My, how the crowd ROARED!
As Queen and her Philip stepped on to balcony...
At 5.42pm last night, the Queen, cheered by a crowd 150,000 strong, stepped out on to the famous balcony at Buckingham Palace after her Coronation — her beloved husband right behind her.
As soon as the windows leading on to the Palace balcony were opened, Prince Charles, wearing a Coronation medal, and Princess Anne darted out, waving excitedly.
then came the Queen — the Imperial State Crown still on her head; the golden bracelets of ‘Sincerity and Wisdom’ still on her arms; her deep purple robe of State trailing behind her. Philip followed her first. then the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester with Prince William and Prince Richard, the Duchess of Kent with the young Duke of Kent in his crimson and ermine robe, and other members of the Royal Family.
Suddenly, from the east came the whine of jets. the whole balcony looked up. the RAF began to fly past.
Five more minutes of waving followed, then the Royal Family left the gold and crimson- draped balcony. that five minutes was not enough for the multitude. Again, the cries went up: ‘ We want the Queen!’
So at 7.21pm she appeared again on the balcony, this time with the Duke of Edinburgh only. She still wore her glittering crown. And as she waved at the people beneath there was another tremendous roar of welcome.
At 9pm the Queen spoke to the nation and the Empire from her study at the Palace. Her speech was relayed to the crowds outside. there was a new surge towards the gates, where loudspeakers were fixed. But for the first time during the whole exciting day, everybody in the enormous crowd remained silent.
that silence did not last for long, however. For at 9.45pm the Queen was out on the balcony for the third time, radiant and youthful as ever, dressed now in a white gown, ermine wrap and a tiara. On this appearance, she pressed a switch to light up the bulbs in the Mall. they leapt into life. A moment later, far- away spires and domes seemed to soar, floodlit in dazzling white, into the darkness of the sky.
After six minutes the Queen and the Duke went back into the Palace. But the crowds wanted more. Shouts for her went up again.
So at 10.40pm the balcony windows opened and the Queen stepped out with the Duke.
At 11.30pm they appeared again — and at midnight the crowds saw them once more.
THIS sixth appearance sent the crowd wild. Every hand waved. Every voice shouted.
then the singing of God Save the Queen spread through the crowd.
It was still going as the Queen and the Duke went into the Palace.
the last wave was Philip’s.