”The King’s Way” is a poem set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1909. The words were written by his wife, Caroline Alice Elgar.
Elgar employs the melody of the Trio (central section) from the Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4, which he had composed two years earlier. This first occurs at the words "The newest street in London town,/ Who’ll pace it up and pace it down?"
The song was written on 27 December 1909 to celebrate the opening of London's Kingsway. This is a wide street in central London which connects High Holborn to the middle of a crescent south of it called Aldwych, which connects to The Strand at both ends. Kingsway was newly opened in 1905, so it was at the time the “newest street in London town”, and it was certainly one of the broadest. It was built as part of a major plan to clear slum districts in the Holborn area - so the “sick and poor” of the area were a reality. It was immediately published by Booseys and first performed at an Alexandra Palace concert on 15 January 1910, sung by Clara Butt.
"The Unknown Elgar" includes "The King's Way" performed by Teresa Cahill (soprano), with Barry Collett (piano). A recording is also available on an SACD: Channel Classics Records CCS SA 28610 which is Volume 2 of the complete Elgar songs for voice and piano. It is sung by Amanda Roocroft with Reinhild Mees at the piano.