ROYAL WEDDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 11

ROYAL WEDDING

WEATHER BRILLIANTLY FINE HUGE CROWDS IN STREETS HAPPY COUPLE ACCLAIMED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, November (3. The Duke of Gloucester’s wedding day was favoured with what Londoners have come to call “ royal weather.” The brilliant sunshine and unclouded skies recalled Jubilee Day rather than the foggy November morning when the Duke and Duch-js of Kent were married, intensifying the regret at the cancellation of pageantry and the Abbey ceremony. Crowds, however, gathered near Lady Alice’s home in Grosvenor place, from which she was leaving in a glass coach drawn by four bay horses, and 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 Bucclcuch Estate, some of whom have known Lady Alice since her childhood. The Duke of Gloucester had breakfast with their Majesties, and from the windows of the palace saw the crowds lined 10 deep.

The> first guests arrived about 11 o’clock and found the royal chapel decorated with hundreds of white flowers, two gold vases bearing sheaves of Longiflorum lilies, white heather, orange bios som, roses, and narcissi. Sheaves of flowers, 6ft high, adorned the pillars. The colours of the disbanded 3rd Battalion of the Scots Guards were conspicuous. Their Majesties, Queen Maud of Norway, King George of Greece, the Duke of Kent, the Duchess of York, and the Princess Royal sat on the right of the altar. Behind them were the Duke of Connaught, Princesses Louise and Beatrice, the Crown Prince of Sweden, ano the Earl of Harcwood and his two sons. Opposite sat the Buccleuchs. while the Dowager Duchess sat at the rear of the chapel with other relatives and members of Cabinet. \

The crowds cheered the members of the Royal Family as they drove 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 was reflected on the glass coach the enthusiasm was tremendous. The vast crowds, mainly women, lining the entire route from Grosvenor place to Constitution Hill waved flags and handkerchiefs. Lady Alice was' calm and selfpossessed and continually smiled and waved her white gloves. Her gown looked dead white in the strong light. She held a bridal bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley. She entered the Palace supported by her tall, fairhaired brother, the new Duke of Buccleuch, in the scarlet and gold uniform of the Grenadier Guards, then entered the drawing room, where her 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 a 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 that of a colonel of the Scots Guards. The service followed the order previously announced. Lady Alice showed not the slightest trace of nervousness and spoke the responses in a firm voice. At the conclusion the Duke bowed ,to his parents as he led out his bride, who, with her bridesmaids, curtsied in unison.

The royal party, after signing the register, proceeded to the balcony. Tremendous cheers greeted the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, which were renewed when the King, bareheaded, with the blue ribbon of the Garter across his scarlet tunic, and the Queen, in blue and gold, followed. The Duchess of Gloucester waved repeatedly before leaving the balcony. The wedding breakfast was very simple, and was served at 12 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 very few words. The sky was clouded and there was a slight drizzle after lunch, nevertheless the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at.hered to the arrangements to drive to the station in an open landau. The Prince cf Wales headed the Royal Family and bridesmaids .a showering rose leaves and confetti on the pair. The King bade farewell to them at the main entrance to the Palace while the Queen waved good-bye from the balcony a. the carriage was lost to view amidst the cheering of the crowds. The royal couple proceeded up the Mall, along the Strand, and then to St. Pancras. Every inch of the route was lined with people, while thousands watched from windows of offices and hops along the route and shouted “Good luck! ” The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester had to run the gauntlet of photographers when entering the Silver Jubilee express, which was lavishly decorated with flowers. They waved their last farewell from the windows as they departed for Kettering.

BRIDAL TRAIN CHEERED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, November (i. As the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s carriage crossed the palace yard the guests pelted it with rose petals, and the King and Queen came out on the balcony to watch its progress down the Mall. Their Majesties were warmly greeted by the assembled crowds, to

which they waved acknowledgment. The bridal train was cheered at each station as it passed, and the Duke and Duchess had an enthusiastic reception at Kettering. A TOUCHING GESTURE LONDON, November 6. (Received Nov. 7, at 10 p.m.) In tbe twilight at Westminster Abbey, when the last visitor had gone and the doors had been locked, Canon Donaldson chanced to see lovely flowers on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior and found they were the Duchess of Gloucester's bridal bouuuct.

Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were speeding to Kettering on the honeymoon express. Simple and homely was the welcome at Kettering, where the Duke and Duchess drove in a specially lighted motor car through the floodlit town, cheered by 4000 school children. Old Bucclcuch retainers opened the gates towards Broughton House, where the staff of farm tenants and children who brought gifts from the village school had gathered in the groat hall.

GIFT FROM AUSTRALIA CANBERRA, November 7. (Rcceivdd Nov. 7, at 11.30 p.m.) The Federal Cabinet has decided to present a writing desk made of Australian wood to the Duke of Gloucester and his bride as a wedding gift from Australia. Its value is £125. DOMINION’S CONGRATULATIONS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 7. On the occasion of the marriage of the Duke of Gloucester, the GovernorGeneral has 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 the 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 reply from his Majesty: — I 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 eon and his bride, which are much appreciated.