CITY RE-SIGNPOSTED

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1934, Page 7

CITY RE-SIGNPOSTED

ROYAL WEDDING PLANS HUGE CROWDS EXPECTED ARRANGEMENTS AT ABBEY ROYAL PARTIES ARRIVE British Official Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, Nov. 25. The Duke of Kent- and Princess Marina attended at the Brazilian Embassy in London last night, where the Diplomatic Corps held a reception in their honour. Fifty-four nations were represented. The Brazilian Ambassador, Dr. R. de Oliveira, as the doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, presented the Duke and the Princess with three solid silver soup tureens as a wedding present. Elaborate traffic arrangements have been made by the police for the occasion of the Royal wedding on Thursday, and in addition to the Royal route itself a large number of neighbouring streets will be closed after 3 a.m. A network of alternative routes has been arranged which will form a ring round the wedding traffic area. London is being re-signposted to assist the traffic along the new channels, and on Wednesday between noon and midnight 5000 special signs will be erected in this outer ring. The greatest crowds seen in London since the Coronation are expected in the next three days for the wedding. The huge wooden barricades being erected across the side streets along the greater part of the route of the procession are of a type not used since the Coronation. Loud-speakers are placed beside stands outside Westminster Abbey to reproduce the marriage service. Special platforms are also erected inside the Abbey to give a clearer view for the guests. Some of the ecclesiastical furniture has been removed to provide additional space. A minutely calculated time-table shows that the Duke of Kent will arrive at the Abbey at 10.56, two minutes before Princess Marina. There will be 70 crowned heads of Royalties in London. King Haakon of Norway arrived at North Shields to-day. The King' and Queen of Sweden are due on Monday. On the evening of that day King George and Queen Mary will give a State banquet at Buckingham Palace in honour of the King and Queen of Denmark, who are also to be their guests for the wedding. Apart from the official decorations all London in the vicinity of the wedding route is gala dressed. Bond Street is criss-crossed with 6000 yards of festoons. The central row contains giant paper crowns and wedding bells. Near Marble Arch huge illuminated portraits of their Majesties King George and Queen Mary, Princess Marina and the Duke of Kent have been erected. The Duke of Kent will be similarly portrayed in Leicester Square. Some seats on the procession route have been purchased for two and three guineas and advertised for re-sale at 15 to 20 guineas.

The Queen has commanded the guests at the wedding to wear ankle-length skirts and long white gloves. She bans fur coats and aigrettes. The Duke of Kent has chosen three eternity rings in which are unbroken circles of stones, signifying permanence in marriage. Princess Marina’s wedding ring will be of rubies, diamonds and sapphires, representing the national colours. rings are replacing the old-fashioned keeper rings, and can be worn with evening dress instead of the wedding ring, toning with the various dresses.