WEDDING TO-DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 5

WEDDING TO-DAY

LONDON PREPARATION REHEARSAL AT THE ABBEY THOUSAND RICH GIFTS PROCESSION IN STREETS GLASS COACH AND GREYS British Wireless. Rugby, Nov. 27. To-day was devoted to rehearsals and preparations for the Royal wedding on Thursday. Their Majesties went to Westminster Abbey in the morning to watch the rehearsal ceremony, in which eight bridesmaids took part, and later the Greek Orthodox Church ceremony was rehearsed in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, when the Duke of Kent and Princess'Marina were present. Throughout to-day. hundreds of workmen were engaged finishing the public stands and planning pylons along the routes and decorating all these with bunting in which the British colours blend with the blue and white of Princess Marina. To-night the London air is filled with voices as the elaborate broadcast apparatus is being tested. The Royal wedding presents were on view at St. James’ Palace to-day. They comprise a magnificent display.. For weeks past they have been coming from all parts of the world, and now number nearly 1000. They include some superb jewels. --- Part of the King’s present was a necklace of 35 graduated diamonds, while one present from the Queen was a tiara and necklace of sapphires and diamonds. The Duke of Kent’s presents to Princess Marina included a ruby and diamond necklace with ear-rings, a pearl necklace and a diamond and ruby tiara. ROOMS FULL OF GIFTS. No Australian or New Zealand presents were noticed among the huge collection of gifts occupying three rooms of the palace. Mr. R. B. < Bennett, on behalf of the Canadian Cabinet, however, presented a pair of finely wrought loving cups. Perhaps the most interesting feature was the number of authors who presented their own books, mostly richly bound, but in some cases ordinary cloth bound editions. ~ The quantity of rubies among the jewels shows Princess Marina’s preference for these stones. For instance, the Duke of Kent gave her a necklet of rubies and diamonds. Their Majesties also have given six silver dishes and ornaments.. The Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Earl of Harewood, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Gloucester combined to give a selection of Adam mahogany sidepieces. Cabinet members, foreign Royalties, including Princess Marina’s family, numerous Indian Princes and others have given lavish presents, but it is impressive, however, to note the large number of smaller presents which might have appeared on the list of any middle-class couple, also the number of gifts, testifying the extent and variety of the Duke’s and the Princess’ circle of acquaintances. The Duke of Kent and Princess Marina stayed an hour at a servants’ party at which there were 2000, mixing freely with the guests and shaking hands " with old servants. The Duke introduced several whom he had known since his boyhood to Princess .Marina. One said later: “The Princess won all our hearts. She was all smiles and seemed perfectly delighted with us.” Their Majesties the King and Queen, the Duke of Kent, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York will rid© to Westminster Abbey for the wedding in glass coaches, while in returning to Buckingham Palace the bridal pair will drive in a glass coach drawn by grey horses. The Queen’s gown for the wedding will be of pastel blue and Australian gold brocaded velvet, . oven with a classical floral effect designed in the Princess’ style, a graceful sculptured skirt revealing an underdress of supple cloth of gold. She will also wear a capelet of similar brocaded velvet lined with pale gold and a collar of Russian sables. Her turban toque will be of gold velvet with a mount of pastel blue South African ostrich feathers. The Queen will wear the Blue Garter ribbon and her jewels will be diamonds. ROYAL FAMILY GIFT SCENES AT THE PALACE MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE Rec. 10 p.m. London, Nov. 22. The Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Duke of Gloucester and Viscount and Viscountess Harewood have combined to make a gift to Marina of a magnificent diamond necklace, says the Daily Telegraph. A woman guest at the Buckingham Palace party says it was a magnificent scene, the like of which has not been seen in London since before the war. All present would remember it all their lives. She also commented how radiantly happy Princess Marina looked. It was obvious how happy she and the Duke of Kent were. The Queen, too, was a happy and striking figure. BROADCAST OF CEREMONY. ARRANGEMENTS BY THE 8.8. C. British Official Wireless. Rec. 10 p.m. Rugby, Nov. 27. Permission has been granted the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast a description of the wedding of the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina at Westminster Abbey in the presence of Th6“ir Majesties the King and Queen. Tbi ceremony will be broadcast between IG-.45 p.m. and 11.45 p.m. (New Zealand time) to-day through G.S.E. and G.S.G. Recordings will be broadcast during the normal transmissions at 3 a.m., 6.15 a.m., 11 a.m. and 8.15 p.m. on Friday (New Zealand times). The scenes outside the Abbey will be described by Howard Marshall before and after the ceremony. His first commentary will begin at 10.45. p.m. Twelve microphones inside Westminster Abbey will pick up every word of the impressive marriage ceremony and enable listeners to hear the first actual marriage service that has been broadcast in Great Britain. Other microphones will be placed outside the Abbey, at one of which Howard Marshall will be stationed to describe the scenes as the procession approaches the West Door. As Princess Marina enters the Abbey, the broadcast will "fade, across” to the microphones within, so that there will be no break in the continuity of the whole event. As the Royal couple leave the Abbey Howard Marshall will resume his de-

scriptive commentary and wiE continue until the procession has left. CABLE TO THE PRINCESS.’ NEW ZEALAND GREEKS’ WISHES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. Frank Dyer, Consul for Greece in New Zealand, has despatched a cable to Princess Marina, a translation of which is as follows: Greeks of New Zealand heartily congratulate you upon your marriage. We wish your life to be happy and your future bright and cloudless.”