HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1953-05-28, Page 16PAGE TWO CORONATION SUPPLEMENT MAY, 195|
In the dim, early hours of April 21,1926, a girl was born^
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—British Travel Association photo
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
io the gracious young Duchess of York, and the World, re
joiced, Few suspected that the baby Princess — baptized
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary — would ever become the second
Elizabeth to sit on England’s throne.
Nobody at that time even though it probable that the
Duke of York would ever become King. King George V,
Strong, soldierly and upright, gave promise of living for
many years to come. His eldest son Edward, Prince of Wales,
was next in line of succession and was immensely popular.
The shy, retiring Albert, Duke of York, was only second in
the line of succession.
Yet there were somq who realized that there was a pos
sibility that Elizabeth might some day become Queen, al
though they could hardly have forseen the dramatic turn of
events which was to lead to her succession.
The Princess’s initiation into the limitations of Royal
life began when she was only eight months old; her mother
and father had to be separated from her for six months
while they went to Australia to inaugurate the new capital.
Her early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, into which
her parents moved shortly after their arrival home. It was
a happy environment—spacious rooms, quiet but elegant
period furniture; a courtyard just large enough to shut out
the noise of the Piccadilly traffic; a small garden at the back
facing directly the undulating greensward of Hyde Park.
When learning to talk, the Princess mis-pronounced her
name “Lilibet”, a mistake which sounded so attractive that
it was at once adopted and retain-❖--------------------------------------------
fid. Lilibet was a great favorite
With her grandparents and espec
ially with her grandfather, King
George V. She was a lovely child,
but it was her odd mixture of im
pish candor and seriousness which
Endeared her to him. He laughing
ly told her—with truth—that she
was the only person in the world
ever to order him to “shut the
door.”
When she was four, her sister
Margaret was born, and thereafter
they were inseparable. Most of
her early childhood years were
spent in the country, at one of the
family houses—at historic Glamis
Castle, complete with its ghost, or
the Royal Lodge at Windsor.
Private Tutoring
Lilibet’s upbringing was strict
but not repressive. She was taught
at home, because a princess at
school attracts too much attention.
Her mother taught her to read and
private tutors took over, teaching
her French and German by the
time she was 10, in addition to
music, history and other subjects.
She had her first piano lesson at
the age of four, disliked geography
but was fascinated by history in
which, had she chosen, she could
have earned an honours degree.
And underlying it all—discipline.
She saw examples everywhere
around her. She saw her parents
cope with the never-ceasing round
of duties, the endless correspon
dence, the constant callers. There
were charities to be encouraged,
new projects to be inspected, im
portant visitors to entertain from
all parts of the world. These crush
ing demands she saw accepted with
grace, good humour and genuine
interest. Duty came first; self
last.
Her grandmother, Queen Mary,
pnee gave hei’ a salutary lesson in
^his. Girlishly, she enjoyed being
photographed, being cheered by
waiting crowds and having kisses
blown at her. On her visit to
Olympia with her grandmother
she said, “Won’t the people be
pleased to see me when we leave?”
Lilibet was packed straight off
home with a nurse—by a side door,
where the crowds couldn’t see her.
Move To Buckingham Palace
Then, at the age of 10, the Prin
cess’ childhood was virtually end
ed. Grandfather had died. The ab
dication of King Edward VIII
shook the English-speaking world.
Her father became King George
VI.
From that day her upbringing
was even more exacting. She mov
ed with her family to Buckingham
Palace. Direct in line of succession,
she was trained in all she must
know—the relations between var
ious Commonwealth governments
and the home country; the con
stitutional’ status of a King;, the
workings of the immensely complicated royal household.
• Calmly and good-humouredly she
took it all in her stride. She found
time for plenty of reading, enjoy
ing the works of ’E. M. Forester,
Alexander Woolcott, H. G. Wells
and Somerset Maugham. She de
veloped musical preferences, play
ing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony whenever she could . Yet until 1945
she had never been to a cinema,
ridden on a bus or been in a sub
way train.
Served With A.T.S.
In March, 1945, the Princess was
gazetted honorary second subal
tern in the A.T.S. (Auxiliary Terri
torial Service). By the age of 18
she was appointed a Councillor of
State during the King’s absence in
the field of battle. She was an ef
ficient driver in the war and had
insisted on joining the A.T.S., al
though her father wondered at the
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wisdom of the heir to the throne
exposing herself to the risks of
active service.
In the Forces they found the
Princess cool, cheerful and willing.
Gradually, however, she emerged
as a public figure. Her broadcast
to the children of the Empire dur
ing the Battle of Britain, so clear
and spirited, began it all.
Royal Duties
A visit to Northern Ireland to
launch a ship; the proclamation of
peace; the tremendous ovation giv
en to her family outside Bucking
ham Palace; her first journey out
side the British Isles, with her
parents on' their visit to South
Africa and Rhodesia—and back to
London and romance. Rumor had
long linked her name with Prince
Philip of Greece. The little golden
haired girl was now in the full
bloom of womanhood; Philip, the
handsome sailor whom she had
known since they were children,
shared her love of music, interests
and hobbies. She made her choice,
it was a love match and her par
ents gave it their blessing. The
nation rejoiced.
She had enjoyed a short era of
adult freedom: theatres and cine
mas, dances and parties. Now her
public duties multiplied and were
added to the cares of a home. But
everyone who saw her during her
trip to Canada, representing her
father at the Trooping of the
Colour in 1951 and taking the
salute, knew that she had achieved
full stature. Here, we knew, was
somebody who could be Queen.
Then, tragically, His Majesty
King George VI succumbed to the
intolerable burdens he had endured
without complaint for his people’s
good. For Lilibet the freedom of
childhood was now far behind, for
“with one voice and Consent of
Tongue and. Heart” the “High and
Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alex
andra Mary” was proclaimed
Queen Elizabeth the Second.
The Queen’s Busy Day
Britons To See
Religious Play
In Abbey
Westminster Abbey, for the first
time in history, will be the scene
of a religious play shortly after
the Coronation. First performance
is June 15. This will be the first
chance for the public to see the
Abbey in its Coronation setting.
—---------o-----------
Composer Sir Wnt. Walton
Writes Coronation March
Orb and Sceptre is the title of a
march which the Arts Council of
Great Britain has commissioned
from the composer, Sir William
Walton, in honour of the Corona
tion. The march will be played for
the first time on Coronation Day-
June 2—in the program of music
to be performed in Westminster
Abbey, London, before the cere
mony begins, The first public con
cert performance will be given in
the Royal Festival Hall on June 7,
by the’London Symphony Orches
tra under the direction of Sir John
Barbirolli.
Acorns From Royal Oaks
For Northern Ireland
In connection with Northern Ire
land’s plans for celebrating the
Coronation, a novel scheme has
been launched by the Ulster So
ciety for the Preservation of the
Countryside. Fifteen thousand
acorns will be obtained from the
royal oak trees in Windsor Great
Park, England, and planted
throughout Northern Ireland., Most
of the acorns will be distributed
through the schools and remain
der will be issued to private in
dividuals.----------0----------
The spirit of Coronation Year is
reflected in the new colours issued
for the spring and summer of 1953
by the British Colour Council (13,
Portman Square, London, W.l).
The colours are for knitwear, wool,
silk and rayon, cotton and leather.
The 33 colours on the wool card
have been arranged to give alter
native suggestions foi’ harmoniz
ing and contrasting colours.
There are <36 colours for silk and
rayon, 22 for cotton, and 18 for
leather.
Earl Marshal
PhotO—British Travel Association
Reproduction of the actual Royal Invitation sent to those attending the Coronation services.
CORONATION OF HER MAJESTY
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
By Command of The Queen
the Earl Marshal is directed to invite
One Of The World's Busiest People
In Role Of Monarch, Wife, Mother
By any computation the present Queen is one of the—<
if not actually the busiest—women in the world.
It could be^said that all lines of communication in an
Empire covering'nearly a quarter of the world’s land surface
meet at a central point known as Buckingham Palace. The
Queen is not only the personification of the State. In law she
is the supreme authority, an integral part of the legislature.
This makes her the head of the judiciary in England and
Wales, and Scotland, head of the Army, Navy and Ait* Force
and the sole representative of the nation in international
affairs.
Of course, in process of history, many of these prerog
atives have become restricted. Today the Queen acts on the
advice of her ministers—advice which she cannot constitu
tionally ignore. And the supreme legislative authority is
the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which
tween them represent all elements of the nation.
But this does not mean that the Queen’s duties
nominal; far from it. They are onerous .and they are
be-
to be present at the Abbey Church of
Westminster on the 2nd day of June 1953
are
„ im
portant. The Queen reigns, if she does not rule. She sum
monses, prorogues and dissolves Parliament; she opens the
new session with a speech from the throne; a Bill which has
been passed by both legislative Houses requires her consent
before it becomes law. The jurisdictions of the Courts de
rive from her; she makes appointments of peerages, knight
hoods and suchlike honours; as head of the established
Church. of England she is concerned with appointments
within it. Hei’ approval is required for a minister to assume
office or a Cabinet to be formed.
Add to these duties of the Queen the manifold demands
of participation in the ceremonial and public life of the nation,
and one sees, to quote Mrs'. Roosevelt, how heavy a burden
lies on such young shoulders.
The Queen’s diary is invariably crowded. Britain’s new
Ambassador to Turkey must be received before departing
(Continued on Page 5)