Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth
Date | 12 May 1937 |
---|---|
Location | Westminster Abbey, London, England |
Budget | £454,000 |
Participants |
|
The
Although the music included a range of new anthems and the ceremony underwent some alterations to include the
The event was designed to be not only a sacred anointing and formal crowning, but also a public spectacle, which was also planned as a display of the British Empire. May 1937 included a programme of royal events lasting nearly the entire month to commemorate and mark the occasion. As a preliminary to the coronation, guests from across the Empire and around the world assembled at Buckingham Palace and official receptions were held to welcome them; among those attending were Indian princes and, for the first time, native African royalty. For the event itself, the prime ministers of almost every Dominion took part in the procession to the abbey, while representatives of nearly every country attended. Contingents from most colonies and each Dominion participated in the return procession through London's streets.
The media played an important part in broadcasting this show of pageantry and imperialism to the Empire. The coronation procession was an important event in the
Background
Accession
In January 1936, King
In October 1936 Simpson filed for divorce (which, when final, would result in two previous spouses still living), and the King informed the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, that he intended to marry her. Baldwin and several leading imperial administrators advised the King that popular opinion in the dominions was hostile to the proposed marriage; at home, the King also faced opposition from the Church of England and from factions in Parliament. The widespread unwillingness to accept Simpson as the King's consort, and Edward's refusal to give her up, led to his abdication in December 1936.[2]
He was succeeded by his next younger brother,
Coronation ceremony
Although the reign of the British monarch begins on his or her succession to the throne, the coronation service marks their formal investiture. In 1937, the ceremony was organised by a Coronation Committee, established by the
Preparation
Planning
The Coronation Committee had been delayed when it met for the first time on 24 June 1936: Ramsay MacDonald, the Lord President of the Council, met the Duke of Norfolk to discuss the proceedings; MacDonald would chair the Coronation Committee as a whole, and the Duke would chair the Executive Committee. While Edward VIII was away, cruising on the Nahlin with Wallis Simpson, his brother, Albert, Duke of York (the future George VI) sat in his place on the committees.[3] Edward VIII had initially been reluctant to have a coronation at all (asking the Archbishop of Canterbury whether it could be dispensed with), but conceded that a shorter service would be acceptable; his desire for a lower-key event led to the planned abandonment of the royal procession through London the following day, the thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral and the dinner with London dignitaries.[5]
After the abdication of Edward VIII, the coronation committee continued to plan the event for George VI with minimal disruption; according to Sir Roy Strong, at the next meeting after the abdication "no reference was made at all to the change of sovereign, everything immediately being assumed to have been done for the new king."[6] After the abdication, though, many of the traditional elements that Edward VIII cared less for were restored, with Queen Mary taking an interest in the design of furniture and insisting on a more traditional appearance; indeed, much of the service and the furnishings were to closely resemble those of the 1911 coronation of George V.[7]
Archbishop of Canterbury
Although the Executive Committee was chaired by the Earl Marshal, the
The Archbishop met the King and Queen on the evening before their coronation, running through the ceremony and explaining the most important parts. He was also concerned about King George's
Construction
The coronation cost £454,000, which was more than three times the cost of the 1911 ceremony.
Imperial considerations
In 1911, standards of the
Although 1937 saw an increase in the colonial contingents partaking in the procession and an official lunch in Westminster Hall was given to parliamentary representatives of Empire states for the first time, the service itself was barely altered to reflect the new status of the Dominions.[15]
Guests
The ceremony was attended by the King's and Queen's daughters, Princesses
British royal family
- Princess Elizabeth, the King and Queen's daughter
- Princess Margaret, the King and Queen's daughter
- Queen Mary, the King's mother
- The Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood, the King's sister and brother-in-law
- Viscount Lascelles, the King's nephew
- The Hon. Gerald Lascelles, the King's nephew
- The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the King's brother and sister-in law
- The Duke and Duchess of Kent, the King's brother and sister-in law
- The Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood, the King's sister and brother-in-law
- Princess and Prince Arthur of Connaught, the King's first cousin and her husband, the King's first cousin once removed
- Earl of Macduff, the King's first cousin once removed
- Lady Maud and Lord Carnegie, the King's first cousin and her husband
- The Queen of Norway, the King's paternal aunt
- The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway, the King's first cousin and second cousin (representing his father, the King of Norway)
- Princess Helena Victoria, the King's first cousin once removed
- Princess Marie Louise, the King's first cousin once removed
- Lady Patricia Ramsay, the King's first cousin once removed
- Alexander Ramsay, the King's second cousin
- The Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, the King's maternal uncle and aunt (also first cousin once removed)
- Lady May and Henry Abel Smith, the King's first cousin and her husband
- The Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke, the King's first cousin once removed and his wife
- Lady Iris Mountbatten, the King's second cousin
- The Marquess and Marchioness of Milford Haven, the King's second cousin and his wife
- Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, the King's second cousin once removed
- Earl of Medina, the King's second cousin once removed
- Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten, the King's second cousin and his wife
- Patricia Mountbatten, the King's second cousin once removed
- The Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, the King's first cousin and his wife
- Lady Mary Cambridge, the King's first cousin once removed
- The Duchess and Duke of Beaufort, the King's first cousin and her husband
- Lady Helena Gibbs, the King's first cousin
- Lord Frederick Cambridge, the King's first cousin
Bowes-Lyon/Cavendish-Bentinck families
- The Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, the Queen's parents
- The Lord Elphinstone, the Queen's sister and brother-in-law
- The
- The Duke and Duchess of Portland, the Queen's first cousin once removed and his wife
- Lady Margaret Cavendish-Bentinck, the Queen's second cousin once removed
- Andrew Erskine-Wemyss, the Queen's second cousin once removed
Foreign royalty
- King of Afghanistan)
- The Count of Flanders, the King's third cousin once removed (representing his brother, the King of the Belgians)
- The Prince of Preslav, the King's third cousin once removed (representing his brother, the Tsar of the Bulgarians)
- The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark and Iceland, the King's second cousins (representing his father, the King of Denmark and Iceland)
- Prince Mohammed Abdul Moneim (representing his first cousin once removed, the King of Egypt)
- The Crown Prince of Greece, the King's double second cousin (representing his brother, the King of the Hellenes)
- The Prince and Princess Chichibu (representing his brother, the Emperor of Japan)
- The Prince Consort of Luxembourg, husband of the King's third cousin (representing his wife, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg)
- Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the King's fifth cousin and her husband (representing her mother, the Queen of the Netherlands)
- The Grand Voevod of Alba Julia, the King's double second cousin once removed (representing his father, the King of the Romanians)
- The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (representing his father, the King of Saudi Arabia)
- Prince Chula Chakrabongse (representing his first cousin, the King of Siam)
- The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Sweden, the King's fourth cousin (also widower of the King's first cousin once removed) and the King's second cousin (representing his father, the King of Sweden)
- Seif Al Islam Hussein (representing his brother, the King of Yemen)
- Princess Paul of Yugoslavia and the Prince Regent of Yugoslavia, the King's second cousin and her husband (representing his first cousin once removed, the King of Yugoslavia)
Rulers of British protectorates
- The Emir of Transjordan
- The Sultan of Zanzibar
- The Sultan of Johor
- The Sultan of Terengganu
- The Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan
- The Sultan of Pahang
- The Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar
- The Maharaja of Jodhpur
- The Maharaja of Ratlam
Other foreign dignitaries
- King of the Albanians)
- Dejazmatch Makonnen Endelkachew (representing the Emperor of Ethiopia)
- Hassan Esfandiary (representing the Shahinshah of Iran)
- Sayid Raouf Al Chadirji (representing the King of Iraq)
- Conte Grandi (representing the King of Italy)
- Comte Henri de Maleville (representing the Prince of Monaco)
- Sir Kaiser Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana (representing the Maharajadhiraja of Nepal)
- James W. Gerard
- John J. Pershing
- Generalfeldmarschall Werner von Blomberg
- Maxim Litvinov
- Vladimir Mitrofanovich Orlov
- Yvon Delbos
- Alexis Leger
- İsmet İnönü
- Kâzım Orbay
- Józef Beck
- H. H. Kung
- Julián Besteiro
The abbey's doors were closed to guests at 8.30 on the morning of the coronation. The official record of the ceremonial, published in the
Procession to the abbey
Before the coronation ceremony begins, there is traditionally a lengthy procession to the abbey. The procession left Buckingham Palace and headed up The Mall, though Admiralty Arch, and down Whitehall, before entering Westminster Abbey.[4]
The first to take part in the procession were lesser members and relatives of the Royal Family and the representatives of foreign royalty and heads of state; they departed Buckingham Palace by car between 08:40 and 08:45 and arrived at the abbey ten minutes later; British and Dominion prime ministers followed half an hour later, leaving at 09:15. At 09:49, members of the Royal Family left the palace (Queen Mary's carriage left Marlborough House shortly afterwards at 10:13). The King and Queen then travelled in the Gold State Coach from Buckingham Palace at 10:43; their procession was by far the longest and included numerous military contingents and delegates from Britain, the Dominions, and the colonies, as well as members of the War Office, the Army, Naval and Air Boards and the personal aides-de-camp.[23]
Procession into the abbey
Foreign representatives
The first to arrive in procession were the royalty and foreign representatives; they arrived ten minutes after departing the palace. The royal members were led in by two officers of arms—the
The foreign representatives followed in at roughly 09:00 and were greeted by senior members of the Royal Household and the Diplomatic Corps.[nb 1] Led in by the Rouge Croix Pursuivant (P.W. Kerr) and the Rouge Dragon Pursuivant (E.N. Geijer); they were escorted to their seats in the choir.[24]
Regalia
Following tradition dating back to the reign of
While the litany was sung, the Choir led the Dean and Prebendaries of Westminster down from the High Altar at 09:55; they were carrying the Crown Jewels and regalia, which they then deposited at the Vestibule. The Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office then handed the regalia to the Lord High Constable, who in turn handed them to the Lord Great Chamberlain; the items were then handed over to individual peers, who are listed below.[31]
Bearers of the Regalia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Entrance of the Royal Family
Led by two officers of arms—the
Twenty minutes later, the Queen of Norway and Queen Mary arrived, being received by the Earl Marshal. Their procession took a different form to that of other members. The York and Windsor Heralds led, followed by G.A. Ponsonby[nb 2] (Comptroller of Queen Maud's Household) and then the Queen of Norway, attended by Miss von Hanno and followed by the Richmond and Chester Heralds. Then, Queen Mary's Lord Chamberlain (the Marquess of Anglesey) led Queen Mary, whose train was borne by four pages (the Earl of Dalkeith, the Marquess of Lansdowne, Gerald Lascelles, and Viscount Errington) and who was attended by the Mistress of the Robes (the Duchess of Devonshire), two ladies of the bedchamber in waiting, her private secretary, comptroller, and three equerries (two ordinary and one extra).[33]
Entrance of the King and Queen
A guard of honour had formed at the vestibule and at the entrance, and the King and Queen arrived at 11:00. On their entry, they were greeted by the great officers of state, the archbishops, and the peers bearing the regalia. They then formed their procession, which was led by the King's chaplain and the Chapter at Westminster, who were followed by representatives of the Free Churches and the Church of Scotland. The procession involved all of the great officers of state, the archbishops of Canterbury and York, the lord mayor of London, the officers of arms of England and Scotland, the standards of each dominion, the prime ministers of the UK and of each of the dominions, and the most senior and highest-ranking officials in the Royal Household. They were followed by twelve members of the Yeoman of the Guard and six of its officials.
The King and Queen walked surrounded by their regalia, borne by the designated peers; King George wore his great robes of state, which had to be carried by nine
- Alexander Ramsay (1919–2000), son of Lady Patricia Ramsay
- George Haig, 2nd Earl Haig (1918–2009)
- George Edward Charles Hardinge (1921–1997), son of Alec Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst.
- George Lascelles (1923–2011), later 7th Earl of Harewood (nephew of the King)
- George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe (1918–2007)
- Henry Kitchener, 3rd Earl Kitchener (1919–2011)
- Major (George) Raymond Seymour (1923–2010), grandson of Lord Ismay, and later an assistant private secretary and equerry to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
- Montague Robert Vere Eliot (1923–1994), son of the Earl of St Germans
- Rognvald Herschell, 3rd Baron Herschell (1923–2008).
The Queen was attended by six
- Lady (Victoria) Margaret Cavendish-Bentinck) (1918–1955), daughter of the Duke of Portland; she later married Gaetano Parente, Principe di Castel Viscardo.
- Lady Diana Legge (1910–1970), daughter of the Earl of Dartmouth.
- Lady Elizabeth Hester Mary Paget (1916–1980), daughter of the Marquess of Anglesey. She later married Raimund von Hofmannsthal.
- Lady Elizabeth Ivy Percy (1916–2008), daughter of the Duke of Northumberland; she later became the Duchess of Hamilton.
- Lady Iris Mountbatten (1920–1982), daughter of the Marquess of Carisbrooke.
- Lady Ursula Manners (1916–2017), daughter of the Duke of Rutland.
The royal couple walked past the choir, in which sat the foreign representatives and delegates, before passing through the screen; after this, they sat or stood in their designated area and the King and Queen took their seats in the Chairs of State in front of the royal box. As the King and Queen and the procession proceeded, the choir sang I was glad with the traditional acclamations of Vivat Regina Elizabetha and Vivat Rex Georgius by the King's Scholars of Westminster School.
Service
The coronation service itself began once the procession into the abbey was over and the King and Queen were seated. Beginning with the recognition, the King then took an oath and was anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, before being crowned king. As a remnant of the coronation ceremony's feudal origins, the King then received homage from the peers and peeresses of the realm in attendance.
There were few departures from the services conducted at previous coronations. Efforts were made to shorten the lengthy proceedings: the litany was sung during the regalia procession before the start of the service, and the sermon was omitted entirely.[36] Even so, the service itself lasted for two and a half hours,[37] excluding the preliminary processions.
Recognition, oath, and anointing of the King
The first part of the service was the recognition, where the Archbishop of Canterbury called for those present to proclaim their recognition of the sovereign as their rightful king. The King was conducted by the Garter King of Arms to
The Archbishop of Canterbury then began the Communion Service, while the Bishop of London read the Epistle and the Archbishop of York the Gospel; after the Service concluded, the King and Queen knelt while the choir sang "Veni, Creator Spiritus". This marked the beginning of the anointing of the monarch, when the Archbishop of Canterbury marks the monarch's head with oil to symbolise the introduction of the Holy Spirit. The Choir sang Handel's Zadok the Priest and the Archbishop prayed, before the King was disrobed and sat in St Edward's Chair, with the Canopy borne by four knights of the Garter placed over him. The Archbishop then anointed him with oil from the Ampulla, which had been poured onto the Anointing Spoon.
Crowning the King
In preparation for his crowning, the King, still on St Edward's Chair, was invested with the two coronation robes, the
Once adorned with his regalia and seated in St Edward's Chair, King George was crowned with St Edward's Crown by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the people in the abbey proclaimed loudly "God save the King"; the peers and peeresses wore their coronets (the only time that this happens) and the guns in the Royal Parks were fired to mark the crowning.[40] The ceremony appeared to run smoothly, although there were a few inconspicuous mishaps: the Archbishop of Canterbury almost placed the crown on the King's head the wrong way, one bishop stepped on the King's train, and another obscured the words of the Oath with his thumb while the King was reading it.[16]
Enthronement and homage to the King
In the text of the service, this part of the ceremony was described using the archaic term "inthronization". The Archbishop of Canterbury presented the Bible to the King and the King returned it to him, who gave it to the Dean, who placed it on the Altar. The King handed the glove over to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household and the Sceptre with the Cross to the Lord of the Manor of Worksop. The Benediction followed and then the King moved over to the other throne, accompanied by the Bishops of Bath and Wells and of Durham, the Great Officers of State, the Lords carrying the swords and the Lords who had carried the regalia. The Archbishop knelt and paid homage to the King; the Archbishop of York did so next, followed by each of the Bishops. The Dukes of the Blood Royal then did homage, followed by the Lords Temporal (Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, Barons);[41] six anthems were sung by the Choir during the homage: "O come ye servants of the Lord", "Hear my prayer, O Lord", "O clap your hands together, all ye people", "All the ends of the world shall remember themselves", "O praise God in His holiness" and "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace".[42]
The Queen
The Queen was crowned and anointed in a much smaller and simpler ceremony. This began immediately after the homage to the King finished, when the Queen knelt in prayer before the altar. She then went to the
End of the service
The Offertory followed, in which the King and Queen offered their regalia on the Altar. They then received
While the King and Queen were in the chapel, the Officers of Arms arranged the procession out of the abbey, which was similar in form to the procession into the abbey. The King and Queen then joined the procession, with the King carrying the Sceptre with the Cross in his right hand and the Orb in his left, while the Queen carried her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left.[43] They proceeded to the West Door of the Abbey as the National Anthem, "God Save the King", was sung.
State Procession to Buckingham Palace
As in the 1902 and 1911 events, the coronation was followed by a procession through London's streets from Westminster Abbey to the Royal residence, allowing the public to view the new king and queen. In 1937, this return route was extended significantly.[44] From Westminster Abbey, it passed around Parliament Square and up the Victoria Embankment (where 40,000 schoolchildren were waiting)[44] and then along Northumberland Avenue, into Trafalgar Square, up Cockspur Street through to Pall Mall; from there, the procession went up St James' Street, joining Piccadilly, then up Regent Street, then west along Oxford Street, before turning past Marble Arch and then down East Carriage Road, alongside Hyde Park; from there, the procession passed through Hyde Park Corner and then through Wellington Arch, on to Constitution Hill and then back into Buckingham Palace.[4]
The progression included a large number of military personnel from across the Empire. There were representative detachments from all the elements of the
Music
The musical director for the service was
Tradition demanded the inclusion of
Title of piece | Composer | |
---|---|---|
Music before the Service | ||
Concerto in D (entrance of the Royal Family) | George Frederick Handel (arranged by Hamilton Harty )
| |
Marching Song | Gustav Holst | |
French Military March (entrance of the Foreign Representatives) | Camille Saint-Saëns | |
Prelude Khovanchtchina | Modest Mussorgsky | |
Italiana | arranged by Ottorino Respighi | |
Entracte III in B flat from Rosamunde | Franz Schubert | |
Finale of the Symphony No. 1 | Johannes Brahms | |
Slow movement from the Symphony No. 3 | Sir Arnold Bax | |
Prelude in C minor (organ only) | Johann Sebastian Bach | |
" Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott " (Regalia procession in the cloister) |
Martin Luther | |
Hymn: "Oh most merciful" (Regalia procession in the Abbey) | Charles Wood | |
The Litany for Five Voices: "O God the Father of Heaven" (Regalia Procession from Theatre to West Door) | Thomas Tallis | |
Canticum Fidei (Regalia Procession) | Thomas Dunhill | |
King’s Herald | Herbert Howells | |
Finale of the Enigma Variations | Sir Edward Elgar | |
Huldigungs March (entry of the Princes and Princesses) | Edvard Grieg | |
Minuet from Saul | George Frederick Handel | |
Coronation March (entry of Queen Mary) | Sir Edward German | |
Crown Imperial Coronation March | William Walton | |
Minuet from Arminius | George Frederick Handel | |
Gavotte from Otho | George Frederick Handel | |
Trumpet tune from Diocletian | Henry Purcell | |
Imperial March (entry of the King and Queen) | Sir Edward Elgar | |
Music during the Service | ||
Fanfare A | Sir Ernest Bullock[53] | |
Anthem: "I was glad" | Hubert Parry | |
Introit: "Let my prayer come up" | Edward Bairstow | |
Credo | William Byrd | |
"Veni Creator Spiritus" (Original VIII Mode Melody) | Traditional | |
Anthem: "Zadok the Priest" | George Frederick Handel | |
Confortare: "Be strong" | Henry Walford Davies
| |
Anthem: "O clap your hands together" | Orlando Gibbons | |
Anthem: "All the ends of the world" | William Boyce | |
Anthem: "O Praise God in his holiness" | George Dyson | |
Anthem: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace" | Samuel Sebastian Wesley | |
Offertorium: "O hearken thou" | William Henry Harris | |
Sanctus | William Byrd | |
Pater Noster |
John Merbecke[54] | |
Gloria in Excelsis in B-flat | Charles Villiers Stanford[55] | |
Threefold Amen | Orlando Gibbons | |
Festal Te Deum in F | Ralph Vaughan Williams | |
God Save the King | Traditional | |
Music after the Service | ||
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 | Sir Edward Elgar | |
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4 | Sir Edward Elgar[54] |
Commentary
Despite a number of hitches, described above, the coronation ran relatively smoothly. It has been somewhat overshadowed in history by the larger
Media coverage
Radio
On the eve of the coronation, the King
The BBC and CBC jointly transmitted the proclamation of George VI. In the lead up to the Coronation, the BBC organised talks by Ministers to be broadcast under the name Responsibilities of Empire, and also broadcast The Empire's Homage featuring messages from colonial officers and citizens from across the Empire.[62] The BBC's Empire Service broadcast the whole service, lasting two-and-a-half hours.[63]
Television
The procession was broadcast on the
Newsreels
The coronation service of George VI was the first to be filmed; the 40 camera crew inside the Abbey were required to wear evening dress. It was later shown in edited form as a newsreel in cinemas across the British Empire. The service was later broadcast from these recordings, with the authorities censoring only one small section: a clip of Queen Mary wiping a tear from her eye.[65]
Honours and official commemorations
Programme of celebrations and royal events
Aside from the Coronation ceremony itself, a 23-day-long programme of official events spanned most of May 1937. The 1902 Coronation was the first to see such a programme implemented, but 1937 was nearly twice as long, and, building on similar developments in 1911, it was a very public spectacle; Sir Roy Strong argues that the month-long festivities were designed to "recapture the confidence of the nation" following the abdication crisis.
Coronation honours, medals, coinage and stamps
The King marked the occasion of his coronation by conferring honours on a select group of his subjects; in all, thirteen peerages and seven baronetcies were created, while appointments were made to the Privy Council and to the
The
Other celebrations and commemorations
United Kingdom
The streets along the procession route were crowded with people, with women estimated by one newspaper to outnumber men two-to-one. In all, 20,000 police officers were deployed to line the route and keep the crowds calm and, apart from a "dense crush" in Trafalgar Square, which the police dispersed, there were few problems with managing the public in London.[73] In London and elsewhere across Britain,[74] the Coronation became a social occasion, with street parties taking place, in which inhabitants and communities closed off roads, decorated their streets with bunting and flags, and laid on a celebratory lunch; the Pearly Kings and Queens, a traditional part of working-class culture in London, turned out, joining in with festivities and theatrically mocking the Royal Family.[75]
Commemorative rail services
The Coronation Scot and The Coronation were trains operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the London and North Eastern Railway respectively, in order to celebrate the coronation. Both were uniquely constructed streamlined express trains, with the intent of matching the level of luxury surrounding the event and the royal family.
Commemorative clock towers
Two clock towers were built in Malaya (now Malaysia) to commemorate the coronation. One is located at Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur, and was erected in 1937. The clock tower still exists today; however, the memorial plaques were removed following the independence of Malaya (1957). The other tower is located at Kuala Kangsar, Perak, and was completed in 1939. It still exists today and is popular among tourists.
Empire
The National Archives released photographs of celebrations for the Coronation from across the British Empire where various commemorations were held. These included military parades, athletics events and religious services, and the gallery below shows examples of these commemorative events:[77]
-
United Religious Service, High Court building, Accra
-
United Religious Service, Gold Coast
-
Coronation Day Parade, Saltpond
-
Athletics event, possibly in Accra
-
Jamestown, Gold Coast
-
Ceremonial parade, Kumasi
-
Distribution of souvenirs to schoolchildren
Memorabilia
The coronation was capitalised on by manufacturers as a means of selling commemorative material. Recordings of the service were put up for sale, while glassware and pottery were also made to commemorate the event.[78] In Canada, for instance, at least five cookbooks were printed to mark the Coronation.[79] British Empire flags featuring the emblems of the dominions and India were also produced to celebrate their role in a united empire. The ones dating back to 1937 were based on a design previously used for the coronation of George V in 1911.[80]
The Coronation Review of the Fleet
The final coronation event was the
By tradition, foreign navies were invited to send a single warship each to the review and seventeen were present.
Following the review, in which the King and Queen on the royal yacht passed along seven lines of moored ships, there was a flypast by the Fleet Air Arm, however a planned second pass had to be abandoned because of the misty weather.[84] That night, the assembled ships were illuminated by their own searchlights; the spectacle was famously described on BBC Radio by commentator Lieutenant-Commander Thomas Woodrooffe, who had enjoyed too much naval hospitality and was very drunk.[85]
-
The battleship HMS Nelson off Spithead for the 1937 Fleet Review
-
Admiral Graf Spee at Spithead in 1937; HMS Hood and Resolution lie in the background
-
Ashigara at the Spithead Naval Review, Portsmouth, May 1937
-
USS New York at the Spithead Naval Review
-
Marat at Spithead for the 1937 Fleet Review
-
Averof at Coronation Naval Review, Spithead, 1937
See also
- Coronation of the British monarch
- Coronation Scot
- The Coronation (train)
- Canadian Coronation Contingent
Notes
- ^ Lieutenant-Colonel T.E.G. Nugent, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Department, Lieutenant-General Sir Sidney Clive, Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, J.B. Monck, Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Major Norman Gwatking, Assistant Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Department and Captain Sir John Dashwood, Assistant Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps.[24]
- ^ Sir George Arthur KCVO, see Debrett's Peerage, 1963, p. 155 for his full details
References
Citations
- ^ "Divorce". Archived from the original on 5 February 2011.
- ^ Matthew, "Edward VIII (later Prince Edward, duke of Windsor) (1894–1972)", The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004
- ^ a b Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 421
- ^ a b c The Coronation Book of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, n.d., pp. 16-17
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 421–422
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 422
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 423
- ^ Beaken, Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis, 2012, pp. 132–133
- ^ a b Beaken, Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis, 2012, pp. 132–133
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 458
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 423, 459–460 and 462
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 462–463
- ^ a b Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 442
- ^ "Coronation Oath: form announced". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 February 1937.
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 443–444
- ^ a b ""George VI", Westminster Abbey (official website)". westminster-abbey.org. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ According to custom, crowned heads do not attend coronations of other kings and queens. Pope-Hennessy, James (1959), Queen Mary, London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd., p. 584
- ^ Ramusack 2004, p. 125
- ^ "Plans for the Coronation Broadcast", Radio Times, 7 May 1937, p. 10
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 428
- ^ Hobsbawn and Ranger, The Invention of Tradition, 1983 (2012 reprint), p. 241
- ^ a b "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937 issue no. 34453, p. 7037". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue 34453, pp. 3071–3077
- ^ a b "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937 issue no. 34453, p. 7038". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- Royal Collection Trust. Inventory no. 31701.
- Royal Collection Trust. Inventory no. 31703.
- ^ Tierney, Elizabeth the Queen Mother Paper Dolls, 2001, p. 71
- ^ a b c "Queen Mother's Coronation Gown". Royal School of Needlework. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "What is a queen consort". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ISBN 9781448150724.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937 issue no. 34453, p. 7043". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937 issue no. 34453, p. 7044". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937 issue no. 34453, pp. 7044–45". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ Wrightson, Hay. "King George VI with page boys, 12 May 1937". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ Wrightson, Hay. "Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother at the coronation with her six maids of honour, May 1937". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ Range, Music and Ceremonial at British Coronations: From James I to Elizabeth II, 2003, p. 243
- ^ Lacey, Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II, p. 111
- ^ a b Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, p. 7054
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, pp. 7055–56
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, p. 7056
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, pp. 7056–57; list of peers pp. 7057–73
- ^ a b Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, p. 7073
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 November 1937, issue no. 34453, pp. 7073–74
- ^ a b Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 452
- ^ The Central Queensland Herald, 20 May 1937, p. 21
- ^ a b "Coronation", HC Deb 16 March 1937 vol 321 cols 1833–1836 (Hansard)
- ^ The Advocate (Burnie, Tasmania) – Wednesday 19 August 1936 – Coronation Procession Route: LONGEST ON RECORD (p. 1)
- ^ Richards, Imperialism and Music: Britain, 1876–1953, p. 113
- ^ "British Choral Tradition Volume Two – Choirs Royal – Choral Music from the 1937 Coronation". Amphion Recordings.
- ^ Petrocelli, William Walton and the Violin Concerto in England between the 1900 and 1940, 2007, p. 32
- ^ a b Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 468
- ^ Richards p. 114
- ^ "Music played at the C20th Coronations". studylib.net. StudyLib. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Coronation of George VI, May 12 1937" (PDF). www.westminster-abbey.org. Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ^ Range, p. 288
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, p. 494
- ^ Beaken, Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis, 2012, p. 135
- ^ Beaken, Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis, 2012, pp. 134–35
- ^ "Coronations and the Royal Archives". www.royal.uk. The Royal Family. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ "Plans for the Coronation Broadcast", Radio Times, 7 May 1937, pp. 10–11
- ^ Range, Music and Ceremonial at British Coronations, 2012, p. 31
- ^ Potter, Broadcasting Empire, 2012, p. 99
- ^ Potter, Broadcasting Empire, 2012, p. 94
- ^ a b c "The story of BBC Television – Television out and about". bbc.co.uk.
- ^ S. Bates, "King Edward VIII abdication: the newspaper that never was", The Guardian, 9 December 2011
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 446–447
- ^ Strong, Coronation, 2005, pp. 447–448
- ^ The London Gazette, 11 May 1937, issue no. 34396, pp. 3074–3105
- ^ Joslin, The Standard Catalogue of British Orders and Decorations, 1976, p. 36
- ^ a b "King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)", Veterans Affairs of Canada (official site), veterans.gc.ca (accessed on 30 May 2014)
- ^ Mussell (ed.) et al., Coin Yearbook 2010, 2010, pp. 170, 173, 179 and 256
- ^ "Coronation", The British Postal Museum and Archive Archived 31 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine (accessed on 30 May 2014).
- ^ The Central Queensland Herald, 20 May 1937, p. 20
- ^ See, for instance, photographs at "George VI Coronation street party, Southgate Street, Neath, 1937" Archived 29 May 2014 at archive.today at Gathering the Jewels: the Website for Welsh Cultural History (accessed on 29 May 2014), and newspaper clippings at "Coronation of King George VI 12th May 1937" Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine at History of Wallasey (accessed on 29 May 2014)
- ^ P. Conrad, "The big picture: a coronation street party in Islington, London, 1937", The Observer, 16 May 2010, and newspaper clippings at "Coronation of King George VI 12th May 1937" Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine at History of Wallasey (accessed on 29 May 2014)
- ^ "12th May". Mass Observation. University of Sussex. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ See also: 'Coronation Souvenir', 1937, The National Archives profile of Flickr (accessed 29 May 2014)
- ^ Market Lavington Museum Blog, 30 March 2012 (accessed on 29 May 2014)
- ^ Driver, Culinary Landmarks: A Bibliography of Canadian Cookbooks, 2008, pp. 800–01
- ^ Kelly, Ralph (8 August 2017). "A flag for the Empire" (PDF). The Flag Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ISBN 978-0-253-35214-9(pp. 24–25)
- ^ a b Willmott, p. 34
- ^ Willmott, p.28
- ^ F E M (August 1937). "The Naval Review: Vol. xxv. No. 3 (pp. 417–418)" (PDF). www.naval-review.com. The Naval Review. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "History of the BBC - Thomas Woodrooffe at the [sic] Coronation Fleet Review 20 May 1937". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 3 June 2014.
Bibliography
- The Coronation Book of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, n.d., Odham's Press Ltd., London
- Beaken, R. (2012). Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis, I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd (ISBN 978-1-78076-355-2)
- Driver, E. (2008). Culinary Landmarks: A Bibliography of Canadian Cookbooks, University of Toronto Press Inc. (ISBN 978-0-8020-4790-8)
- Hobsbawn, E. and Ranger, T. (1983) The Invention of Tradition, 20th printing (2012; first pub. 1983), Cambridge University Press (ISBN 978-1-107-60467-4)
- Joslin, E.C. (1976). The Standard Catalogue of British Orders and Decorations, 3rd Edition, Spink & Son Ltd.
- Lacey, R. (2003) Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II, Free Press (ISBN 0-7432-3559-2)
- Matthew, H.C.G. "Edward VIII (later Prince Edward, duke of Windsor) (1894–1972)", The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, first published: 2004, online edition: Jan 2011
- Mussell, J.W. (ed.) and Coin News editorial staff (eds.) (2010). Coin Yearbook 2010, Token Publishing (ISBN 978-1-870192-93-4)
- Petrocelli, P. (2007). William Walton and the Violin Concerto in England between the 1900 and 1940, Universal Publishers (ISBN 1-59942-654-4)
- Potter, S.J. (2012). Broadcasting Empire, Oxford University Press (ISBN 978-0-19-956896-3)
- Ramusack, Barbara N (2004) The Indian Princes and their States, Cambridge University Press, (ISBN 978-0-521-26727-4)
- Range, M. (2012). Music and Ceremonial at British Coronations: From James I to Elizabeth II, Cambridge University Press (ISBN 978-1-107-02344-4)
- Richards, Jeffrey (2001). Imperialism and Music: Britain, 1876–1953, Manchester University Press (ISBN 0-7190-4506-1)
- Strong, Sir R. (2005). ISBN 978-0007160549)
- Tierney, Tom (2001). Elizabeth the Queen Mother Paper Dolls, Courier Dover Publications (ISBN 978-0-486-41771-4)
External links
- Order of Service of the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
- The Coronation, newsreel from British Movietone News
- Coronation Special 1937, reel 5, newsreel from British Pathé Archives.
- Royal Naval Review Aka His Majesty Review His Fleet 1937, newsreel from British Pathé Archives.
- Coronation of George VI May 12 1937, full list of music titles and composers.