Fantastic oversize photo of King George V and Mary of Teck posing together in their royal attire, affixed to its original mount signed in the lower border in ink, ' George R.I. Delhi, Decbr 12th, 1911. ' and ' Mary '.
The signatures have been PSA DNA authenticated.
The photograph is in fine condition, with expected light silvering to the perimeter of the image which does not detract from its overall beauty.
This RARE hand-signed photograph is presented in its original frame with the reverse bearing a Herzog & Higgins label. Herzog & Higgins photographic studio was owned by two Englishmen P. A. Herzog and P. Higgins. They were commissioned to cover important occasions such as the Indian Durbar organized in honor of the visit of King George V to India in 1911 and many royal hunts including the tiger hunts in Nepal organized for King George V.
The coronation of King George V and Mary of Teck as Emperor and Empress of India occurred from December 7-16th, 1911 at Delhi's Coronation Park.
Measures approx. 14 7/8" x 18 1/4" framed.
George V (1865-1936), King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1910, went to India in 1911 to be crowned Emperor of India in a great durbar in Delhi on December 12th, 1911.
The site for the durbar was in northwest Delhi and a city of tents came up across 25 square miles. At the center of the camp was the King’s pavilion, spread over 85 acres.
Camps of officials and Indian princes were located in order of precedence. The camp had its own railway, connecting it to the amphitheatre where the durbar was held. Sixty four kilometers of new roads and 80 km long water mains were constructed.
The royal couple arrived at Coronation Park in their Coronation robes, the King-Emperor wearing the Imperial Crown of India with eight arches, containing 6170 exquisitely cut diamonds, and covered with sapphires, emeralds, and rubies, with a velvet and miniver cap all weighing 34 ounces (965 g).
The ceremonies included a 101-gun salute, parades, obeisance by rulers of princely states, distribution of medals to military officials, and the proclamation.
Mary of Teck (1867-1953) was Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India as the wife of King-Emperor George V.
Born and raised in London, Mary was the daughter of Francis, Duke of Teck, a German nobleman, and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, a granddaughter of King George III.
At the age of 24, she was betrothed to her second cousin once removed Prince Albert Victor, who was second in line to the throne. Six weeks after the announcement of the engagement, he died unexpectedly during a pandemic. The following year, she became engaged to Albert Victor's only surviving brother, George, who subsequently became King.
After George’s death, in 1936, she became queen mother when her eldest son, Edward VIII, ascended the throne. To her dismay, he abdicated later the same year in order to marry twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. She supported her second son, George VI, until his death in 1952. Mary died the following year, ten weeks before her granddaughter Elizabeth II was crowned. An ocean liner, a battlecruiser, and a university were named in her honor.
