Deseret News archives: Nov. 20 a great day, and also a bad day, for Queen Elizabeth II
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
Ever have one of those days?
On Nov. 20, 1947, Britain's future queen, Princess Elizabeth, married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey. That was the royal wedding for many generations.
Of note, on Nov. 20, 1992, a huge fire seriously damaged Windsor Castle, the favorite weekend home of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.
First the wedding.
Deseret News headlines of the day proclaimed, '3,000 thrill at wedding of Elizabeth; England's future queen bride of Mountbatten' and 'Again the Royal House saves British-U.S. unity.' There were additional front page stories about where the pair would honeymoon and a poem written by Britain's poet laureate.
Less than five years later, the 25-year-old princess became queen, told of the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952, while staying at the Treetops Hotel in Kenya.
A couple of anecdotes:
To celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary in 1997, the queen invited other couples married in 1947 to apply for the 4,000 invitations to her July 15 party that year in the palace gardens.
And earlier this month, a 'very rare' 77-year-old slice of the cake served at Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's wedding sold for $2,800 this week, according to auction house Reeman Dansie.
Per the recent report, the cake, which no longer looked edible, survived for almost eight decades since the wedding day on Nov. 20, 1947. It is still neatly packaged in a small box with the silver insignia of a then-Princess Elizabeth stamped on it and an elaborate doily inside.
Phillip died in 2021 at age 99. The queen died in 2022 at age 96.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about the 1947 royal wedding:
'Elizabeth celebrating 50-year anniversaries'
'Royal wedding photos of the past'
'Queen observes 50 years of undivorced success'
'Grace & dignity'
'Queen Elizabeth II's reign: 60 years of milestones'
'Key milestones in Queen Elizabeth II's life'
'Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, has died. She was 96″
A look at strict rules for a royal wedding'
A snub? Queen won't be at wedding'
A view of Windsor Castle after a major fire, causing millions of pounds of damage, in Windsor, England. Nov. 20, 1992. | Denis Paquin
Now the fire.
In 1992, Windsor Castle was damaged after a stubborn blaze threatened historic works of art at the royal residence. A private chapel was damaged and at least one person was injured in the fire, which authorities said was confined to a small portion of the sprawling castle undergoing renovation.
Queen Elizabeth was not at Windsor when the fire broke out. Her middle son, Prince Andrew, was, but he had been far from the scene and was not hurt. The queen later came to survey the damage.
Here are some archived stories from the Nov. 20 fire:
'Blaze leaves hall burned-out wreck'
'Blaze damages part of Windsor Castle'
'Queen won't pay to restore castle, newspaper says'
'Queen douses fire with water and a few laughs'
'A first: Buckingham Palace will open its doors to tourists'
'Papers blame art restorer for castle fire'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Prince Andrew Had 'Affair' With Ghislaine Maxwell: Book
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Prince Andrew had an "affair" with Ghislaine Maxwell, who launched a "premeditated" drive to reinvent him, according to a new biography. The Duke of York described himself as a friend of Maxwell and her as Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend when he gave a disastrous interview to the BBC in 2019. The Newsnight sit-down led to him having to step back from public life and face widespread ridicule on social media. However, a new book about Andrew called Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, by Andrew Lownie, serialized in the Mail on Sunday, tells a more complicated story. Lownie writes: "Andrew and Ghislaine were good friends, and over the years had been occasional lovers—and through her, the prince had come into the ambit of her boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein." Newsweek reached out to representatives of Prince Andrew and Maxwell via email for comment. Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ascot Racecourse on June 22, 2000. Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ascot Racecourse on June 22, 2000. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images Why It Matters Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein has hung over him for years. The scandal flared up again more recently after a memo from the Department of Justice and FBI stated there was no evidence Epstein blackmailed prominent figures, confirmed no new charges of co-conspirators, and concluded that he died by suicide in his jail cell in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking. The July memo prompted a backlash from President Donald Trump's MAGA base, who felt they had been promised explosive new information. It brought renewed focus on Trump's own friendship with Epstein, which he says he terminated after the financier "stole" young women who worked in his Mar-a-Lago spa. Trump has previously denied knowing about Epstein's criminal sex trafficking operation. Epstein was thought to have abused hundreds of girls. Maxwell was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for sex trafficking over her role in assisting Epstein. She was given conditional immunity and newly interviewed by the DOJ in 2025 as part of the Trump administration review. Andrew was accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, one of the most high-profile victims of Epstein, who died earlier this year. He denied the allegations and settled a lawsuit with her out of court for an undisclosed sum without accepting liability. What To Know Lownie writes that Andrew had been "rudderless" in 2001, the year he left the Royal Navy, having lived his entire life in heavily structured institutions. Maxwell then helped him reinvent himself, including his wardrobe, and ran his social calendar at the same time, while also using him to secure lucrative business deals, the book says. It adds that Andrew "appeared to be rediscovering his youth, hooked by the wealth and reach of new friends," while a friend quoted in the book says: "'He's spiralling out of control, he's even started dressing like a 25-year-old in jeans and blazer.'" "This lifestyle could be traced back to his closer relationship with Ghislaine," Lownie writes. "She introduced him to many of the women with whom he had brief flings, but she also drew him further into Epstein's net." Cynthia Matthews, a friend of Maxwell's, told the author that Andrew and Maxwell worked on foreign business ventures together, with the book citing "a hugely lucrative tobacco deal in Malawi that he helped broker, and a luxury vehicle deal in Thailand." "Andrew loved Thailand and spent a lot of time there," Matthews is quoted as saying. "In 2000, he resumed his on-off affair with Ghislaine," the book says. "In May they were spotted holding hands at a restaurant in Manhattan before flying to Miami, with model Naomi Campbell and Parisian art dealer Alexia Wallaert, on the Lolita Express, as Epstein's plane was known for flying so many young girls." Giuffre said she was trafficked to London to meet Prince Andrew in March 2001, alleging that she was made to have sex with him by Epstein and Maxwell, fearing for her life if she disobeyed. Andrew denies the allegation. What Prince Andrew Said About Epstein and Maxwell During his BBC interview, Andrew said: "Well, I met through his girlfriend back in 1999, I'd known her since she was at university in the U.K., and it would be, to some extent, a stretch to say that, as it were, we were close friends. I mean, we were friends because of other people, and I had a lot of opportunity to go to the United States, but I didn't have much time with him. "I suppose I saw him once or twice a year, perhaps maybe a maximum of three times a year and quite often if I was in the United States and doing things and if he wasn't there, he would say: 'Well, why don't you come and use my houses?' So I said: 'That's very kind, thank you very much indeed.'" Andrew also said: "It was his girlfriend that was the key element in this. He was the, as it were, plus one, to some extent, in that aspect." He acknowledged having stayed at Maxwell's home in Belgravia. It was never put to him that Maxwell was a past lover, and he therefore did not have the opportunity to respond to the suggestion. On Virginia Giuffre, he said: "I'm not in a position to know what she's trying to achieve, but I can tell you categorically I don't remember meeting her at all. "I do not remember a photograph being taken and I've said consistently and frequently that we never had any sort of sexual contact whatever." Asked whether he might have had sex with any young woman trafficked by Epstein, he replied: "No and without putting too fine a point on it, if you're a man, it is a positive act to have sex with somebody. "You have to have to take some sort of positive action and so therefore if you try to forget it's very difficult to try and forget a positive action and I do not remember anything." Andrew Lownie's Book Prince Andrew has not publicly responded to the book, but The Mail was sent a formal legal letter by Prince Harry's attorneys. The dispute with the Duke of Sussex related to passages detailing a fist fight between them and suggestions that Andrew believed Meghan Markle was an opportunist. Harry's team told Newsweek: "Such are the gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks made in the Daily Mail's story, I can confirm a legal letter from Prince Harry's counsel has been sent to the Mail." And a statement from a spokesperson on Saturday read: "I can confirm Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Moment Groom Makes Horrible Mistake During Vows Caught on Camera: 'Oh Dear'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A wedding ceremony in the English countryside took an unexpected turn when a nervous groom said something his bride will never forget. In a clip on TikTok, husband and wife Andrew, 51, and Rebecca Fildes, 43, stood before friends and family in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, exchanging vows on what should have been a picture-perfect day. But things briefly veered off-script when the groom accidentally blurted out his ex-girlfriend's name—just as he was about to marry the love of his life. A bride and groom looking at each other during wedding ceremony. A bride and groom looking at each other during wedding ceremony. @scalesfeathersandfur The celebrant prompted Andrew, "I take you, Rebecca Sarah Joan Qureshi..." Andrew, holding Rebecca's hands in his, responded, "I take you, Sarah..." The bride, guests and even Andrew himself burst into laughter as the moment played out. Thankfully, Rebecca understood and didn't hold it against him. "His ex-girlfriend's name is Sarah, [and] so is one of my middle names," she told Newsweek. "I understood he was nervous and slipped up." Rebecca and Andrew—who she affectionately calls "Andi"—met in their hometown village shop in Harlington. Their friendship grew online before it blossomed into romance. The two are a classic case of opposites attracting. "I'm a lot more outgoing and sociable," Rebecca said. "Andi is more introverted and sensible." Thankfully, Rebecca wasn't upset—just amused. "He didn't even realize he'd left 'Rebecca' out," she said. "I told him and he said, 'I'm so sorry, I was so nervous that I'd do something wrong.' We laughed about it." Simply captioned: "Oh dear," Rebecca posted the clip on TikTok (@scalesfeathersandfur), which has amassed over 34,000 views. Dozens of users reacted in the comments, jumping to Andrew's defense. "To be fair I think he just got HER names in the wrong order due to anxiety. He looks besotted with her. Congratulations," one user wrote. But some weren't as understanding, claiming they would "walk out" if it had happened to them. Many others referenced the iconic Friends episode where Ross says Rachel's name at the altar. "Ross and Rachael ... I mean Emily moment," one user laughed. The couple tied the knot on October 21, 2023, and the ceremony was otherwise smooth, aside from the unexpected name-drop. Nearly two years into marriage, the couple are enjoying their life together. "We are still very much happily married and live each others company," she said. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@ with some extra details, and they could appear on our website.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Steven Knight to Write Denis Villeneuve's James Bond Movie as the Franchise's Amazon Era Begins to Take Shape
Steven Knight, the acclaimed creator of 'Peaky Blinders' whose film credits include David Cronenberg's 'Eastern Promises' and Pablo Larraín's 'Spencer' and 'Maria,' has been tapped to write Denis Villeneuve's untitled James Bond film. The move represents the second major puzzle piece for fans attempting to discern what the next era of the spy franchise might look like. Following the departure of Daniel Craig after 'No Time to Die,' the departure of longtime producer Barbara Broccoli following Amazon's acquisition of MGM, and the hiring of Amy Pascal and David Heyman as the franchise's new stewards, the new film will kick off the Amazon era of the series with perhaps the blankest slate since 'Dr. No' came out in 1963. More from IndieWire 'Highest 2 Lowest' Trailer: Spike Lee's Latest Joint Is an Entertaining Homage to Akira Kurosawa Amazon CEO 'Cannot Wait' to Start Denis Villeneuve's James Bond Movie With six previous leading men and films ranging from utterly campy to deadly serious, the 007 franchise has proven its ability to fit into whatever mold its creative team desires. The hirings of Villeneuve and Knight suggest that the untitled new film will continue in the vein of the the darker, more realistic James Bond that we saw during the Daniel Craig era. Knight has been one of England's most prolific TV and film writers over the past three decades, working on everything from game shows to Charles Dickens adaptations. But he is best known for projects like 'Peaky Blinders,' 'Taboo,' and 'SAS: War Heroes' — all period pieces that focus on social outsiders at various points in British history. Knight's involvement also neutralizes what was arguably Villeneuve's only weakness relative to other directors in the mix for the job: the fact that he isn't British. Villeneuve has established himself as one of his generation's great blockbuster auteurs, capable of applying a distinct artistic vision to massive studio projects based on pre-existing I.P. in an era that's frequently derided for its formulaic output. But the James Bond franchise is one of Britain's proudest cultural exports, and pairing the French-speaking Canadian director with a writer whose career has been defined by his knowledge of British history could result in the perfect blend of spectacle and specificity. No title or release date have been announced for the new Bond movie, though production is expected to begin after Villeneuve finishes 'Dune: Messiah.' With both the writer and director firmly in place, the next domino to fall will almost certainly be the actor taking up the 007 mantle. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See Solve the daily Crossword
