The first grear Royal Wedding of the 20th century, 100 years ago.

We will be offering individually several photographs and interestmg ephemeral items connected  with this very sigmificant event in royal history. This was the marriage of the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, H.R.H. The Princess Mary to Major The Viscount Lascelles, D.S.O. at Westminster Abbey on 28th February 1922. Primncess Mary herself was the sister of two future Kings, Edward VIII & George VI, and aunt  of our present Queen Elizabeth II. The wedding broke the long traditions of nineteenth century royal weddings when Queen Victoria herself and her children had married members of European royal houses. The wedding was the first to take place in the Abbey of a ruler’s daughter since 1382 and the bride began a tradition when she halted the royal carriage to lay her bouquet of flowers at the cenotaph. Previous royal weddings had been quiet ceremonies in royal chapels but this was one which captured the attention of the people and inspired huge crowds in London and in Yorkshire, celebrating such a joyful occasion after the long years of the First World War which had split Europe apart.

A recent biography of Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood, throws much light on an event which bears comparison with the royal weddings of recent decades. This is Elisabeth Basford: Princess Mary, The First Modern Princess The History Press, Cheltenham 2021.