Princess Mary (Princess Royal, daughter of George V and Queen Mary) chatting to a British Army officer in Belfast, Co. Antrim. She and her husband Viscount Lascelles paid a three day whirlwind visit to Belfast that included visits to Belfast Rope Works; Harland & Wolff; opening a hospital; State dinners; medal presentations; speeches to the British Legion’s Women’s section; and meeting Girl Guides and Boy Scouts.
p.s. can any Fashionistas among you please have a look at her hat. Is that a Coco Chanel brooch, or was 1928 too early for that?
Had appealed to architecture/Belfast buffs for any ideas on the building. Confirmation that this is indeed Belfast City Hall came from ccferrie.
Date: 13 October 1928
NLI Ref.: IND_H_0982
that’s The Gentleman!
Chanel was a fashion house in 1928, but I doubt if anyone in those days wore trade marks as jewellery, especially princesses! They appear to be full circles anyway, not letter Cs. Nice try, heh.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hockadilly] Oh, well! Just thought I’d throw it out there for discussion…
I absolutely love the way you invite discussion on the photos! Makes them so interesting to look at … I wouldn’t have even noticed the brooch if you hadn’t pointed it out.
Yes, I never before had made a connection between fashionistas and military insignia buffs.
The varieties of body language are also interesting, the Princess relaxed but aware of the camera, and the officer at some form of Attention, but also conversational, and relaxed.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hockadilly] Thank you for the lovely compliment! I never cease to be amazed at what other people spot in the photos that I’ve completely missed – it’s fun, isn’t it?
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/38197978@N02] She must have been so used to cameras in her life, even in pre-Paparazzi days!
Nice photo & Place. The Princess & the Officer look very nice.
Lovely!
Are they in the grounds of Belfast City Hall? Bearing in mind the statue on the right of the picture and the pillars on the building on the left? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_City_Hall
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/59036290@N07] I don’t know. We have pictures of her definitely at Belfast City Hall inspecting girl guides, but she was in uniform then – unless there was a swift change of clothes before the inspection began…
how times have changed
It’s definitely Belfast City Hall – here’s the streetview g.co/maps/xe66s The decorative lamp post is still there but is a bit lost beside the newer railings and gate posts.