3-021-667 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Royal Marriage in Italy: the Crown Prince and Princess at the Ponte Santa Trinità, Florence, 1868. View of the '...the scene on the Lung' Arno...[part of the] festivities which took place...upon the arrival of the Crown Prince Humbert of Italy with Princess Margaret, his newly-married bride...the procession which escorted the Royal couple on the day of their entrance into the capital of Italy emerged from the Piazza di Santa Trinità, and crossed the bridge called the Ponte di Santa Trinità...The carriage...was one which had been used on a similar occasion by the late King of Sardinia, Charles Albert, father of King Victor Emmanuel, and grandfather both of the bride and bridegroom, who are first cousins to each other. It was covered with gilt ornaments...and surmounted by a crown; it was drawn by eight fine horses, splendidly caparisoned in blue, white, and silver. It was preceded by mounted guards, or cuirassiers, and attended by equerries. The Princess wore a beautiful diadem of jewels, shaped like a wreath of flowers... The streets and squares were decorated with flags and garlands of flowers; the crowd was very great, and expressed its sympathy, not by cheering in the English fashion, but rather by clapping of hands'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868.