A look from the Cape Argus archives: Ahead of the State Funeral Service of Queen Elizabeth II, which is expected to be one of the biggest gatherings of royalty and politicians hosted in the UK for decades, the Cape Argus retrieved articles from the archives detailing visit of the royal family back in 1947.
The article below was published on the front page of the Cape Argus, dated Cape Town, Tuesday, April 22, 1947.
(Note: The author of the original article is not mentioned or referred to on the article.)
Princess’s Birthday Ball
Youth and Beauty at Government House
ROYAL DINNER PARTY AT WESTBROOKE
PRINCESS ELIZABETH’s 21st birthday ball at Government House last night was a fairy tale come true for the happy crowd of young people privileged to be there.
Nothing could have exceeded the beauty of the scene as the King and Queen and the two Princesses, all with radiant smiles, entered the cream and gold ballroom.
In the scintillating light of the crystal chandeliers the gowns and jewels of the royal ladies sparkled and shone. The Queen’s very wide and beautiful crinoline of white tulle and lace was flounced and embroidered with gold paillettes.
Across her bosom she wore the royal blue ribbon and the jewelled Order of the Garter. A high tiara, of diamonds of diamonds, rubies encircled her head and matched the heavy necklace of rubies and diamonds, and her diamond bracelets and earrings.
SPARKLING DRESSES
PRINCESS ELIZABETH wore an enchanting gown of white tulle which sparkled with paillettes and sequins arranged in diamond-shaped patterns and catching every movement of light.
Princess Margaret also wore a gossamer gown of white tulle lightly sprinkled with gold spangles on the skirt and with spangles more closely clustered on the bodice and shoulder flounces.
The royal party waited in the drawing-room for Princess Elizabeth to return from the City Hall, where she attended the civic ball for a short while, and then they proceeded with Their Excellencies, the Governor-general and Mrs G Brand van Zyl and the Prime Minister General Smuts across the ballroom between the lines of pretty young girls and their partners to the gallery.
There General Smuts read a short speech of congratulations to the Princess and presented her with a silver box containing the Union’s birthday gift – perfectly-matched diamonds for a necklace.
The throng below could hear the Princess exclaim, “How lovely,” as she opened the box with a delighted smile.
PARTNERS
AFTER the presentation the King and Queen returned to the drawing-room and the Princesses danced. Princess Elizabeth being partnered by Sir de Villiers Graaf, by Mr Jack Watermeyer, who had sat next to her at the dinner-party given by Their Excellencies at Westbrooke, and by Mr John Fore, Mr Collin Lang, L.t. -Col Lex Sales, L.t. Tony Hutcherson R.N. and Mr A N Vincent.
During the dance, Princess Elizabeth went down the covered way to the marquees where supper was served to cut her birthday cakes.
There were three cakes in the shape of baskets of flowers, and Princess Elizabeth Cut them all with laughing advice from the King and the Queen. “Terrific,” said the King when his daughter succeeded in cutting a slice from the biggest ornamental cakes.
This was the signal for the young people gathered round to sing, “Happy Birthday, dear Princess.”
YOUTHFUL GUESTS
ALL the arrangements for the Royal Family were half an hour behind schedule last night because the lights fused at Government House while they were dressed.
Consequently, Their Excellencies did not begin to receive the guests until 9.30. A long line of cars purred slowly up the avenue garlanded with lights and dropped their passengers at the garden gate.
It was a very youthful gathering that moved up the covered way to the house, and the girls were beautifully dressed in white or soft colours.
Mr J H Hofmeyr was the Minister in Attendance, and he and Mrs D Hofmeyr went into the gallery with the royal party for the presentation by General Smuts.
Cabinet Ministers, diplomats, and others with the privilege of entree sat in the anteroom to the ballroom The King and Queen and the Princesses stayed until long past midnight at the the ball before retiring to the royal apartments.
DINNER PARTY
THE dinner party given by Their Excellencies at the Westbrooke was a very gay and happy affair. The young guests took their cue from the King who was in a merry mood. His Majesty chaffed Princess Elizabeth when she blew out the 21 candles on her birthday cake and when she was presented with a silver key.
SAT NEXT TO KING
GUESTS to the dinner party in addition to the King and Queen and the Princesses were the Prime Minister General Smuts, Miss Ena van Coller who sat next to the King. Dr Dorothea Lang, Mr Colin Lang, Sir de Villiers and Lady Graff, Mr and Mrs Jack Watermeyer, Mr and Mrs C E W Henderson, Mr R Hennessy, LT A. K M Browne R.N., Lt. I. K Bryce, Mr Michael Waterson, Miss Priscilla Waterson, Miss Mary van der Byl, Miss Winsome Wollaston, Miss Maureen Strauss, Miss Sylvia Sandes, Mr Basil Goldschmidt.
Midshipmen W A Bell and R P Clarke, the Lady Margaret Egerton, Lady-in-Waiting, Lt-Com Peter Ashmore, D.S.C R.N Equerry-in-Attendance Mrs N Hugo Brunt and Capt. P Cruse were in attendance on Their Excellencies.
Princess Magaret’s dancing partners were Capt. J Meaker. S.A.A.F, Capt. McKay S.A.A.F, Mr Basil Goldschmidt, Mr Arthur Falconer, Mr Richard Hennessey and Midshipman J F A Vanier.
