Coronation Chatter.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 411, 9 May 1902, Page 2

Coronation Chatter.

LONDON .March 29.—King Edward has iiad great difficulty in inducing the’ Archibishop of Canterbury to shorten and simplify the ritual of coronation. . I*i first place the King wished tnc ceremony to occupy not more than forty-five minutes. But the Most Rev, Dr Temple, supported by other ecclesiastical authorities, has insisted on retaining several ancient customs, so that the ceremony will take ninety, minutes. On one point- the King .s adamantine—lie absolutely refuses to take communion. This has caused the Flimate deep chagrin, as it, is likely to provoke unfavourable comment, because it is common report that the King has not partaken of Communion according to the Anglican rite. The Bishops of Bath and Durham have ind.xud upon their right to support -lie crown on the King’s head after the coronation, an assistance tiie King wanted to dispense with.

After a long protest from the King the Primate has decided that the King must submit to being anointed en the breast, as well as on the forehead and chin, with holy oils, and is having a Hit, made in the coronation robes to permit this tc be done.

As Queen Alexandra positively refused to have her face anointed, the hoiy oils are being prepared in the Joint o! chrism, like wax, for the Primus refused to forego that part of the lite, further trouble and delay has beeir caused by the Queen’s fancies in regard to the colour of her coronation robes and tiie set of her crown. Thirty, crowns of the Gothic pattern prescribed by the King were submitted to her but she left for Denmark without having picked one out.

Being a Consort, Queen Alexandra will hot wear legal robes in the tecnnical sense of the term. That- is- to say, though her crown be of rov.il purple, there will he no badge on it. Underneath the robe she will wear* a white silk dress embroidered with white lace, while the garter ribbon W'll be conspicuous. The Queen does not consider the color of her robe the most oecouiing that could have been chosen for her a Her own wish was for white or red. But purple is the prescribed colour, and only one shade of that is periui.sable, despite the wide range of tints which the color offers.

For instance, there is the Tyrian dye which is as rosy in effect as the “purple” of a cardinal, as the “red” is often called. Her Majesty, however, is not to he allowed tiiis laxity, for tiie purple in which she 'is to appear will be of a decidedly violet tint. White coronation robes, ~which the Queen is known to prefer, have been worn on these notable occasions, and, curiously enough, each royal wearer lias come to a violent end.

Richard 11. was crowned in while satin, while the unfortunate Henry.,Vl also wore a white coronation rob When Charles I. came to lie crown," and his intention to wear a white o onation robe became known, the E of Pembroke strove strongly to dis ade him from his purpose, but to' effect.

Queen Alexandra, besides having t,,. Order of the Garter, is Grand Mistress of the Order of the Crown of India, and also of the Order of Victoria and Albert., , , The removal of the royal valuables from Marlborough House to Buckingham Palace, where the King and Que’jn will go into residence after Easter, ;s being carried'out with extraordinary, precautions.^They will fill sixty large furniture Vjins. Each van will ne sealed before Heaving Marlborough House on its 400-yard journey to the palace, and will be accompanied by the Master of the King’s household, Lord Farquhar, in whose presence tiie seal will be broken at the palace and the contents carried to the royal apartments. The King has issued a peremptory order that all officials and servants employed in royal residences shall te vaccinated, because a coachman of h;s cousin, Prince Edward of Saxe-We.mar contracted small pox after refusing to be vaccinated.

Simultaneously an order was made that every one employed in or frequenting the houses of Parliament shall be revaccinated, except members, who are not subject to compulsion. The order affects 1,200 persons of all g.ades a