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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1953-05-28, Page 17MAY, 1958 CORONATION SUPPLEMENT PAGE THREW Prince Philip The Man At'The Queen's Side A Capable, Popular Consort —British Travel Association Photo H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. In the first formal portrait studies to be taken since the accession of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh is wearing the uniform of Lieut. Commander of the Royal Navy with aiguillettes as a personal A.D.C. to the late King, the Star of the Garter .(top) and the Star of the Thistle. The Duke’s medals are (left to right) 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Burma Star (with Pacific Rosette), Italy Star, War Medal and Palm Leaf (mentioned in despatches), Coronation Medal, ' Greek Order of the Phoenix and French Croix de Guerre with Palm leaf. It is an unwritten tradition in Britain that the head of the Royal household be a Navy man—and in every sense of the term the man at the Queen’s side is a Navy man, through and through. In a very real way, his Naval training has been of im­ measurable help to Prince Philip in coping with his rathfer difficult position as Prince Consort, a position which in pre­ cise terms of precedence, can hardly be defined. But as head of his household and husband of Queen Elizabeth he is cer­ tainly the best-known citizen in Britain, and probably the most popular. What is he like, the man at the Queen’s side? The Duke of Edinburgh was at one time sixth in line of succession to the Greek throne. His father was Prince An­ drew of Greece, who died in 1943, and his mother Princess Alice of Battenberg, daughter of the first Marquess of Milford Haven. He was born in Corfu, but from the start received a thoroughly British upbringing, spending most of his boyhood with his uncle, Lord Mountbatten, in whose house in Park Lane—as also at the White Lodge, Windsor and. the Picca­ dilly home of the then Duke and Duchess of York—he quite frequently met Princess Elizabeth. The young girl and the rather shy, lanky boy were good friends from the start, but it was only a childhood associ­ ation. They exchanged presents and letters, but Philip, boy­ like, was very much absorbed in boyish pursuits and had already announced his longing to make the Navy a career. It was an ambition easy to gratify, for he had, as time proved, all the makings of a seaman—a willing­ ness to work hard, a keen sense of discipline, a. liking for the com- radeshp of men, a sense of adven­ ture and a love of athletes. In due course Prince Philip was admitted to the Royal Naval College, Dart­ mouth, where he won the King’s Dirk for the best cadet. Fond of Athletics As a scholar—he was educated at the progressive school at Gor- donstoun, Scotland, run by the dis­ tinguished German educationalist, Dr. Kurt Hahn—he was not out­ standing. On the whole, he prefer­ red games. One characteristic of Prince Philip was remarked by all who met him as a boy. Although re­ served, he was entirely without “side.” He mixed with everyone without the slightest trace of self­ consciousness and by his own ex- “Merrie- England,” Luton Hoo’s Coronation pageant, June 9-15, will have more than 1,000 performers in Elizabethan costume. The fam­ ous Luton Girls’ Choir will take part with the well known singers Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth. Stands to accommodate 20,000 are being erected. ample proved that he never wished or expected to compete on anything but equal terms. Philip -was a popular officer, though a strict disciplinarian. He had no side off duty, but would stand no nonsense at work. If he has a grievance, he gets it off his. mind at once (he had some hard words to say to press photograph­ ers during a recent visit to a coal mine) and bears no malice. In ac­ tion with the Royal Navy during the war—he saw his first action at the Battle of Matapan—his energy and cool bearing won high praise. His hobbies and interests are in keeping with his temperament. The National. Playing Fields Associa­ tion, which provides playing fields for young children, has always been one of his favorite interests. He is fond, of photography, ama­ teur theatricals, gardening, swim­ ming and boxing. He has made a special study of British history. Engagement Announced It was known before .1947 that Sil’ Laurence and Lady Olivier, Noel Coward, and Cecil Beaton are among those organizing, a ball in aid of the National Playing Fields Association at the Savoy Hotel for the night of the Coronation. Reserve TV Equipment Readied For Coronation Alexandra Palace, London, home of the world’s first public tele­ vision service, is being equipped with a new medium power tele­ vision installation (by Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company, Ltd., of Chelmsford, England). Vision and sound transmitters and asso­ ciated equipment are being in­ stalled, as a reserve, in time foi’ the Coronation. Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, R.N., had been seeing rather more of each other than social formality would de­ mand. With unerring judgment the public sensed a reciprocal affec­ tion, and when for the first time the couple were allowed to meet each other for longer periods dur­ ing a holiday in the Highlands of Scotland, everyone knew that an engagement was a virtual cer­ tainty. On July 9, 1947, King George VI, with great happiness, gave his consent to the betrothal of the Heiress-Presumptive to Lieut­ enant Mountbatten, R.N. The whole nation and common­ wealth were happy about the match, and those around the Prin­ cess were delighted, for they knew better than anyone else that it was indeed a love match. The marriage solemnized at Westminster Abbey was an event of great rejoicing and so, too, was the birth of Prince Charles a year later. Everywhere the couple have been together—in Paris or Washington or Kenya—the Duke has proved immensely popular. Many Responsibilities What is the role of a Consort? He is, of course, in no sense a King and has no special authority. .But as head of his family and confi­ dential advisor to the Queen there is, manifestly, plenty of scope for his capacities. In the complex ad­ ministration of the Royal house­ hold, in the management of the Royal estates and arranging of countless state ceremonies, his understanding and support will be of great value. His own patronage of learned societies, too, is not simply a well-meaning acceptance of duty. He knows a good deal about science and its vital import­ ance in modern society. Recognizes Tradition On ceremonial occasions it will be noted that the Duke walks be­ hind the Queen, He understands the recognized traditions of the monarchy too well to mind this. He has been nurtured and bred on British tradition; that the Queens and Kings of England must be in direct line of descent is something he not only knows but admires. It may be rather old-fashioned, but the British still consider the description “British” to be a proud title not to be bestowed, indiscrim­ inately. When friends who know the Duke of Edinburgh describe him as being “as British as they make ’em” they mean it in the very highest sense a compliment. ----------o----------- The Duke and Duchess of Nor­ folk are joint presidents of a Cor­ onation Ball which will take place at the Albert Hall this month. A midnight ‘Pageant of Coronations’ will illustrate historic incidents of bygone ceremonies. Wonderful Pageant Impressive Procession 'Ere Coronation Of Queen Victoria It is a fair assumption that when Queen Elizabeth II is crowned on June 2 this year, the ceremony in all its intricate detail will run without the unfortunate hitches which marked but did not mar the coronation of her great-great-grand­ mother Queen Victoria. At the time of Queen Victoria’s coronation in June, 1838, there was a deficiency in the national budget and a pessimis­ tic few pressed for an “austerity” coronation, shorn of its more costly trimmings. But neither Parliament nor the people would hear of it. However, it was decided to scrap the usual banquet in Westminster Hall—perhaps because, on the previous occasion, when George IV became King, most of the table silver was stolen by souvenir hunters. Colorful Procession The procession from Buckingham Palace started at 10 a.m. and was an impressive sight. Ambassadors and minis­ ters, bands, the royal carriages, more bands, the Yeomen of the Guard, officers and officials, cavalry—and the Queen in her state carriage, drawn by eight cream-coloured horses. She received a great ovation from the crowds on her way to the Abbey, where the ceremony, with all its* solemnity and involved ritual, must certainly have been a trial to her. One queer feature of the procession was a gentleman who looked more important than all the other? put together, and whose identity was speculated upon, wiwi considerable inaccuracy, by the crowds. He was, in fact, the Austrian Ambassador and his scintillating aspect, covered as he was from head to foot in jewels—even to the heels of his boots— was breath-taking. The police control of crowds and traffic was not nearly so efficient as it is today, for at Piccadilly the Queen was held up for 45 minutes. The ceremony in the Abbey differed in few respects from the ceremony to be enacted this month, but there were certain blunders which will be most certainly avoided, Her Majesty was supported on either side by the Bishops of Bath and Wells and Durham. One of their primary jobs was to keep the Queen informed of what was expected of her in the long and exhausting ceremony, but both were at times vague as to what happened next. This was a sore trial for the Queen, who desired so earnestly to comply strictly with tradition. Ring Was Too Small The ceremony of recognition, the taking of the oath, the anointing and pronouncement of the blessing, went smoothly enough—allowing for the fact that the Queen had not been sufficiently informed of what was to take place—but when the insignia of Royalty had been hand­ ed to her, the moment of receiving the coronation ring was a' painful one. It had been made too small, but the Archbishop of Canterbury insisted on putting it on the fourth finger of the Queen’s right , hand, causing her pain and making it very difficult, afterwards, to get it off again. Lords Paid Homage When it came to the point when the peers of the Realm had to pay homage .Victoria kept her queenly dignity when she might easily have jeopardized it by a justifiable biit inopportune smile—or even a repri­ mand. The procedure was for the Lords Spiritual to kneel around, saying the words of homage: “I do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly wor­ ship, and faith and truth I will bear unto you to live and die against all manner of folk, so help me God.” This was followed by kissing Her Majesty’s hand, though certain princes touched the Queen’s crown and kissed her left cheek. With minor variations, this was perform­ ed by 21 marquesses, 93 earls, 19 viscounts and 91 barons. Some of them were aged and weak on their legs ,and the Queen took quite a buffeting in the process. One knocked her crown so roughly as to give her a severe headache, while Lord Rolle fell while ascending the dais and was helped to his feet by the Queen herself! Retained Poise Queen Victoria did complain after the event that the bishops might have known theii’ job bet­ ter, but throughout the coronation kept her poise and good humour, even when, walking in her heavy train, some of the bearers, halting unpredictably, jerked her back­ wards ! At last, to the swelling strain of Hallelujah Chorus, the proceedings were over, and soon the streets rang with frenzied cheers as the procession began its drive back to the palace. And that night London and the Empire made merry as never before with fireworks and fairs, beer and balloons—not toy ones, but real ones wth passengers, One balloon made a bad. landing, the oniy accident of any size on an occasion when, because of vast crowds and an excess of spirits, ac­ cidents could happen all too easily.