The coronation of King Charles III takes place on May 6. To commemorate the historic occasion, we’re taking a look at what the Daily Herald published for past United Kingdom coronations that occurred in the newspaper’s long reign.
Below is an excerpt from an article published by the Daily Herald on May 12, 1937 in recognition of the coronation of King George VI.
TORRENTS OF RAIN BEAT DOWN ON TRIUMPHAL, DAZZLING CAVALCADE AT THE END OF GREAT DAY OF SPLENDOR
Speaking Slowly and Clearly, With No Hint of Impediment, George VI Accepts Throne of Britain and Pledges Self to a Just and Honest Rule
MILLIONS PACK STREETS TO SEE NEW RULERS: OVATION BRINGS TEARS TO QUEEN MOTHER’S EYES
LONDON, May 12.-–(AP)—-The empire that no night can darken crowned and consecrated its ruler, George VI, and his Scottish Queen Elizabeth today in a solemn and beautiful ritual from down the proud centuries.
Peak of the greatest show in a thousand years, the Archbishop of Canterbury, venerable erect, gave to the new king the crown that symbolizes the rule of 500,000,000 souls in almost a quarter of the earth.
That was at 12:30 p. m., within the old gray walls of Westminster abbey.
Torrents of rain, threatened all day long, beat down on their triumphal, dazzling cavalcade at the end of the greatest day of splendor England ever saw.
Across the channel in a Touraine hunting lodge, Edward of Windsor, the man whose abdication made George VI king, listened by the side of Wallis Warfield to a broadcast of the ritual.
Then—just at the peak of solemn abbey consecration, his friends disclosed he and Mrs. Simpson have delayed their marriage until early June, because the royal family, desiring a public wedding, have disagreed with the British government, which wants a strictly private one.
Speaking slowly and clearly, with no hint of impediment, the grave-eyed monarch accepted the throne of Britain and pledged himself to a just and honest rule,
The two-hour ceremony was climaxed when the 41 year old sovereign was lifted reverently to the throne in the sight of 7500 peers and peeresses, foreign rulers, diplomats and statesmen from all over the world.
Outside the abbey, a million or more cheered.
Guns in the tower of London boomed.
Church bells pealed to signal the priceless jeweled crown of St. Stephen had been placed on the brow of George VI.
Queen Follows King
Queen Elizabeth was then anointed and crowned in a briefer ceremony immediately following the coronation of the king.
There was not a visible flaw in the coronation of the king.
At just half past twelve (3:30 a. m. PST) the archbishop, amid a solemn hush in the splendor of the abbey scene, lifted the jeweled symbol of the British throne, held it with outstretched arms towards the heavens and placed it gently on the head of the man who chose to rule in his brother’s stead.
Throughout the ceremony, 11 year old Princess Elizabeth, heiress presumptive to the throne, gravely and intently watched the impressive ritual which may some day make her Britain’s first reigning queen since Victoria.
But Elizabeth’s little sister, blue-eyed Princess Margaret Rose, too young to maintain a last decorum, squirmed and wriggled like any 6 year old in Sunday school class.
Outside the abbey, in the crush of humanity lining every inch of space along the six-mile processional route more than three-score spectators fainted and one youth died in a fight in Piccadilly circus in which 20 others were injured.
Dull, overcast skies darkened the glitter of jewels and the gleam of bright-hued uniforms in the coronation procession. A heavy fog which shrouded the city throughout the night lifted, however, at daybreak.
At the climatic moment of the crowning, a fanfare of trumpets, a sudden-bursting tumult of applause and the swelling cry of “God save the king!” signaled the event to dense-packed hundreds of thousands outside.
The cry was caught and echoed over the empire’s capital, while radio wireless and transatlantic cables and telephones swept the tidings to millions scattered over the face of the earth.
A salute of 62 guns at the tower of London and 42 guns in St. James’ park boomed forth and in the streets the crowds stood in silence, heads bared.
…
King Takes Throne
Disrobed of his crimson mantle, the king was seated in the ancient King Edward’s chair, the coronation throne, placed near the altar.
The archbishop poured olive oil, which had been blessed, from the ampulla, or golden eagle, one of the oldest pieces of regalia.
On his head, breast and palms of both hands, the king was anointed in the form of a cross and then, kneeling, blessed:
“Be thy hands anointed with holy oil.”
“Be thy breast anointed with holy oil.”
“Be thy head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests and prophets were anointed.”
Four knights of the Garter held over the monarch a rich pall of cloth of gold.
Thus the king was hallowed, becoming half layman, half priest, his life dedicated to unique related services of the church and state.
The Lord Great Chamberlain, dean of Westminster, other dignitaries moved forward for investiture.
The golden supertunica, or pall of cloth of gold, was placed upon the king.
The Lord Great Chamberlain, kneeling, touched the monarch’s heels with golden spurs, emblems of chivalry.
Other pieces of regalia were presented to him. A beautiful sword in a scabbard was given into the king’s hands by the archbishop.
“Receive this kingly sword, brought now from the altar of God,” the primate intoned.
The Lord Great Chamberlain girded the sword about the king, the archbishop continuing:
“With this sword do justice, stop the growth of inquity, protect the Holy Church of God, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, [attain] the things that are [restored,] punish and reform what is amiss and confirm what is in good order …”
The king was invested in imperial mantle and stole. Royal eagles ornamenting the robs symbolized the sovereign’s imperial authority.
The golden orb, surmounted by a cross, was placed in his right hand.
The archbishop:
“Receive this imperial robe and rob; and the Lord your God endue you with knowledge and wisdom… . Remember that the whole world is subject to the power and the empire of Christ our redeemer.”
…
Crown Is Placed
So came the great moment.
As the outburst subsided after the placing of the crown, the voice of the archbishop rose in prayer:
“God crown you with a crown of glory and righteousness.”
Again the organ thundered with an anthem and the holy choir sang: “Be strong and play the -; keep the commandments of the Lord thy God and walk His way.”
“Our gracious king, we present you with this book, the most valuable thing this world affords,” spoke the archbishop, bishops and ranking peers.
This ceremonial dates back to times when kings actually were lifted upon shields or high stones.
In all their magnificence, their majesties – now outside – took their places in their state coach and around them formed the greatest empire cavalcade London ever saw.
There had been a brief interlude for the king and queen to rest and refresh themselves before the procession back to Buckingham palace.
For the millions who had waited long hours for a glimpse of the pageant, bad luck and a drenching were in store.
Rain began falling almost the moment the king and queen left the Abbey.
As the procession formed, the sound of a trumpet at the Abbey annex next door started it on its way.
“God Save the King. Long Live the King!”
The shout became a chant.
The procession entered Hyde park corner.
The carriages slipping through the narrow gate, the soldiers marching beneath side-arcades.
It passed the spot on Constitution Hill where last July, a cripple suffering from a persecution complex threw a loaded revolver beneath the hoofs of a horse ridden by then King Edward VIII. The procession slowed perceptibly as the marchers in the lead wheeled in a circle around the huge grey Victoria monument in front of the palace.
Pass Through Gates
The newly crowned couple passed through the gates of Buckingham palace and home.
Inside the palace, the king and queen had little rest before facing their subjects again.
They retired to their apartments to refresh themselves but the cheering of the crowds kept up a ceaseless refrain in their ears.
Those cheers could not be denied.
A red-liveried footman stepped to the French windows of the Chinese room over the main archway of the palace yard, and flung them wide.
A moments hush fell on the crowd. Then the cheering was renewed more loudly than before. The people saw King George, leading the Queen by the hand, step on to the crimson-draped balcony.
For a moment they seemed slightly bewildered, looking down on a surging sea of faces. Then they smiled and waved their hands.
The crowd roared.
Surging forward, it swept across the road where the procession had passed and up to the railings of the palace courtyard.
Royal Family Appears
Then Queen Mary and the little [one] turned to one another to discuss [something] which had caught their [notice] in the milling scene below.
Again and again the king and queen were called back to the balcony – the historic balcony on which King George the Fifth and Queen Mary had so often stood in peace and war to acknowledge the nation’s enthusiastic demonstration.
The elated crowd, moved to a carnival spirit by the homely sight of the royal family gathered together, burst into spontaneous song. A few voices started the familiar “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,” and the joyous tribute quickly swelled and deepened in volume.
When the royal party at last turned to leave the balcony, King George was the last to go.
Both he and Queen Mary evidently were deeply moved. The stately queen mother, greeted with a thunderous ovation, seemed almost ready to weep.
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