the kiss, for it would mean, he contended, a derogation of the position of the Church in the State, and a reflection also on the dignity of its ecclesiastics. It was only when the Archbishop declared that, without the kiss of homage, the service would not be complete, nor the King properly crowned, that William gave way.

In the Coronation of his successor, Queen Victoria, it was agreed to omit the kissing in the homage because of her sex and youth. The young Queen had a rosy cheek, which the Archbishop, the Princes and the peers would have been very pleased to kiss, no doubt, but they had to be content with kneeling at her feet in testimony of their fealty.

There have also been incongruous incidents and awkward hitches during the service. The stage management, or prompting, at the Coronation of Queen Victoria was often defective. The leading performers seemed to be always in doubt as to what was to come next. "Pray tell me what I am to do," said the young Queen to Lord John Thynne, who, by Her Majesty's command, took the place of the Dean of Westminster, "for"—with an angry glance at the archbishops—"they don't know."

Her ruby ring was wrongly made for her little finger, which was supposed to be the fourth, omitting the thumb in the counting; and it was so small that the Archbishop of Canterbury could get it on the proper finger, next the little one, only by using such force as to make her gasp and almost scream with pain. She had to steep her hand in iced water after the ceremony, till the flesh shrank sufficiently for the ring to be removed from the finger for enlargement. The service was also marred by a serious mistake of omission. The Queen, having been told by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who acted as prompter, or Master of the Ceremonies, that the service was concluded, retired to her waiting room. Lord John Thynne then discovered that a part had been omitted, due to the Bishop having turned over two pages of his copy of the "Form 'and Order of the Ser-

vice." What was to be done? Melbourne, the Prime Minister, was consulted. Indifferent, as usual, he made the characteristic reply: "What does it signify?" But Thynne thought otherwise, and on his advice the Queen returned to Edward's Chair, and the omitted part was transacted. Again, toward the end of the ceremony, the Lord Great Chamberlain began scattering among the assembly gold memorial medals of the Coronation, and an unseemly disturbance was caused by the maids of honour and the lords in waiting, scrambling for them. This old custom of striking a medal and distributing it in the Abbey and outside was not renewed at subsequent coronations. The Chapel of St. Edward, behind the altar, was used as a retiring room for the Sovereign for rest and refreshment during the long service. Queen Victoria, writing about her Coronation, mentions that Lord Melbourne, the. Prime Minister, remarked to her in the chapel that it was less like a chapel than any he had ever seen, for what was called the altar covered with sandwiches and bottles of Wine