CROWNING BRITAIN’S QUEEN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 337, 19 January 1937, Page 2

CROWNING BRITAIN’S QUEEN

SOLEMN AND SACRED RITE OF ANOINTING WITH HOLY OIL BY ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

QUEEN MARY MAY NOT ATTEND.

It was announced in the Court Circular: "The King has been pleased on the occasion of His Majesty’s birthday to confer upon the Queen the title and dignity of a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the feififter.” The Queen is now the second wo-mah-to be a member of the Order, the other Lady of the Garter being Queen Mary. During the 14th and 16th centuries there were many Ladies of the Garter, but after the reign of Henry VII. no woman except a Queen has been given ttis decoration. Queen Victoria was the first woman Sovereign of the Order for sfeieral centuries to wear the Garter itself. At fiyst she wore it buckled tented her arm near the wrist, in the manner of the time of Henry VI. Later, however, she took to wearing it high on her upper arm, and on other occasions on the forearm. The Carter Is of dark blue velvet edged yfth gold bearing on it the motto of the Order: "Honi soit qui mal y pense," . tn letters of gold. The btrckle and pendant are of chased gold. < Queen Mary’s Garter —a Coronation gift from the Marys of the Kingdom—bears a triple band of diamonds. She also wears the armlet Customarily just above the left elbow. It is the custom on State occasions fir Queens, as Ladies of the Garter, to wear the blue riband of the Order over the right shoulder across the drCss. - ■Solemn Anointing Rite. The'cbrbr.ation of Queen Elizabeth, U>is anticipated, will be in accordance .with, historic precedent. The solemn and sacred rite of anointing with holy oil -will be performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Queen Consort is anointed upon the head ’ only, whereas the King is anointed on the head, breast, and palms of each hand. It no changes are made in the usual ceremony, after the Primate hMkhointed the Queen, he will place

her head, and finally the Archbishop will put the Sceptre into the Queen’s right hand and the Ivory Rod—on which is a dove with folded wings—into her left hand. Having been anointed and crowned, the Queen will rise from the altar, and, with her bishops and followed by her trainbearers, return to her throne, making her obeisance to the King as she passes him. Queen Mary. One of the first of the official announcements made in the new reign was; "There is no truth whatever in reports which have appeared abroad and in a British weekly news magazine of Queen Mary’s conversations with Mrs Simpson. Queen Mary, in tact, has not spoken to or seen Mrs Simpson at any time during the past year.” It is thought unlikely that Queen Mary will attend the Coronation ceremony. If she decides not to do so, she will be folldwing precedent, as no mother of an Engish King has ever seen her son crowned. Queen Mary will probably attend a private service at Marlborough House Chapel or at Sandringham, as Queen Alexandra did at the time of the Coronation of King George V. Seating in the Abbey, Preparations for the decoration of the A'bbey, the erection of seats, and the building of the annexe, are stated by an authority, to be well advanced. Contracts for the steel and timber work have been concluded, and work will begin on January 4, when the Abbey will be taken over by the Office of Works. Seats for between 7000 and 8000 persons will be erected, all of Empire timber. The colour scheme for the coverings of the seats has not yet been decided, but blue will be the predominating colour in all the interior decorations. The traditional blue earpet will run the full length of the Abbey. The decorations will be more simple than at previous Coronations. Thrones and Chairs of State constructed for King George V.’s Coronation will be used.

the Queen’s ring, encrusted with jewels, .upon the fourth finger of her right hand. ■ Next will' follow the rite of placing the Queen's crown upon