The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
275 years of UK’ s royal family across the north
The royal family has been an important part of The Press and Journal’s coverage for hundreds of years.
From the coronation of George III to the death of Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III’s coronation at the weekend, The P&J has always provided readers with unrivalled reporting of local events connected to the monarchy.
Each month, as we celebrate our 275th anniversary, we have been bringing you a timeline of articles showcasing how The P&J has told local stories for more than two centuries.
This month we take a look at the years of reporting dedicated to the royal family and how its members have been revered by people across the north and north-east. 1761: The north-east celebrates the coronation of George III
George II (1683-1760) was King when Aberdeen’s Journal – today’s P&J – began publishing in 1748.
The accession of George III to the throne in 1760 was the first coronation reported, taking place on September 22 1761.
The Aberdeen’s Journal did not report on the coronation ceremony itself but devoted two columns detailing how the people of the north-east were marking the event.
In Aberdeen, flags were flown, bells rung and all the ships in the harbour displayed their colours.
An anthem, composed by Francis Peacock, was performed in Marischal College hall to about 500 civic dignitaries and guests.
This was followed by the guests joining a military procession down Broadgate and around Castlegate to a “theatre erected at the cross” where toasts were made to King George III, Queen Charlotte and the royal family.
In Stonehaven, the great and the good marched through the town, with wine, fruit and money distributed among the people.
In Banff, the ships in the harbour flew their colours, fired their guns after a procession and rounded off the day with a ball and fireworks.
1852: Balmoral Castle is purchased by Prince Albert
The purchase of Balmoral in 1852 marked 10 years of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s love affair with Scotland.
Before the 19th Century, the royals rarely ventured over the border.
Published on July 7 1852, “Rejoicings at Balmoral” is an article announcing Prince Albert’s purchase of the castle and celebrating the newly formed connection between the royal family and Deeside.
The purchase of the castle was seen as “a guarantee of the permanence of the connection between royalty and the Deeside Highlands”.
The news was received “with the greatest delight in the district” and preparations were initiated for a great party to celebrate.
1901: The death of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria reigned for almost 64 years, from 1837-1901.
When she died, the news was reported in almost real-time. This was the first instance of a monarch’s demise being covered in such a timeous fashion.
Advances in technology were now allowing news from across the country to be wired and telegrammed to Aberdeen.
The latest on the Queen’s illness and eventual death filled column inches that week for the public.
The Press Association shared their report on the Queen’s illness at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, printed on January 21, the day before her death.
Her death was reported on Wednesday January 23 1901 across three columns. An advert announced that a special supplement would be published on the Friday and that it would feature a portrait of the late monarch. The paper of the 24th covered King Edward VII’s arrival in London and his proclamation as King.
1937: Coronation of George VI
Technological printing advances ensured that the coronation of George VI in 1937 not only meant columns of printed text but also plenty of images.
On the day of the coronation, we had a full page of local people preparing for the coronation with buntinglined streets, rehearsals, vehicle decorations and even an image of Grace Caird of Stonehaven who was preparing for her fourth coronation.
The paper the day after the coronation, on May 13, covered many column inches. As well as detailed reports explaining the ceremony and pageantry taking place in London, The Press and Journal reported on the local festivities and angles across the north-east.
The Press and Journal will always celebrate local angles on national news stories. Under the headline
“Queen’s Maid from Dingwall”, the role of Catherine Maclean, a maid to the Queen, had the important job of laying out the coronation robes.
Catherine had worked at Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen, and moved with her to London when she became Duchess of York on her marriage.
1953: The coronation of Elizabeth II
The coronation of Elizabeth II was covered in great detail across dozens of pages in The P&J.
At the time, we took a look at how we had reported on previous coronations.
On Page 3, we showcased extracts of reports that “displayed how little our love of pageantry and our devotion to the sovereign has changed down the centuries”.
The Press and Journal’s front page on June 3 1953 featured a first-person description of the Queen at the coronation from someone who was there, while intricate details of the monarch’s dress were analysed over two pages on June 2.
1975: The Queen opens Forties Oil Field
In an acknowledgement of the importance of the North Sea’s Forties oilfield, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited Aberdeen for its official opening in November 1975.
During a walkabout, the Queen met about 200 pupils from Dyce Primary School.
1982: Prince Charles attends the reopening of His Majesty’s Theatre
A royal gala was held on September 17 1982 in the presence of the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, to mark the refurbishment of His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen where he was greeted with “cheers and applause”.
The event wasn’t without some controversy. An ongoing dispute in the health service saw a labour councillor hand his tickets to a nurse and a member of domestic staff who attended in uniform handing out flyers.
Their message stated that the £50 gala ticket was the equivalent of a week’s wage for them.
1997: The death of Princess Diana
The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in August 1997, saw an outpouring of grief across the UK.
On September 4 1997, The Press and Journal reported on two community-planned events to take place on the day of her funeral the following Saturday.
On Skye, a Gaelic tribute “Soraidh Leis a’ Bhana Phrionnsa” was to be held at Sol Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic college in Sleat, with funds being raised for the Scottish-based Halo land mine charity supported by Princess Diana.
In Aberdeen, a service had been held at St Machar’s Cathedral attended by pupils from St Machar Academy and St Peter’s RC Primary School.
2002: The death of the Queen Mother
Supplements to mark key royal occasions in the 20th Century became common, taking in jubilees, birthdays and, sadly, deaths.
On the death of the Queen Mother in 2002, a special supplement “Our Memories” was issued on April 11. The supplement focused on the Queen Mother’s interactions with people across The Press and Journal’s circulation area, with reminiscences from those who were there.
2022: The death of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle
When Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle, P&J reporters were among the first on the scene.
Over the coming days, the paper provided unrivalled coverage from the Scottish home she had come to love as much as her great-greatgrandmother Queen Victoria.
Thousands of mourners across the country were able to say goodbye, watch the cortege and follow the Queen’s final journey which departed from the Deeside castle.