HOST OF MEMORIES

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 11

HOST OF MEMORIES

MYSTIC POWER OF ABBEY ORDER OF THE CEREMONIES. The mysterious power of the Abbey, with its host of memories to influence the ceremonial on such an occasion, was well defined by a writer in the Times when describing the scene at the marriage of the Duke of York and his bride. “Once more,” he said, “we learned the lesson of Westminster Abbey’s power to absorb, to refine—we might even say to spiritualise—all the earthly pomp and splendour that it is her privilege now' and then to enfold. As the company assembled and the clear morning light was enriched more and more with scarlet and crimson and gold and purple and green, there seemed to come from the soaring pillars and the dim, dreaming roof, a voice, the voice of England’s shrine, saying: 'Be glad. And I, who have seen the gladness and the pomp of centuries, will take your gladness and fold it in my hallowing memory as part of the high story of a nation and of an Empire.’ ”

There are recent precedents to guide those whose responsibility it is to decide the order of the service on such a notable occasion. But careful thought has to be given to a host of details, and long preliminary discussions took, place two months ago between the King and Queen, the bride’s parents, Prince and Princess Nicolas, and Prince George and his fiancee. The Archbishop of Canterbury specially visited Balmoral Castle, where the Royal Family was then in

residence, to assist in the consultations. There will be three separate processions to the Abbey. The King and Queen will drive in full State from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey with an escort cf Household Cavalry. Prince George will drive separately with his best man—the Prince of Wales, who is performing this brotherly office a second time. Finally, Princess Marina, accompanied by her parents, will go to the Abbey in a third procession. Already rehearsals have taken place along the route to enable the timing to be worked out literally with' clockwork precision. It will not be humanly possible for anyone to have a composite view of all the incidents in a crowded day. The more fortunate ones will be the invited guests at the Abbey ceremony. But those whose impression of the Royal wedding will be confined to glimpses of the principals passing to or from the Abbey have not been forgotten, for special stands for spectators have been erected at various points along the route. Nevertheless, a London crowd is notoriously good-natured. Long hours of waiting will cheerfully be endured to ensure a favourable vantage-point on the sidewalk. It has been said that no other crowd in the world can so well set off a great occasion. The service, in essence, will be like any other service conducted according to the rites of the Church of England. It is expected the Dean of Westminster, as on previous similar occasions, will read, in the shortened and revised form, the well-known exhortation to those about to be married. The Archbishop of Canterbury will perform the marriage ceremony. He will ask George Edward Alexander Edmund whether he will have this woman to his wedded wife, and Marina whether she will have this man to her wedded husband. Those moments will know nothing of degree or rank.