PLANS FOR ROYAL OBSEQUIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20327, 28 January 1936, Page 7

PLANS FOR ROYAL OBSEQUIES

LONDON GOES INTO MOURNING ON EVE OF FUNERAL SERVICE FOREIGN ROYALTIES IN ENGLAND United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, January 26. As the day of the supreme royal obsequies approaches, the realisation of the extent of the world-wide mourning penetrates every heart. The impressive preparations go steadily on, assuring of perfection in every detail. The majestic ceremonial of lowering the Royal coffin from the Chancel steps into the vault of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, at 1.30 p.m. G.M.T. on January 28, will coincide with the beginning of the two minutes’ silence throughout the Empire, enabling millions to participate at the crucial moment of the burial service. This necessitates the exact timing of the funeral procession, for which reason the Earl Marshal and officials supervised rehearsals at Windsor, achieving complete synchronisation. Funeral Procession Though an adjustment of the musical service can be made to ensure the coincidence of silence with the actual burial, the procession over the entire route, in which troops will participate will be rehearsed on January 27, in order that the actual observance may be carried out without a flaw in accordance with the impressive British tradition. The funeral procession, of which sections will earlier take up positions at various points adjacent to the route, will finally be marshalled at 9 a.m. and will start at a wireless signal at 9.45, arriving at Paddington at 11.45. All the armed forces of the Crown, including the Dominions’ Air Forces and navies, will be represented. All troops will be dismounted, marching slow time to solemn music, with reversed arms. The bearer party of the King’s Company of Grenadier Guards will march on each side of the naval gun team drawing the coffin. The Earl Marshal will precede it. The Royal Standard of England will follow and then will come King Edward, the Royal Family, foreign royalties, Queen Mary, and the Court ladies in carriages. Royal Family’s Plans It is officially stated that whatever the weather, the King and his brothers will walk in the funeral procession on Tuesday. The King will wear a naval uniform. The Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke an‘d Duchess of Kent, the Princess Royal, Lord Harewood, his two sons, and the King and Queen of Norway will attend a serin the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. The Admiralty is arranging for a destroyer escort to meet all Royalties and heads of state coming to England to attend the funeral of King George at Windsor, on Tuesday. H.M.S. Montrose and two destroyers will take over the escort in mid-channel from the Fiench destroyers escorting the President of the French Republic, M. Lebrun, who is leaving Calais at noon on Monday. DETAILS SETTLED BY KING FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR FUNERAL Dotted Press Association—-By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 26. Final details of the funeral arrangements were personally settled by King Edward, who motored, tired as he was, from Fort Belvedere to Windsor and conferred with the authorities. The police expect 100,000 pilgrims on Tuesday to go to Windsor, which is already uncomfortably congested. Seats are selling at £6/6/- apiece. Two Australian and New Zealand commands will be included in the detachment of Legion of Frontiersmen stationed at the Artillery Monument. Royal Mourners Five Kings will attend the funeral, namely: Haakon of Norway, Leopold of Belgium, Christian of Denmark, Carol of Roumania and Boris of Bulgaria. Upon the coffin when it is lowered in the vault of Saint George’s Chapel, Windsor, King Edward VIII., “to whom he leaves the Sceptre and the Isle,” will cast a handful of English earth. The ex-Kaiser, who is celebrating his 77th birthday on Monday with the greatest simplicity in view of the British mourning, is sending a wreath of 500 golden Dutch tulips and arum lilies with a white ribbon attached bearing his wife’s and his initials. It will be carried by Prince Frederick, his grandson. The Emperor of Japan’s wreath consists of 500 white carnations and orchids with ribbon of red and white. FOREIGN ROYALTIES ARRIVING LONDON ARRAYED IN MOURNING GARB ’ United Press Association—Bv Electric ; Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 26. Foreign Royalties arriving yesterday noticed that London was already ar-

raying herself in mourning garb. Tall Venetian masts, silver-tipped and bound in purple with heavy black crepe stretching between them, are being erected on the funeral route. Black painted hoardings will protect shop windows. Special window seats are realising £25, but 10,000 cheap seats will be provided for the public. Rows of chairs along the Mall will be available for 6d each to the first arrivals. All shop windows not boarded up will be transformed into shrines with suitable adornments. Early arrivals were Prince Paul of Yugo-Slavia and King Boris of Bulgaria, whom the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester respectively met at Victoria Station. M. Mapsky met M. Litvinoff, representing Russia. The Italian Crown Prince and Admirals, the King of the Belgians, Prince Felix of Luxembourg, King Carol of Rumania, Prince Frederick of Russia, Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover, Baron von Neurath, and King Christian of Denmark will arrive tomorrow. Passengers from the Continent have greatly swelled the air traffic. The arrivals by air included the Duke of Hesse and Baron Mallenheim of Finland. The majority of Royalties will stay at Buckingham Palace.