Azalea queen doused at coronation

By Mary Alice Carhart

This article first appeared in The Ledger-Star in 1962.

NORFOLK - Peggy Ann Goldwater remained poised and unselfish to the rain-soaked end of her reign as Queen Azalea IX.

Queen Peggy, daughter of Sen. and Mrs. Barry Goldwater of Arizona, arrived in Norfolk for Festival Week Tuesday and was in a whirlwind of activity from then on. Her energy never gave out, nor did her good nature.

Her hair straightened by the rain at the Sunday coronation, Peggy twice refused a raincoat - insisting the owners needed them more than she.

The fact that her pink organza gown was rapidly becoming wet, her hair limp, made little impression on the striking Queen.

"I feel sorrier for the people who came to see it," she said after making her way gracefully to a nearby house trailer used as a rest area.

"We've had our week of glory," Peggy added, turning to her bedraggled court of 14 princesses and 30 attendants.

The trailer was a pandemonium of soggy attendants, policemen, Marines and a few West Point cadets.

Two inches of rain stood on the floor.

The narrow congested hallway was almost impassable.

Said a Marine driver, "I've never been so pleasantly squashed together with so many beautiful girls in my life."

While the girls took cover in the trailer, most of the escorts ran for their Army bus, the Washington dignitaries to tents, and the spectators, to automobiles.

Following the 30-minute downpour, Festival officials decided to continue the ceremony at Norfolk Airport.

Sen. Goldwater had told them he intended to crown his daughter queen if he had to do it in the middle of the coronation pond.

When told of this, Peggy couldn't have been happier.

"I'd swim out there for him to do it too," she replied. "We'll have an aqua show."

But, the crowning didn't take place in the reflection pond. It was in a banquet room of the Airport.

Once Queen Peggy got inside the airport, the sun shone brightly outside.

There, the 14 NATO princesses were crowned by representatives of Western alliance nations.

Several hairdos were so slippery, the crowns refused to stay erect.

Sen. Goldwater delivered a touching speech after crowning his daughter. It was about Peggy, and it made her teary-eyed.

"Is this the underwater Queen?" he joked.

"Wet or dry, honey, you're a fine queen," he continued.

Virginia Governor Albertis S. Harrison then came forward.

"I accept full responsibility for the rain," he said.

"You have graced Virginia," he told Peggy. "You're every inch a queen. You will be expected to visit Virginia at least once a month."

Rear Adm. Wallis F. Peterson, Commandant of the 5th Naval District, invited her to come back next year "when the weather will be better."

W. Fred Duckworth, Norfolk's mayor, also apologized for the weather after reading his prepared address commenting "on this lovely site."

This reference to the Gardens broke up the small assemblage.

The makeshift ceremony was over.

Shortly after, Sen. and Mrs. Goldwater and Queen Peggy left aboard their private plane for Washington, D.C. Peggy will return to Phoenix Monday with her father and to the Judson School Tuesday.

The princesses, their parents and other dignitaries left on a chartered plane for Washington.

The spirits of none were dampened by the rain.

Said Queen Peggy, "This is something we'll look back on and really have a jolly laugh about." She referred to her court.

And concluded, Sen. Goldwater, "I'd give $5 million for this rain in Arizona."