The Coronation of King George VI: 1937

[Music] all the world looks towards London and half the world seems to be here on this day of days the day that will write a new page in history the day that will be remembered by the children grandchildren and great-grandchildren of all the waiting Millions on this dull spring morning to the crowds that have been here in front of Buckingham Palace all night the day's first excitement is the Motorcar procession of the foreign Representatives which leaves for the ab before [Applause] 9:00 every moment the thrill of excitement increases innumerable field glasses cameras and piscop are focused on the gentest swaying mass at a quarter 9 Comes The Carriage procession of prime ministers representatives of India Burma and the colonies in the first is Mr Stanley Baldwin and in turn behind him come Mr Mackenzie King of Canada Mr Lions of Australia Mr Savage of New Zealand General Herzog of South Africa sir Muhammed kham of India Dr Moore of Burma and Mr Huggins of Southern Risha then with a clash of the salute and the mounted escort of the Royal Horse guards the procession of members of the Royal Family in the first Carriage you can just see their all highnesses princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret rose with the Princess Royal in the second their Royal highnesses The Duchess of gler and The Duchess of Kent the excitement of two millions is rising to Fever Heat their Majesty's procession to The Abbey is on its way [Music] and with a fashing of breastplates and the catter of hooves the moment has come the moment that the whole world is waiting and watching for with a dignified slowness that makes it all seem as if it were some gigantic dream the great gilded State coach moves forward in the palace for court and here it comes bringing with it symbolized in our royal family all the history and tradition ition of Britain and the Empire it's almost unbelievably Grand the sort of superb show that takes your breath away [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] round the Victoria Memorial and down the Mallet goes at a walking pace and alongside it goes the Roar of cheering spreading like a slow fire ahead of their Majesty's procession come the little Royal princesses and the Royal duchesses all eyes are on the glistening steel and flashing sword just in front of the coach ride the honory Indian aids to his majesty and the coach itself is drawn by a team of eight Windsor grays walking immediately behind the coach is the man who puts The Brak on when it stops then the field Marshall commanding the troops the Royal Standard and the Duke of gluster and the Duke of Kent riding in their capacity as personal aids to the [Music] king but most brilliant in the glittering array is the coach itself surely the most beautiful in all the [Applause] world it was built nearly 200 years ago and a poet once called it a free translation into carved and gilded imagery of all the pump and tradition of British royalty [Applause] but the focal center of it all is the two figures inside the coach the loyal son of a great king and his gracious lady to whom today must be the climax of their lives [Applause] [Music] [Music] through the admiralty Arch and across the falga square when Nelson looks down on seething Millions there comes first again the Dominion premieres then the royal family the princesses with the Princess Royal the Royal nesses whose husbands are riding behind the state coat and an extra special loud drawer for Queen Mary driving with her sister-in-law the queen of Norway [Applause] and the Royal procession the Dominion and Colonial escorts the yman of the Guard the Indian escort and the detachments of Infantry [Music] the Royal [Music] Navy and here it's the Royal Navy lining the route as well [Music] [Music] then down White Hall past the Senate half and into Parliament Square where the procession enters the most historic part of the royal route to The Abbey past Big Ben the most famous clock in the world World Past Westminster Hall where the kings of old held their coronation Banquets and pass the houses of Parliament to the abbey church of Westminster the church that was built by King Edward the Confessor over a thousand years ago and where for a thousand years Britain's Kings have been crowned and remember that still today it's the crown of Edward the Confessor that plays the most important part in the coronation service that within an hour will rest on the head of King George I 6 and make him King on [Music] [Applause] [Music] behind the yman of the Guard comes the king's barge Master bossy Phelps of boat race Fame there he is and the King's 12 Waterman who used to have the honor of rowing the Royal barge on the temps in the days when Royal barges weren't driven by high powerered [Music] engines in front of the coach ride the Indian AIDS [Applause] [Music] [Applause] outside the ABY the Crowds Are dazzled by the glitter of gold and jewels as first the little princesses and the Princess Royal arrive meanwhile inside 8,000 guests have already been assembled for over 2 hours and at the door the ear Marshall of England the Duke of norfol is waiting to receive their majesties every Pier wears his ir and saber and Carries his Coronet which he won't place on his head until the exact moment that King George V 6 is crowned the puses also carry their coronates which they'll put on when the platinum and Diamond Crown touches the head of her majesty the queen other members of the royal family arrive and then just before the Royal procession itself Queen Mary and queen mord of Norway [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] thus King George I 6 and Queen Elizabeth enter Westminster Abbey for their coronation taking with them the loyalty and prayers of every one of us on him the crown is safe long may it rest there we are inside the Abby for the most solemn and dramatic pictures that have ever appeared on the screen the ceremony that has remained unchanged for a thousand years inside the west door the members of the royal family take their places the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose for the Princess Royal [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the B of her majesty the queen moves up the Nave to be greeted after the anthem by the scholars of Westminster school with a Viet Regina [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] to [Applause] the procession of his majesty the king [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] his majesty is greeted by the Westminster SK with the Viet Rex [Music] [Applause] [Music] the Archbishop of Canterbury asks all those present whether they recognize their King they cry out God save King George I here present unto you King George your unded King well for all you who have come this day to do your homage and service are you willing to do the same [Music] three times more the Archbishop repeats the question until he has faced in turn the four points of the compass thus the 8,000 people inside the Abbey first Acclaim their Sovereign then his majesty will go to the chair of estate to take the coronation oath meanwhile the regalia which have been carried by the Lords in the procession are placed by the dean of Westminster upon the altar the king prepares to take the oath the Archbishop asks him if he will solemnly promise to govern govern the people of Great Britain Ireland Canada Australia New Zealand and the union of South Africa of your possession and the other territories to any of them belonging or pertaining and of your Empire of India according to their respective laws and customs I soln promise so to do will you to your power cause Law And Justice in Mercy to be executed in all your judgments I will still sitting in the chair of estate the king signs the oath twice he dips his pen in the ink now he will disrobe for the most sacred part of the service the anointing with holy oil the Knights of the G will bring the canopy of cloth of gold [Music] [Applause] the anointing be thy breast Anointed with holy oil be thy head Anointed with holy oil after the anointing the secular and sacred characters of the coronation merge the super Tunica or overdress of cloth of gold is put upon the king a girdle of the same material is caught around his waist the Lord Chamberlain touches his heels with a Golden Spur of Knighthood from the altar the Archbishop brings the jeweled sword of State thus is symbolized in the king the merging of the temporal and divine power receive this kingly sword brought now from the altar of God and delivered to you by the hands of us the Bishops and Servants of God though unworthy the sword is G about the King by the Lord great Chamberlain do justice stop the growth of iniquity protect the Holy Church of God help them defend widows and orphans and so Faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this light that you may Reign forever with him in the light which is to come The King ards The Sword and going towards the altar offers it in the Scabbard to the Archbishop the pier who first received the sword redeems it for the price of 100 shillings and during the remainder of the service he carries it naked before the king the armill or color is placed on the King by the dean of Westminster the dean invests him with a mantle of cloth of gold shaped square like the cope of a bishop and richly adorned with the eagle of Empire his majesty takes the orb with a cross receive this Imperial robe at all and the Lord your God endure you with knowledge and wisdom with majesty and with power from on high The Sovereign receives the ring a great Sapphire slashed with a cross of rubies the Lord of the manner of Workshop presents the glove his majesty takes the scepter with a cross the symbol of his Earthly power and the scepter with a dove the symbol of divine guidance now every eye is riveted on the St Edward's Crown as the Archbishop of Canterbury lifts it from The Altar and the dean of Westminster Bears it to where the king sits in the coronation chair the Archbishop of Canterbury takes it raises it with solemnity lowers it on the Royal brow the king is crowned the peers Acclaim their sovereign [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the king leaves the auster coronation chair to take his Golden Throne for the hmage all the great officers of State group in dazzling array around Around The Sovereign in their Majestic sweeping robes peers of the realm will pay homage one by one at the feet of King George I 6 then rise one by one to touch his Majesty's crown and kiss his left cheek first the Archbishop then the Duke of gler the Duke of Kent and the Earl Marshall the Duke of [Music] Norfolk I [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] all [Music] since the beginning of the service Her Majesty the queen has been sitting in the chair of estate now she moves forward for her anointing four puses bring the golden canopy the queen kneels at the altar the Archbishop will pour the holy oil upon the crown of her head he will put the Queen's ring upon the fourth finger of her right hand the Archbishop brings the crown from the altar sets it upon the Queen's head receive the of glory honor and joy the Archbishop puts the scepter into her right hand the ivory rod with a dove into her left the queen moves across to pay homage to the king her train is borne by the Mistress of the robes and the ladies in Waiting after the queen and her ladies have bowed in homage Her Majesty will take her place on the throne then the king and queen will move forward towards the Altar and enter St Edward's Chapel where the king will exchange the St Edward's crown for the Imperial State Crown which he will wear on the state drive back to Buckingham Palace [Music] my [Music] the [Music] [Applause] [Music] thus consecrated and crowned their majesties walk in procession through the Nave and choir to leave the Abbey the coronation is over the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] this morning there were seven processions making their separate ways to The Abbey now for the state drive back to Buckingham Palace on an afternoon that's fast turning into a drizzle they are all joined into one amazing cavalcade so long that even before the state coach has taken up its Royal burden at Westminster the head of the procession is crossing Picadilly circus more than 2 and a half miles ahead AOS looks out from behind the safety of a wooden hoarding because AOS isn't exactly designed as a grandstand the first part of the procession is made up of the colonial contingents Burmese contingents and one from each of the dominions passing below is the band of the Canadian government behind it the Canadian Northwest Manet police the Royal Horse artillery and the Cavalry of the line [Music] [Music] the band and pipes of the Scots guards [Music] the band of the 16th fifth [Music] Lancers also on Horseback are the Indian orderly officers the kings's Air Force Army and Navy AIDS the home commanders in Chief the field Marshals the air and army councils the board of admiralty and the Sea Lords a battery of the royal artillery and marching superbly as ever the Royal Navy meanwhile at this moment The Duchess of gla and The Duchess of Kent are leaving the Abby to ride in a glass coach in the part of the procession which comes immediately in front of her majesty Queen [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Mary Prin princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose come out to ride this time in the coach with our grandmother Queen Mary and now Queen Mary herself leaves the Abbey after what must have been to her the Supreme joy of seeing her son crowned to carry on the tradition that she has so long and so nobly [Applause] [Music] upheld from inside the Abbey the voice of the choir rises in the national anthem and a waiting world knows that Britain's new king and queen are coming out to receive a nation's homage for the return Drive His Majesty is wearing the Imperial State Crown in one hand he will carry the orb in the other the scepter with a cross thus with all the outward and visible signs of his sovereignty around him his Britannic Majesty King George II and his Queen leave the Abbey to ride from mile after mile through jubilating London streets [Music] once again across Parliament square with the Royal Dukes riding behind along New Bridge Street and down Victoria embankment where the boats on the river are decked out as grandstands and the Scarlet coats of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police send 40,000 London school children into a frenzy [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] up North umland Avenue [Applause] [Applause] back into Trafalga square and from high above the procession to watch their marching is a joy [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] across trafala square and into palmal and on through some of the most famous streets of the city of Westminster the Dominion Colonial contingents the Royal Navy Queen Mary and the [Applause] princesses the lifeguards [Applause] [Applause] Queen Mary's coach runs the corner passon james' Palace the Kings eight [Applause] 10,000 faces crane forward and if you're not very tall there's only one thing to do and finally more than an hour after the head of the procession the Royal Coach reaches picad circus London has changed since the last coronation 26 years ago but nowhere more than in region Street the face of region Street may have been lifted but it still remains one of the most famous shopping streets of the world but today that's all different shop Windows instead of displaying flashing jewels and gorgeous guns are as tightly packed with cheering coronation Watchers as the jammed Pavements [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] and now it's Oxford Street that vibrates to the of marching feet That Glitters to the sparkle of flashing swords that Echoes to the voice of 100,000 throats the Canadian Northwest Mounted [Applause] [Music] Police the guards [Music] the [Music] Colonials under Marble Arch and into hiy park and at last the procession is heading for home the men from the Empire's armies [Music] [Applause] the yzx and the Royal Air [Music] Force the Canadians [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Applause] through the park where every tree is a grandstand it's mile after mile of swinging men and pancing horses and amongst the glittering uniforms and waving plumes not the smallest corner of the Empire is forgotten not one branch of its life is unrepresented here's the RAF ban [Music] a last glimpse of Mr Stanley Baldwin for whom this day marks the climax of a distinguished career our Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent the band of the royal Scotts grades [Music] the abandon bugles of the rifle Brigade [Music] the colonial contingent [Music] [Applause] the pipes and band of the king's own Scottish borders [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the yman of the [Applause] Guard the king's barge master and Waterman the king's Indian escort [Applause] [Applause] come on [Applause] [Applause] the pipes and band of the Highland light [Music] [Applause] infantry territorial Army Royal Navy [Applause] the Canadians [Applause] the Royal [Applause] Dukes the Gods [Applause] the Royal [Applause] duchesses Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose and as the Royal Coach approaches hide Park Corner we turn back the pages 35 years to the pump and pageantry of the coronation of king Edward iith then it was the same loyal enthusiasm the same guilded coach the same feeling of an Empire at one with its [Applause] Sovereign but memories fade and we are back again in 1937 for the final stage of the royal cavalcade to the Palace [Applause] out of the park across hi Park corner and under the quadriga into constitutional Hill [Applause] the band of the 16th fifth [Music] Lancers the Royal Marines [Music] [Applause] meanwhile at Buckingham Palace where the cloud is thicker than anywhere the police are having trouble to keep the route clear [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] and at last it's back to the Palace which the king and queen left over 5 hours ago 5 hours of Jubilation and homage 5 hours of a Nation expressing its loyalty and affection five hours of a far-flung Empire taking part in spirit five hours of the world Spotlight focused on London five hours of millions cheering themselves horse [Applause] [Applause] and once again our royal family stands on the most famous balcony in the world for the final climax of this glorious coronation [Applause] day and working with the world's most powerful camera lens our cameraman gets these amazing closeups of their majesties on the balcony [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] later inside the palace their majesties and the royal family POS specially for our camera in all the magnificence of their coronation robes and for days to follow the floodlit palace is the magnet that draws London's jubilating night crowds and into the glare of the floodlands steps our king and queen nightly to receive our homage and we join with London with the Empire with the world in saying God save our king and queen long may they reign [Applause] [Music]

Channel: TV Live News

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Length: 52min 9sec (3129 seconds)

Published: Sat May 13 2017