THE ROYAL FUNERAL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13164, 24 January 1936, Page 5

THE ROYAL FUNERAL.

ORDER OF CORTEGE AND ATTENDANTS.

MANY NOTABILITIES TO BE PRESENT.

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 22

Arrangements for the removal of the body of King George to-morrow are completed. The streets along the line of route from King’s Cross Station to Westminster Hall will be lined by police, and only members of the Royal Family will take part in the procession. King Edward and his brothers will walk behind the coffin, which will be carried on the same gun carriage as the the coffin of King Edward VII. The funeral of King George will take place at Windsor on Tuesday.

Among those who it is already known are coming from abroad to attend the Funeral are the King of the Belgians, the King of Denmark, the King and Queen of Norway and Prince Olaf, the Prince Regent of Yugoslavia, the King of Rumania, the Crown Prince and Princess George of Greece, Prince Paul of Greece, the Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden, and Prince Felix of Luxemburg. Baron von Neurath, Foreign Minister, will represent Germany, accompanied by military and naval representatives. Japan is sending a special ambassador, and the Amir Baid, uncle of King Gliazi, will attend for Irak. Tlie French Council of Minister to-day, as a last act before handing in its resignation, appointed representative's to attend the funeral, who will be headed by the President of the French Republic, AI. Lebrun. The gun carriage for the earlier stage from Sandringham to Wolferton Station ior entrainment will be drawn by six bay horses and will be escorted by Grenadier Guards, each over 6ft. 3in. in height. Estate tenants will attend. The gun carriage will bo ail Army, not a Navy, one, despite the fact that it belongs to* the Whale Island Naval Gunnery School. It was first used at Queen Victoria's funeral, when a restive gun team was replaced by bluejackets who manned the dragropes. After that occasion it was decided that it was to hi- used at all future funerals of Sovereigns. f t will be drawn by sailors from H.AI.S. Excellent. It- is estimated that at least a million mourner..; will form queues and fib- past the catafalque in Westminster Hall. The catafalque will be draped in purple, and the stone floor in order to ensure silence, will be carpeted in grey and purple. It is expected that Tuesday will be proclaimed a day of general mourning throughout the country. THE FUNERAL TRAIN. ’Hie funeral train from Wolferton will consist of a, saloon car full of flowers, a. black and purple saloon containing the coffin, with a bodyguard. and then six coaches. The train will be drawn by the same engines and manned by tbo same crew as in King George's lifetime. The Imperial Crown will be placed on the coffin on its arrival in London. THROUGH LONDON STREETS. The route from Euston Station to Westminster Hall, where King George’s body will Jie in state", necessitates the closing of thirty roads, and will traverse Kingsway. The Strand. Trafalgar Square, and While hall, affording the crowds ample space to pay reverence. The gun arriage bearing the coffin will he preceded and followed from Euston by mounted police. The weather is expected to he fine, but whatever is the condition of the weather, male members of the Royal Family and the Royal household, all in plain clothes, silk hats, and black overcoats, will follow oil foot and ladies of the Royal Faultily by car. The Navy, the Army, aiid the Air Force will tumish guards of honour, and 6000 police will line the route and direct traffic arrangements. A AIEAIORY HALLOWED. LONDON, January 23. The Daily Sketch says at the Queen's express request with King Edward's sympathetic approval the room in which King George died and in which li<* uttered words that will ring through history: ‘How is the Empire? ’ is to remain unaltered. Not a chair or hook will be moved. Only tlie Queen and other members of the Koval Family and the necessary cleaning staff will he allowed to enter. SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY. Over two million eopies of the special form of Church service are being printed for use on tlie day ot the funeral, or in the course of the following eight days. In the meantime the Archbishop of Canterbury expresses the hope that special prayers will be offered in all churches on January 26 in commemoration ot King George, and asking that the guidance of .the Almighty be given to King Edward. He says that suitable prayers appear in the order for the burial of the dead and the form of prayer used on the anniversary of the King's Accession. Hie Broadcasting Corporation announces that the service in memory oi King George will he broadcast oyer all transmitters, including those of the Empire on Januarv 26, at 7.00 pm. ARCH BISHOP’S AIOVING WORDS 1 .ONDON, January 22. Among the most moving tributes to the late King was a speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was closer in contact with His Alajcsty in his last illness than anybody except the Queen and medical a d v i sers. Addressing the convocation, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “For nearly forty years King George permitted me to regard him as a very dear friend. Memories arc' still fresh in my heart of the' last two days of his life which I spent with him as ho lay in weakness, and cs-

peciallv if 1 may say so of the moment in which I prayed with him and gave him my blessing and in which I commended his soul as it was passing to our loving merciful God.

“When yesterday morning I looked for the last time upon his face I saw in its beautiful tranquility a symbol of that peace, which we pray God will give him now and for ever. “King George’s religion,” he proceeded, “was a simple and most real use of the name of God in his public utterances. It was for him not a mere convention, but an expression of the simple, reverent, deep sense of bis own responsibilities to God.” Referring to ,tlie Queen, In* said he could bear witness to the truly noble fortitude with which she hail borne the anxiety ot these last days. To all around her sin* had been averitable rock of calmness and courage.