Special - The King Opens Festival (1951)

London.
LV. Towards, procession with King's coach leaving Buckingham Palace. SV. Pan, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and Princess Margaret in landau - they are going to open the Festival of Britain. GV. Household Cavalry. GV. Back view, procession going across Trafalgar Square, mass crowd watching. LV. Towards, King's landau drawing up at Temple Bar. SV. Carriage comes to stop and Lord Mayor of London Alderman Denys Lowson presents sword, King returns it. SV. People looking from balcony. SV. Pan, royal carriage leaving Temple Bar. SV. Dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. LV. Royal carriage arriving at steps of St. Paul's. SV. King, Queen and Princess Margaret alight from carriage. King is greeted by Lord Mayor. SV. Princess Margaret alighting from carriage. SV. King and Queen, led by Lord Mayor with sword, walking up steps to cathedral. King stops to shake hands with Mr Herbert Morrison, Leader of the House of Commons. CU. Coat of Arms over canopy. SV. Pan, King and Queen walking up steps. King is greeted by the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, Reverend Walter Robert Mathews, the Queen is also greeted. SV. Dome of St. Paul's, pan down to general view of crowds around St. Paul's. SV. Cabinet minister and other dignitaries waiting on steps - Winston Churchill, and Clement Attlee among them. SV. Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II), Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Margaret and other members of Royal party standing. LV. King walking from cathedral to make speech. King standing at mike ready to speak. King speaking (natural sound): 'Two world wars brought us grievous loss of life and treasure, and through the nation has made a splendid effort towards recovery, new burdens have fallen upon it and dark clouds still overhang the whole world. Yet this is no time for despondency, for I see this Festival as a symbol of Britain's abiding courage and vitality. Let us welcome to our shores the many members of our British Commonwealth, and all the visitors from other lands who have come to see what this old country can do. I declare the Festival of Britain open and wish it universal success.' A the King speaks, camera pans along dignitaries and the members of the royal family. SV. State trumpeters. LV. King and Queen, proceeded by Lord Mayor, walking down steps. SCU. Yeomen of the guard. LV. King and Queen getting into carriage. SV. Gentlemen at Arms. SV. Pan, King, Queen and Princess Margaret driving away. SV. Lord and Lady Mountbatten looking on. General view of procession making its way through crowds down Ludgate Hill.
(Orig.Neg. & Lav.)
FILM ID:1451.04
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[@izvestia03]

thanks for sharing - he delivered this speech so well and confidently - amazing to think of how hard it was for him in the early days when you hear him here -this is wonderful !

[@thomastobias2708]

This would have been one of George VI's final public appearances, if not his final public appearance. Great piece of history. Thank you for posting this!

[@aislingbolton793]

His last public appearance was waving goodbye to his daughter Elizabeth and Prince Phillip as they left via plane for a royal tour. He would die soon after and Elizabeth would return to England as Queen Elizabeth

[@moboutmen]

He was on his way out already with this appearance.

[@hannahdraper]

When England was England