ROYAL TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA

This film is held by the BFI (ID: 21385).

Synopsis

INTEREST. Royal Tour of South Africa, 1947: 31st Jan. 1947 - Royal cars leaving Buckingham Palace, cheering crowds, drive down Mall. Boarding train at Waterloo Station (22). Boarding H.M.S. Vanquard at Portsmouth (32). Sitting on deck in canvas chairs en route, Princesses playing game of "tag" with young officers (45). Arrival at Cape Town [Feb.17th]. Royal family walk down gangway, greeted by Mr. Van Zyl, Prime Minister Smuts. Presentation of local dignitaries (80). King and Queen entering car. Royal cars driving through streets of Cape Town, cheering crowds, decorated streets (121). Firework display (124). Arrival at Senate House for Opening of Parliament. Inside Senate, King and Queen in ceremonial dress seated on thrones. Princesses watch from balcony. Leaving Senate House (132). Entering car (159). M.C.U. Field Marshall Smuts. Royal family getting aboard white train to go on tour of South Africa (175). At Ostrich farm at Oudtshoorn (179). Herd of ostriches in field, C.U. bird's head. Queen seen clipping feather from tail of ostrich. Princesses admiring a baby ostrich (218). [March 3rd]. Princess Elizabeth opens graving dock at East London. Seen arriving, mounting dais. Making speech, holding on hat due to high wind (248). Hoists inter- national flag (250). Receiving gift of diamonds (265). Taking Salute from frigate "Transvaal" (278). Still in East London, the Princesses go for an informal ride along Bonza Beach, seen cantering along sands (292). Unscheduled stop in the rain [at Sterkstroom]. King and Queen holding umbrellas chatting, laughing with crowd (308). Basutoland. On eve of Royal visit. Village, huts. The Regent, Paramount Chieftainess Ma'Ntsebo Seeiso seen outside her Villa. Seen M.C.U. posing (322). Walking in village with escorts (329). Great trek of Basutos to the capital, Maseru. Hundreds of horsemen at camp, night (347). Mass cavalcade of mounted chieftains escort Royal car. Seen riding past MLS. with Royal car H.A.S. (383). Arrival in Durban [20th March] drive through the streets (399). Welcome by Mayor, Royal family on dais watch march-past of ex-servicemen (421). Zulus arriving at Eshowe for a tribal assembly in honour of Royal Party, faces seen, Zulus in tribal costume walking along. H.A.S. field, gather (448). Royal car arriving, faces of Zulus. Medals being presented (468). The Ngoma Umkose, Royal dance of homage is performed, ending with cheering. Charge at dais where family is seated (502). [April 11th] Drummers of the Barotse tribe providing cere- monial music for Paramount Chief on journey down Zambesi to meet Royal Party in Northern Rhodesia. Drummers seen (528). Paramount Chief seen as Royal Barge being rowed down river (562). Chief walking up from jetty. Being pre- sented with medal and photograph by King George VI (585). Royal visit to the grave of Cecil Rhodes [April 15th] (604). Back in Cape Town, King and Queen seen thanking the staff of the "White train" (613). Princess Elizabeth's 21st Birthday [April 21st], she attends a youth rally (623). Children singing "Happy Birthday" (632). Princess Elizabeth making speech (654). Trip to the top of Table Mountain, going up in Cable car. Panoramic view from summit. Royal party seen with Field Marshall Smuts (676). Day of departure [April 24th]. Royal party saying goodbye to officials and Field Marshall Smuts (695). Going on board H.M.S. Vanguard, greeting Captain Agnew (785). Royal Party waving to crowds on shore (718). Ships at sea (724). The End (728).

Subject refs: 968 : 394.44 SOUTH AFRICA : State Visits : King George VI and family 968.7[1] : 342.538(68) : 394.4 CAPE TOWN : Opening of Parliament (South African) : King George VI 968.7[1] : 598.51 : 394.44 OUDTSHOORN : Ostrich farm : State Visits : King George VI and family 968.7[1] : 06.091.1 : 627.31 EAST LONDON : Opening Ceremony : Graving dock : Princess Elizabeth 968.61[1] : 394.44 BASUTOLAND : State Visits : King George VI and family 968.4[1] : 394.44 ESHOWE : State Visits : King George VI and family 572.9(=96) ZULUS : Ethnology (421-502)

Biog. refs: SMUTS, Field Marshall Jan Christian SEEISO, Ma'Ntsebo Paramount Chieftainess, Regent of Basutos GEORGE VI, King of Great Britain ELIZABETH, Queen Consort to George VI ELIZABETH II, Queen of Great Britain MARGARET ROSE, Countess of Snowdon

 

Titles

  • ROYAL TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA
 

Technical Data

Year:
1947
Film Gauge (Format):
16mm Film
Colour:
Black/White
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
728 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
Great Britain