Alongside our latest sovereign range, we will be sending our clients a copy of the Daily Graphic Newspaper, dated the 15th November 1948; the day after the birth of our king, Charles III. Here, we will be dissecting the main content from that very newspaper…
Front Page
‘Son born to the Princess’ is the main title sitting at the top of the front page. Featuring an image of young Princess Elizabeth, it details the events which took place the previous day (14th November) when the princess gave birth to her first child; a son called Charles.
There are a couple of smaller sections featured on the front page, such as a greetings statement to the new arrival on behalf of the readers of the Daily Graphic, a section on Queen Mary arriving at Buckingham Palace, a piece about a judicial inquiry, and another piece on the coal target.
Page 2 and 3
Page 2 features a full-scale article, titled ‘Child of Britain’s Storied Past’. This article focuses on the newest member of the Royal Family, and states that there is no child whose birth has been so eagerly awaited, or will have such a welcome from so many millions of people all over the world. It also discusses and shows an image of the Royal Family tree, along with an image of the coronet worn by the children of the Sovereign’s daughter.
The next page, ‘Family Treasures for H.R.H’, features a number of different images. The first image is of a cradle pictured at an exhibition of Royal treasures in 1939. There is also an image of Princess Elizabeth’s 22-year-old pram which will be used for Charles. Next to the pram is one of the first pictures of Princess Elizabeth, wearing a christening robe which her son will also wear during his christening service. At the bottom of the page are images of the doctors at the palace; Sir William Gilliatt and Sir John Weir, and the nurses at the palace; Nurse Rowe and Miss Lightbody.
Page 4 and 5
‘How the Princess Elizabeth Grew to Womanhood’ is spread across both pages, and features several images of milestones in Princess Elizabeth’s life. The first image is of Princess Elizabeth as a baby, born in 1926. The second image is from 1930 and shows Elizabeth as a young child when her nickname became ‘Lillibet’. Next, there is an image of Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, in 1933. Another image featured is from 1937, and shows the Royal Family during a balcony appearance on the day of King George VI’s coronation.
Towards the bottom of the pages are several images of Princess Elizabeth during her teenage years, from 1939 to 1944, and talks about the impact that the Second World War had on her life. There are also three images from the year 1947; one showing Elizabeth during the Trooping the Colour ceremony, another showing Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day in November, and the other showing the couple during their honeymoon. The final two images are from 1948; one showing Princess Elizabeth with her husband when he received the Freedom of the City, and the other of Elizabeth attending Lady Margaret Egerton’s wedding.
Page 6 and 7
These two pages feature multiple different news pieces. Page 6 mainly focuses on generic news topics both within the UK and worldwide, and also features a crossword puzzle, two cartoon images, and a radio timetable.
Page 7 mainly focuses on sport. It features various sport-related news topics, as well as a weekend sport summary and a list of probable runners and riders at Wolverhampton Racecourse.
Back Page
The article featured on the front page continues on the back page, with the title ‘Night Vigil at Palace’. This carries on the discussion of the birth of Charles, talking about the gathering crowds outside of Buckingham Palace waiting for the news, which resulted in extra police having to be called to control the crowds. This page also focuses on news within the royal family and politics.