Homecoming

Kilts, tam o' shanters and tartans flooded Edinburgh with color one day last week. Doughty Scots by the hundreds had climbed out of bed before it was light and flocked into the streets to see a unique pageant--the state arrival of the first Scottish Queen to sit on the British Throne.

Into the flag-decked station rolled the royal train. King George in the dress uniform of Admiral of the Fleet, with the green ribbon of the Order of the Thistle, stepped out followed by Queen Elizabeth in forget-me-not blue, his two excited little daughters. Elizabeth & Margaret Rose, in strawberry pink coats. Louis Stewart Gumley, Edinburgh's Lord Provost stepped forward, tendered the city's keys to King George on a red satin cushion, bade him welcome to his "ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland."

That he and his Queen were really welcome there was no doubt. Thunderous cheers went up as the royal party climbed into an open carriage, moved off down Edinburgh's famed Princes Street, with its swank shops on one side and luxurious gardens on the other. Scotland's premier peer, the Duke of Atholl, the only peer in Britain entitled to own a private army, led the way at the head of a troop of Scottish Horse on shaggy Highland ponies. The joggling troops wore the same khaki uniforms, slouch hats and black cocks' feathers worn in 1903 during the post-coronation visit of Edward VII. From Edinburgh Castle on its crag above the city 21 guns roared in royal salute.

In the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where the King and Queen were to stay for nearly a week, everything was spick & span. Ready laid out for them was the cutlery, plate and napery provided--to encourage royal visits--by the late Sir Alexander Grant, biscuit tycoon, great Scottish patriot and boyhood friend of James Ramsay MacDonald (TIME, June 14).

Bottle after bottle of Scotch whiskey was emptied as Edinburgh settled down to its biggest party in years. For Queen Elizabeth, daughter of the Scottish Earl of Strathmore, her homecoming was a triumph. As she reviewed ex-service men, 84-year-old ex-Sergeant George Alexander greeted her with a rich burr: "You're a bonnie lassie. I wish I'd courted you mysel'."

Next evening, to the oak-paneled throne room of Holyroodhouse, where Bonnie Prince Charlie held court 200 years ago, flocked 500 of Scotland's socially elect to the first royal court Scotland had seen in 34 years. On guard was the Royal Company of Archers in green cloth uniforms embroidered with golden thistles. The King now in his scarlet, gold & blue uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Scots Guards, but still with the Order of the Thistle, the Queen wearing a gold brocade gown and a diamond-&-ruby tiara * received over 200 Scottish debutantes who were thus spared the trouble of a trip to London.

At the throttle of the royal train as Their Majesties returned to London this week was Engineer Tom Clarke whose regular job is to drive the Coronation Scot, the latest and most lushly appointed British streamlined train. The-famed Flying Scotsman], hitherto the fastest London-Edinburgh train, makes the 392 miles in 7 1/2 hrs. The Coronation Scot has cut this to six hours flat.

"Come on Tom, the King has something for you!" Cried Sir Josiah Stamp, Chairman of the road (London, Midland & Scottish) to Engineer Clarke who whipped off his overalls, slipped on a clean pair, vigorously wiped his boots and climbed down to receive from His Majesty the medal of the Order of the British Empire, for Meritorious Service.

Details such as neither U. S. nor United Kingdom journalists ever cable about the Royal Family appeared last week in the Toronto Star, whose M. H. Halton went to the latest Buckingham Palace garden party. Excerpts: "I'm sure Earl Baldwin didn't rent his clothes at Moss Brothers, because his pants looked as if they'd never been pressed. ... He looked very white and very tired, and it was interesting to see him and his wife shun the royalties and walk off among the flowers. . . . The King looked well cared for and healthy. . . . Most of the women who crowded in to shake hands with the little Princesses and grin in Queen Elizabeth's face were badly dressed women with haw-haw accents. . . . The Canadian and American girls would have loved to meet the Queen, but were too good-mannered, cool and dignified to fight their way through the mob. . . . More than once the gentlemen-in-waiting had to link hands to keep the Queen and her two little daughters from being jostled. . . . But no one jostled Queen Mary. . . . Majesty sits on her shoulders and the mob kept a respectful distance from her. . . . Full-bosomed and Junoesque, she moved across the lawns in easy splendor."

* Mightily displeased would Scots have been if Queen Elizabeth had worn the State Crown, the lower part of which she had on week before at the Buckingham Palace Court, for Scotland has its own Crown jewels safely tucked away in Edinburgh Castle.

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