Obituary. Death of King George VI (1936-1952) - much of the following is library material taken from earlier Pathe Newsreels.
Begins with intertitle: "In the sudden death of King George VI Britain mourns the passing of a Monarch whose life was an inspiration to all over whom he ruled."
View of Sandringham through gate. M/S of people in mourning looking through railings. L/S of Sandringham. Facade of B.B.C. Broadcasting House - sound is of radio announcement of King's death.
Houses of Parliament in mist - the flag is lowered to half mast. Various shots of newspaper sellers with placards announcing the King's death. Shots of newspapers coming off the press and being transported by van.
Crowds outside the Royal Exchange - Exchange flag at half mast. Zoom in on newspaper headlines "The King is Dead". Marlborough House - Queen Mary standard still at top of the mast. Various shots of mourners. Westminster Abbey - various footage. American flag at half mast outside American Embassy. C/U of American soldier in uniform reading a newspaper.
Downing Street. Churchill leaving. Press photographers take his picture. Crowds outside Buckingham Palace. C/Us of mourners. Library footage of the King looking ill at London Airport. Crowds outside Buckingham Palace. Newspaper headline "Operation Today". A notice is attached to the railings of the palace.
L/S of Westminster Abbey. Archbishop takes crown from altar and walks towards King - coronation footage. King and Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon later Queen Mother) on their estate at Sandringham - they chat and smile with an unidentified man. King and Princess Margaret look at some stacked wheat in a field. Various shots of the Royal Family riding bicycles through fields, nice shots of Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) on their bicycles. Queen rides in trap followed by King and Princesses on bikes. Good for showing the Royal family "at play."
World War Two sequence - King in uniform visits an East London bomb site. He looks at rubble and damaged buildings. King is seen with Herbert Morrison walking through bomb damaged streets.
Victory Parade down the Mall. King and Royal family at salute. Troops march past.
Royal family at opening of the Festival of Britain. King shakes hands with Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill. Royal family walks through Transport Section. Queen touches wheel of engine whilst King chats to Attlee.
Buckingham Palace - christening of Princess Anne - various footage of the Royal Family at the christening.
Kenya, Royal Hunting Lodge (Sagana Lodge) where Princess Elizabeth heard of her father's death. Shots of Royal couple with Sir Philip Mitchell arriving at Lodge. Interior of Lodge. Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh), Elizabeth and Sir Mitchell strolling in grounds.
Departure of Princess Elizabeth for trip to Kenya. King George, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret attend her departure and are seen walking down the steps of the aircraft. The King waves, Princess Elizabeth waves from the door of the aircraft. Narrator in a sad voice observes: "It was a farewell, it was also as events turned out, goodbye." Camera follows the King as he chats with Sir Miles Thomas. He joins the Queen and stands looking at aircraft.
End.
Selected Originals exist.
Note: scenes of Princess Elizabeth's departure to Kenya were shot by the B.B.C. Newspaper clippings, commentary transcript and shot list on file.
FILM ID:9.02
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