"In the courtyard were Garter-King-at-Arms with heralds and pursuivants in
their robes of office, and eight officers of arms on horseback bearing
massive silver maces; sergeants-at-arms with their maces and collars; the
sergeant-trumpeter with his mace and collar; the trumpets, drum-major and
drums, and knights'-marshal and men."

"On Her Majesty showing herself at the Presence Chamber window,
Garter-Principal-King-at-Arms having taken his station in the courtyard
under the window, accompanied by the Duke of Norfolk as Earl-Marshal of
England, read the proclamation containing the formal and official
announcement of the demise of King William IV., and of the consequent
accession of Queen Alexandrina Victoria to the throne of these realms ...
'to whom we acknowledge all faith and constant obedience, with all humble
and hearty affection, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to
bless the Royal Princess Alexandrina Victoria with long and happy years to
reign. God save the Queen.' At the termination of this proclamation the
band struck up the National Anthem, and a signal was given for the Park and
Tower guns to fire in order to announce the fact of the proclamation being
made. During the reading of the proclamation her Majesty stood at the
Presence Chamber window, and immediately upon its conclusion the air was
rent with the loudest acclamations by those within the area, which were
responded to by the thousands without."

The scene drew from Elizabeth Barrett Browning the following popular
verses:--

O, maiden, heir of kings,
A king has left his place;
The majesty of death has swept