ROYAL BROTHERS’ VIGIL

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13168, 29 January 1936, Page 5

ROYAL BROTHERS’ VIGIL

LONDON, January 27. By 10 p.m the day's total at Westminster Hall was 177.225, making nearly 750.000 in lour days. Ihe Queen took Princess Elizabeth to Westminster Hall, and th<_> visit was timed so that the Princess could see not only the catafalque and people but the changing of the guard. By midnight the day’s total at Westminster Hall was 206,170 and the queue then still extended threequarters of a mile. The King and 1 is brothers arrived at Westminster Hall by car ju>t before, midnight Unannounced and almost unnoticed by the crowds they advanced slowly to the hall and took up positions besides the bier. The* King was in the full-dress uniform < I Colonel-in-Chiof of the We lsh Guards, the Duke oj York in full Air Force dress the Duke of Gloucester in the uniform of the Tenth Hussais, and the Duke ot Kent in full-dress naval uniform. Ail official on duty at Westminster Hall said the authorities wore unaware the King and 1 is brothers intended to mount guard until ten minutes before they arrived It was magnificent and the first time in history there has been such a scene*. The King and his brothers stood motionless at their posts, the hilts of their swords resting on the ground and their heads bowed, while* the crowds passed ay either vide of the catafaJcjue. A mere handful seemed to realise the dramatic scene they were witnessing. The only person really recognisable* was the Duke of Kent, the tallest, whose face was less shadowed bv his head-dress. •

The King, wearing the bearskin of the Welsh Guards, could not be recognised unless the people were looking for him. The King end the Duke of Gloucester stood at the head of the coffin and tli.ei Duke of York and the Duke odf Kent at the foot, and they did a. full half-hour on guard. After their filial vigil the King an 1 his brother** quietly left the half. By the- King’s special request the Availing crowds were not halted. It is estimated that between seven and eight thousand people., filing, reverently by, saw the King’s four sons standing with heads bowed by the coffin. Westminster Hall was closed at 2.25 a.m., when the tailend o)fi thei queue passed in, hut hundreds more arrived, whereupon after a. consultation the doors were re-openlal and the people filed in a much thinner stream. LONDON January 28. "Westminster Hall closed punctually at 4 p.m. The total. passing through since the hall was opened on Januarv 27 was 240.795, making a grand total of 809,182.