February 28, 1922
Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, was married to Viscount Lascelles today in Westminister Abbey, reports the New York Times. The wedding was a "happy combination of family party and of the religious ceremonial and secular pomp befitting the giving in marriage of a King's and Emperor's daughter."
The wedding was said to be "lovely" and a "great occasion, according to those who attended.
Even "more remarkable were the scenes" outside Westminster Abbey, where Princess Mary received a "more wonderful tribute of appreciation, affection, and good-will" from hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people who had lined the wedding route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and back to the Palace.
As Princess Mary and her husband left on their honeymoon the "demonstration was far more extraordinarily still."
The 24-year-old Princess is very popular but her personality is "as great as it may be. was hardly enough to account for the heartiness and universality of London's greetings and good wishes." This was perhaps "the first real and general awakening" of the British population after the "dark and dismal years of the war."
The Times wrote: "It was an amazing big crowd and an amazingly good-humored one."
For a late February day in London, the weather was "magnificent" with blue skies and a sun that shone brilliantly.
More than 2000 guests were invited to the wedding, and the first guests arrived before 9 a..m, but by 10, all but "a few of the most important personages in the realm" were in their seats.
The guest list included members of the Diplomatic Corp, government officials, and the peerage.
One of the "most observed persons" on the Abbey was Lady Diana Duff Cooper, who was sitting in the press area. As Lady Diana Manners, she had "personally undergone the experience of being a popular bride." She was representing the Daily Mail.
Lord Lascelles' younger brother, the Hon. Edward Lascelles was one of the first guests to arrive. He was followed by Lord Lascelles' brother, the Hon. Edward Lascelles, and then the bridegroom's parents, the Earl and Countess of Harewood.
The Lascelles family was seated on the left of the sacrarium leaving members of the Royal Family to sit on the right. Lord Lascelles and his best man, Sir Victor Mackenzie, were next to arrive, both dressed in the uniform of the Grenadier Guards. The bridegroom "looked much younger than his age, 39 years, would indicate, and in fact, altogether better than his photographs."'
Members of the Royal Family began to arrive at 11:00 a.m: the Princess Royal, Princess Christian, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, the Earl and Countess of Athlone, Lady Patricia Ramsay, Princess Helena Victoria, Princess Marie Louise, the Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke, Lord Leopold Mountbatten, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, and others, all of whom were received at the West Door by the Dean of Westminster. They waited at the west end of the Abbey for "the formation of the procession.
Queen Alexandra and Princess Victoria were the next to arrive. She presented "a truly wonderful appearance for a woman her age." By the end of the ceremony, she did begin to show "some signs of fatigue." She was quickly followed by Queen Mary, "an impressive and truly regal figure in her gown of white, covered with gold embroidery." She wore the blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter and "diamonds which scintillated like living things."
The Queen was described by the Times as looking "radiant." She arrived with her sons, the Duke of York and the Princes Henry and George. The procession began, passing through the nave to the sacrarium as the organist played Hubert Parry's Bridal March.
The Queen walked with the Duke of York on her right and Prince George on her left. Queen Alexandra was escorted by Prince Henry. Members of the clergy including the Archbishop of Canterbury "followed from the west end, having robed in the Jerusalem Chamber.
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, who is married to Queen Mary's brother, Alexander, the Earl of Athlone, "attracted many eyes" as did Lady Patricia Ramsay, who as Princess Patricia of Connaught, married in the abbey in February 1919. Lady Patricia was not accompanied by her husband, Captain the Hon. Alexander Ramsay of Mar.
There was a "burst of cheering" when King George V and Princess Mary arrived on time at the steps of the sacrarium. The bride and her father traveled from the Palace in the Irish Coach.
Princess Mary's English-made wedding gown was described as "dainty." The bridesmaids' dresses were made by London couturiers. The Princess was attended by eight bridesmaids, including by three first cousins, Princess Maud, the younger daughter of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and the late Duke of Fife, Lady May Cambridge, the only daughter of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and the Earl of Athlone and Lady Victoria Mary of Cambridge, the daughter of the Marquess of Cambridge.
Lady Rachel Cavendish, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, "whom gossip a matchmaking mamma hopes to see become the bride of her eldest son, the Prince of Wales," was one of the bridesmaids. Another was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the daughter of the Earl of Strathmore who, according to rumors, "has fixed the attentions of the Duke of York."
Lady Mary Thynne, daughter of the Marquess of Bath, Lady Doris Gordon Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond, and Lady Diana Bridgeman, daughter of the Earl of Bradford, were the other bridesmaids. The Earl of Bradford is Lord-in-Waiting to the King.
Princess Mary stood for a moment, "apparently very self-collected, a charming figure of English girlhood, as she arranged and rearranged the pearl necklace whose reluctance to hang just right was, perhaps not wholly disagreeable during that trying moment."
The king gave his daughter a "tender smile" as they started "up the long, long nave to where a gleam of gold showed where the altar stood." Princess Maud and Lady Mary Cambridge, "by right of their cousinship, headed the silvery procession of the bridesmaids." The two youngest bridesmaids, Lady May Cambridge, and Lady Diana Bridgeman had silver ribbons tied in their long hair, "falling beneath the filmy softening of their veils."
The processional hymn, Lead Us, Heavenly Father, was chosen by the Princess herself and sung by the Abbey Choir.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was the officiant and he was assisted by the Archbishop of York, the Dean of Westminster, and the Precentor of Westminster Abbey.
Lord Lascelles's response to the question of whether he "would have this woman as his wedded wife to love her, comfort her, honor her and keep her in sickness and in health did not carry far." Princess Mary's responses came as a "musical murmur, faint but distinct." When asked who "giveth this woman in marriage", the King "inclined his head but did not speak."
After the conclusion of the service, the Register was signed in Edward the Confessor's Chapel. After the newlyweds emerged from the chapel, it was noted that the Princess "looked neither pale nor shy now." There was a flush in her cheeks, "which caused her complexion to be likened to an English wild rose."
The newlyweds followed by the eight bridesmaids walked slowly to the west door and "very soon those within the Abbey heard roar after roar of cheers from the multitude outside."
There were "dense crowds of cheering people" on the return trip to the Palace, where the wedding breakfast took place. The crowd continued to grow in the courtyard outside the Palace and down the Mall.
Finally, they were rewarded when the balcony door opened, and Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles stepped out.
They moved to the front of the balcony, where the Princess "bowed many times. She was a "delightful picture in her bridal dress," and her "shyness was easy to gather from her movements, as was the confidence that seemed to come from the presence from her husband."
They were soon joined by the King and Queen and Queen Alexandra, and the "shouts and wavings increased in volume." The bride and groom and her parents and grandmother remained outside for some minutes, "acknowledging the crowd's magnificent greeting," before the balcony doors opened and the royal party went inside to attend the wedding the breakfast.
The wedding breakfast was served at 1 p.m. in the State Dining Room and Supper Room in Buckingham Palace. The former was "set apart for the Royal Family and members and near relations of the bridegroom's family. " In addition, a "privileged few of the more intimate friends of the Court circle, numbering 61 in all," who were seat at 6 round tables, decorated with a fairylike arrangement of pink and white flowers." The two flowers were white lilac and pink tulips.
At the principal table, King George sat with Princess Mary on his right and Lord Lascelles on the other side of his new bride, and with Queen Mary on his right. The Earl of Harewood sat next to Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra was seated next to him. The other guests at the main table were the Dowager Countess of Bradford and Prince Henry. All of the tables were decorated with "white lilac and pink tulips."
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The guest list for the wedding breakfast included the Duke of York, Prince Henry, Prince George, Prince Nicolas of Romania, the Princess Royal and Princess Maud, Princess Victoria, Princess Christian, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Princess Beatrice, the Duchess of Albany, Infante Alfonso and Princess Beatrice of Spain, Lady Patricia Ramsay, Princess Alice and the Earl of Athlone, Viscount Trematon and Lady May Cambridge, Grand Duchess Xenia, Grand Duchess George, and Princess Nina, Princess Helena Victoria and Princess Marie Louise, the Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke, Lord Leopold Mountbatten, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, the Marquess and Marchioness of Milford Haven, the Earl of Eltham, Lord Frederick Cambridge, the Lady Mary Cambridge, and Lieut-Colonel Evelyn and the Lady Helena Gibbs, the Earl and Countess of Harewood, the Earl and Countess of Desart, the Dowager Countess of Bradford, the Viscount and Viscountess Boyne, the Lady Mary Kenyon Slaney, Constance, Lady Wenlock, Major the Hon. Edward and Mrs. Lascelles, the Hon. Mrs. George Lascelles, the Hon. William and Mrs. Lascelles, Mr. Francis and the Lady Susan Sutton, and Mr. Robert and the Lady Mary Doyne.
Princess Mary used her husband's sword for the theoretical cutting of the wedding cake, which was actually done with a silver cake knife. The wedding cake was cut in the Blue Drawing Room.
The Princess changed into her traveling dress, which was a "simply designed gown of hyacinth-blue charmeuse. She and her husband proceeded to the Main Hall where Queen Mary and other members of the Royal Family, except for the King and the three princes, were waiting. The bride and bridegroom "passed through a however of rose leaves and tiny silver horseshoes. There was a "touching simplicity" in the affectionate leaving between Mary and her only daughter,
The King and his sons were waiting outside in the courtyard, "also armed with rose leaves and diminutive horseshoes," as they said their goodbyes to Mary and Lord Lascelles. The newlyweds were being escorted to Paddington Station to board a train for Weston Park, Shnifal, Salop, which is the home of the Earl and Countess of Bradford.
The members of the Royal Family who were present for the wedding were Queen Alexandra, and Princess Victoria, the Duke of York, Prince Henry, Prince George, the Princess Royal, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Princess Christian, and her two daughters, Princess Helena Victoria and Princess Marie Louise, Lady Patricia Ramsay, the Duchess of Albany, Princess Beatrice, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and the Earl of Athlone, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, the Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke and Lord Leopold Mountbatten.
The Prince of Wales was on an official tour of India and was unable to attend his wedding.
The only foreign royals at the wedding were family members, including Infanta Beatrice of Spain, Grand Duke Michael of Russia and Countess Torby, Grand Duchess George of Russia, and her two daughters, Princess Xenia and Princess Nina, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russa.
Grand Duke Michael's daughter, Lady Zia, and her husband, Major Harold Wernher, were also guests at the wedding.
Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles' gown was made from striped silver lamé, cut with a square neck, and made princess fashion, was veiled and fairylike white trellised marquisette, embroidered with a raised design of English roses and foliage worked in with tiny diamonds and pearls, and girdled with silver cord studded with three ropes of pearls." reported The Times, which added the "transparent embroidered sleeves were of three-quarter length, and a trail of orange blossoms with silver stems drooped from the waist down the left side of the dress. The unlined train of silver and Duchesse satin was embroidered with Indian silver in designs symbolical of the Empire and edged with a silver picot braid."
Quen Mary had given her daughter a gift of Honiton lace which covered the gown "on the shoulders and fell in a double cascade of drapery on either side of its whole length." The bride's veil was of "silk tulle edged with pearls" and held by a "graceful tiara of orange buds lightly arranged in triple rows."
On her way to the Abbey, Princess Mary wore a Russian ermine pelerine wrap.
https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2021/05/princess-mary-by-elisabeth-basford.html
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