ARRIVAL AT ABBEY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 432, 13 May 1937, Page 5

ARRIVAL AT ABBEY

STATELY PROGRESS Homage To The Monarch Press Association —Copyright. Received 10.5 a.m. .London, May 12. Their Majesties ■were received at the Abbey with the anthem from Psalm 22, v. 1 to 3 and 6 to 7, sung by the Westminster choir of 400 voices, combining the choirs of the Chapel Royal, Saint George's, Windsor, Saint Paul's Cathedral, the Temple Church and other churches, with an orchestral dii’.iwn from the principal orchestras of London. The Royal couple, in stately progress, moved through the Abbey over a specialy woven, blue carpet covering the prooessional path along the choir, upstairs to the theatre. This was a rectangular space overlooking the choir in front of the coronation chair, flanked by princess of the blood in three special chair®. Peers stood in the south transept and bejewelled peeresses in the north transept, all, as 'yet, bare-headed. Members of the House of Commons were behind the peers and peeresses with the Dominion' Prime Ministers, Ambassadors and Indian Princes in resplendent coronation . garb ranged the choir stalls. The Royal box in which sat Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose flanked the coronation chair. Traditional Privilege. As the echoes of the anthem died the boys of Westminster School, behind lofty, triforium arches, high in the Abbey Hall cheered the King in accordance with traditional privilege,, on behalf of the people of England, thrice repeating the remaining fragment. of the old Latin service of Elizabeth’s day: “Vivat, Rex Georggius. Vivat, Vivat.” Their Majesties, having passed their thrones, the backs of which were emblazoned with the Royal Arms and initials, made adoration as they knelt with bowed heads before their chairs of. State and prayed silently. Few there were of their subjects but prayed silently with them. The King and Queen rose and seated themselves in their chairs. Then came the ceremony of recognition. Accompanied by the Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham;), the Lord Great Chamberlain (Lord Lancaster), the Lord High Constable (the Marquess of Crewe) and the Earl Marshal (the Duke of Norfolk) in their array, preceded by the resplendently tabarded Garter King of Arm (Sir Gerald Wollaston), the Archbishop of Canterbury, a veneable figure in. his canonicals, spoke in turn to a rapt congregration from the four sides of the theatre. The King turned and showed himself to his people as the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “Sirs, I here present unto you King George, your undoubted King, wherefore, all of you who are come thig day to do your homage and sei’vice, are you willing to do the same?”