An American collector couldn’t believe his luck when he got his hands on rare footage of King Charles’s christening after purchasing a mysterious brown envelope from a charity shop.
Ronald Baxter Jr, 59, was intrigued when he spotted the unmarked envelope on sale for just $8 (￡6.20) in a thrift shop in South Carolina, US.
Curious to know what was inside he bought it and opened it at home. To his amazement, he discovered a film from the King’s christening on December 15, 1948.
The footage shows crowds of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace waiting to get a glimpse of the weeks-old Prince of Wales.
Incredibly, the decades-old film features four generations of monarchs as Queen Mary, King George VI, the Queen Mother Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles all appear in one of the stills. Prince Philip is also seen standing over his beaming wife who is sitting holding their firstborn son.
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Incredibly, the decades-old film features four generations of monarchs as Queen Mary, King George VI, the Queen Mother Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles all appear in one of the stills. Prince Philip is also seen standing over his beaming wife who is sitting holding their firstborn son.
(Image: SWNS)
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Ronald, an engineer, from Charleston in South Carolina, said: "I opened the envelope when I got home and I was like 'wow'. I was shocked to see Queen Elizabeth and young King Charles there. I held the film up to the light and thought 'man, how did that end up there for $8?' I have never watched the video, I put it back in the envelope and have kept it in a safe space ever since."
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Ronald, an engineer, from Charleston in South Carolina, said: "I opened the envelope when I got home and I was like 'wow'. I was shocked to see Queen Elizabeth and young King Charles there. I held the film up to the light and thought 'man, how did that end up there for $8?' I have never watched the video, I put it back in the envelope and have kept it in a safe space ever since."
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Ronald said he is unsure how much the film - titled ‘Baby Prince Charles: A film record of The Royal and Happy Event’ - might be worth but is hoping to sell it to the highest bidder. Charles was just four weeks old at the time of his christening, which took place in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace.
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Ronald said he is unsure how much the film - titled ‘Baby Prince Charles: A film record of The Royal and Happy Event’ - might be worth but is hoping to sell it to the highest bidder. Charles was just four weeks old at the time of his christening, which took place in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace.
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But that didn’t stop crowds gathering outside the palace gates in the hope of catching a glimpse of the future king and other members of the Royal Family. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, baptized the sleeping baby using water from the River Jordan. The precious family event was captured on film, with one four-minute clip being shared by the Associated Press and British Movietone in 2016.
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But that didn’t stop crowds gathering outside the palace gates in the hope of catching a glimpse of the future king and other members of the Royal Family. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, baptized the sleeping baby using water from the River Jordan. The precious family event was captured on film, with one four-minute clip being shared by the Associated Press and British Movietone in 2016.
(Image: SWNS)
Link copied
The precious family event was captured on film, with one four-minute clip being shared by the Associated Press and British Movietone in 2016.
(Image: SWNS)
Link copied
The precious family event was captured on film, with one four-minute clip being shared by the Associated Press and British Movietone in 2016.
(Image: SWNS)
Link copied
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