The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-02
CEREMONIES OF
THE CORONATION


THE CORONATION
The date OF the coronation OF King
George and Queen Mary, falls. as
stated recently, in what not inaptly may
be named coronation month, and the day.
June p, comedies with that on when
the grandmother OF the King celebrated
her diamoad jubilee The King has
vetoed the suggestion Of some London
papers that coronation day and empire
day should be colncident, because en-
p!re day had It origin under cireum-
stances not altogether free from pollii-
cal party aspirations. and as The les
tivities incident 10 the coronation will
last longer than the one day set apart
for the festivities az Westminster. EN-
plre day is 70 follow as a coneomitant
King Georges coronation will draw
to London an enormous number OF Brit
ish subjects from all parts of tho TN
PIKE, and London next June VIII be the
center OF wave OF imperialism The
imperial conference will be In session;
Parliament will be sitting and London
will be more spectacular than ever. The
Crystal Palace win be thrown open for
the festival of the empire and TIE ex-
position grounds are 10 be flied With
features all particularly imperlaiisti,
As 10 the procedure OF the ceremony.
the King will adhere TO precedent There
viii be no disposition to excel any OF
the historic characteristics by adding
court and military displays. The only
possible alteration from the programme
will arise from any specially expressed
desire OF the oversee dominions 10 be
more Complementary represented King
George is credited with a desire for
economy In connection with both the
procession and the service
Since the coronation OF King Edward
VII South Africa and New Zealand have
risen 10 the status OF dominions. and
some OF the states already have submitted
plans for fuller representation. New
South Wales, FOR instance, contemplates
the equipment OF a corps OF senior cadets
10 take part In the ceremonies. South
Africa may send "A contingent that may
appeal powerfully 10 the imagination OF
the visitors.
An interesting fact which may be re-
called IN connection with the coronation
Is that Il was only when George "
assembled the throne that the status OF
the queen consort was settled and her
right t6 be crowned defined through the
appeal of Queen Caroline TO the prlvy
council. Previously IL was the custom of
the King and his consort 20 be crowned
az a different time and place. and the
coronation Of the Queen was held as a
mere ceremony or honor performed 10
her at the will and pleasure Of the SOW
erelgn.
Sc II came to pass that William the
! Conquerors wife was crowned two years
after ne himself was crowned so We're
/ the wives OF Henry 7 and of Stephen
/ The Queen Of Richard ] was crowned
| abroad Johns Queen was not crowned
! with him, and Henry III was crowned
afterward and alone The queens OF
Henry ~, Edward III. Henry Y. Henry
| VI, Henry VII. and Henry VIII either
were crowned long after their consort'
| or not al all, as were also the queens OF
| Charles I, Charles III, George !. ans
George H. Queen Mary, therefore, vii
| only be the third queen 10 be crowned
az the same time and place as her con
sort.
King George and his Queen viii b,
crowned exactly seventy-four years aftel
the coronation OF queen Victoria anC
lexactly nine years after the date Origi
nally fixed for the coronation OF Kini
Edward Thursday, Il may be pointeC
tout, is the favored day for this histori'
ceremony on that day Charles /. jane
II. William and Mary. Anne George ~
William N, and. as above indicated
Queen Victoria were crowned. George
and George II were crowned on a Wed
nesday. and George III on a Thursday
King Edward alone among the British
monarchs was crowned on a Saturday.
Tidings OF the splendors Of the co-o
nation and the preparations which al
ready are under way 20 insure Ties
splendOrs recall how George N mad
ready 10 play Hamlet" on his own coro
nation day Here Is a verbatim extract
/. l His maiesty's sofa bed was brOugh
from Carlton House. Ills majesty Wa
guarded during the night by the Tor
great chamberlain and the usher OF IN
black rod. On Thursday morning at
o'clock, the lord great chamberlain car
ried 10 his majesty HIS shirt and appare
whereupon the lord chamberlain, assiste
by the household. dressed his majesty.
IL Is the homeiy touch of the shirt tha
makes the picture interesting.
Were the coronation banquet 10 be r.
vived next year. those present in Wes
minister Hall would witness some strans
[ sights. sure enough On such an Oecs
; sion il is the duty OF the Duke OF No
/ folk TO act as chief butler. with III
lord mayor of London as his assistan
, Lord Braybrook would have TO was
2 the Kings hands before he sat down
) the table. receiving the towel used as h
reward Then the Lord OF the Manor
Addington would have TO serve the Kin
with dish of "grout" after the fir'
course Grout is composed of almOu
milk, Drawn of capons, sugar, spice. an
chicken parboiled. Probably the fes
OF tasting such strange compound hs
led the King to follow his fathers e.
ample and dispense with the banquet.
Lord Cholmondeley, owner of Il
Houghton estate. Is the hereditary grei
chamberlain lie will Ofiiciate in III
capacity at the coming coronation. TIL
Office carries with IL TIE claim 20 a.
las lord chamberlain az the coronation
To attend the King during the ceremOn
of the toilet previous to the ceremonial
| TO have forty yards of crimson velv
for a fobe, also the Kings bed and be-
ding, and the furniture Of his chamb'
where he lies the night before. with h
wearing apparel and nightgown."