How it happens in the movie:
In the movie the relationship between Faramir and Eowyn develops extremely rapidly, in fact in the theatrical edition there very little relationship growth at all. In the Extended Edition however we see Eowyn rise from her bed after receiving healing from Aragorn, it is here that she and Faramir gaze at each other across the room for the first time.

Later Faramir and Eowyn are together in the garden of the houses of healing and Eowyn says ‘There is no warmth left in the sun’ to which Faramir replies ‘It is just the damp of the first spring rain, I do not believe this darkness will endure.’ The two then stand together and Eowyn rests her head on Faramir.

A few scenes later we see Aragorn’s coronation. Gimli presents the crown to Gandalf who places it on Aragorn’s head saying ‘Now come the days of the King…May they be blessed.’ Following this Aragorn walks through the crowds nodding to Faramir and Eowyn (who seem very happy together) and also to Eomer. It is then that he greets Legolas, who gestures to him to look to his right. This is where we see a procession of elves who part and Aragorn is reunited with Arwen. They kiss and Elrond looks on with joy, while clearly grieved as well. Aragorn and Arwen continue to walk through the crowds of people before finally approaching the hobbits, who bow uncertainly to them. Aragorn then says ‘My friends, you bow to no one.’ , and with Arwen kneels before them. The scene ends with a close up on Frodo looking rather bewildered.

How it happens in the book:
‘Over the city of Gondor doubt and great dread had hung. Fair weather and clear sun had seemed but a mockery to men whose days held little hope, and who looked each morning for news of doom. Their lord was dead and burned, dead lay the King of Rohan in their citadel, and the new king that had come to them in the night was gone again to a war with powers too dark and terrible for any might or valour to conquer.’

The chapter opens with this feeling of dread and Eowyn rises from her bed and asks for news. The Warden bids her to return to bed and when she will not, he marvels at the fact that one can wield a sword and also have the hands of a healer. For healers are ever tending those hurt by the sword. Eowyn replies ‘those who have not swords can still die upon them. Would you have the folk of Gondor gather you herbs only, when the Dark Lord gathers armies? And it is not always good to be healed in body. Nor is it always evil to die in battle, even in bitter pain. Were I permitted, in this dark hour I would choose the latter.’ Finding out that Faramir is rightfully the Steward of Gondor and that he is also in the Houses of Healing, she requests speak to him.

Faramir is moved with pity for her and she asks him to allow her to leave and voices her desire to have died in battle. When he tells that it is too late to ride after the captains and instructs her to do as the healers say while there is time, for he says ‘death in battle may come to us all yet, willing or unwilling.’

Eowyn softens and a tear falls down her face. She then mentions quietly ‘But the healers would have me lie abed seven days yet…And my window does not look east.’ Faramir says that he will command the warden to allow her to walk in the garden and gaze to the east, he also invites her to walk with him, for he says it would ease his care for ‘In the valleys of our hills there are flowers fair and bright, and maidens fairer still; but neither flower nor lady have I seen till now in Gondor so lovely.’ Eowyn denies this saying that the shadow is still on her and that she is a shield maiden and her hand is ungentle, however she does thank him for commanding the warden and courtesies before departing.

Faramir then asks the Warden to tell him what he knew of Eowyn, the Warden mentions that the Halfling (Merry) would be able to tell him more so Faramir sends for Merry and they talk for a long time. From this, Faramir begins understand the grief of Eowyn.

The following morning Faramir and Eowyn walk in the garden together, sometimes in speech, sometimes in silence. This continued until the fifth day since Eowyn had first come to Faramir she speaks of the Captains of the West saying ‘Does not the Black Gate lie yonder?…And must he not now be come thither? It is seven days since he rode away’, Faramir speaks of his own feelings saying that the seven days have bought him joy in finding her but pain for the times that are at hand. Eowyn then says ‘I stand upon some dreadful brink, and it is utterly dark in the abyss before my feet, but whether there is any light behind me I cannot tell. For I cannot turn yet, I wait for some stroke of doom.’ and Faramir replies ‘Yes, we wait for the stroke of doom.’

As they are standing together, time seems to stand still and the whole world stands waiting. ‘Then presently it seemed to them that above the ridges of the distant mountains another vast mountain of darkness rose, towering up like a wave that should engulf the world, and they felt the walls of the City quiver. A sound like a sigh went up from all the lands about them; and their hearts beat suddenly again.’

Faramir then speaks of Numenor and how he often dreams of it. Eowyn draws close to him asking if he believes a darkness unescapable is coming. He says ‘No… It was but a picture in the mind. I do not know what is happening. The reason of my waking mind tells me that great evil has befallen and we stand at the end of days. But my heart says nay; and all my limbs are light, and a hope and joy are come to me that no reason can deny…White Lady of Rohan, in this hour I do not believe that any darkness will endure!’

And so they stood on the walls of the City of Gondor, and a great wind rose and blew…And the shadow departed, and the Sun was unveiled, and light leaped forth; and the waters of Anduin shone like silver…’

Tidings came from the eagles saying that the realm of Sauron had ended and the dark tower had been thrown down and the people rejoiced.

Messages also came to the city to make ready the coming of the King. Merry was summoned and departed. Faramir took up his authority in the city to prepare it. Eowyn received summons from her brother begging her to come, but she chose to remain. Faramir wondered at this but seldom saw her for he had many matters to attend to.

Still dwelling in the Houses of Healing, the Warden was troubled about Eowyn, who of all of Minas Tirith remained sorrowful. He spoke to Faramir and Faramir came to Eowyn and asked her why she remains in Minas Tirith and Eowyn replies ‘Do you not know?’. Faramir told her he believed she remained for one of two reasons these being either that she wished to be summoned by Aragorn rather than her brother or that because he (Faramir) still remains and she still desired to be near him. Eowyn replied that she wished to be loved by another and desired no mans pity. Faramir then said to her ‘That I know…Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem beyond even the words of the Elven tongue to tell. And I love you. Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrow less without fear or any lack, were the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Eowyn, do you not love me.’ In this moment the heart of Eowyn was changed and she said ‘I stand I Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun…and behold the shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren…no longer do I desire to be queen.’

It is then standing high upon the walls of the city Faramir proposed to Eowyn and he took her in his arms and they kissed under the sunlit sky.

Finally all things were made ready in the city for the return of the Captains of the West. Aragorn arrived and Faramir knelt before him saying ‘The last Steward of Gondor begs leave to surrender his office.’ And he held out a white rod; but Aragorn took the rod and gave it back saying: ‘That office is not ended, and it shall be thine and thy heirs as long as my line shall last.’ Faramir then stood up and quoting Aragorn’s many titles asked the people if they would have him as their King. …and all the people cried yea with one voice’. Faramir bought forth the crown and gave it to Aragorn, who requested that rather than set it on his head himself, he would have Frodo bring it to him and Gandalf place it on his head.

Following this there was much rejoicing and in the days that followed the King pronounced his judgements on many things. Many people were rewarded for their valour and Aragorn pronounced his judgement on Beregond. The King commanded that he leave the city for he was to be captain of the White Company, the Guard of Faramir. Aragorn gave to Faramir Ithilien to be his princedom and bade him to dwell in Emyn Arnen within sight of the city. Aragorn speaks to Eomer remembering the alliance between their people and asks where he would have Theoden lie. Eomer says that he will return to his realm to set things in order and then return for the body of Theoden. Eowyn decides to return with her brother to aid him in his labours but says she will come back to dwell with Faramir once Theoden is laid to rest.

Many now return to their homes and the city begins the labour of rebuilding. The hobbits, along with Gimli and Legolas remained for Aragorn wishes them to, for he says ‘A day draws near that I have looked for in all the years of my manhood, and when it comes I would have my friends beside me’. So the Fellowship remains in Gondor.

One night, Gandalf leads Aragorn up the slopes of Mount Mindolluin and when the dawn comes he shows Aragorn the land of Gondor saying ‘This is your realm, and the heart of the greater realm that shall be. The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what may be preserved. For though much has been saved, much must now pass away; and the power of the Three Rings also is ended. And all the lands that you see, and those that lie around them, shall be dwellings of Men. For the time comes of the Dominion of Men, and the Elder Kindred shall fade or depart.’ It is here that Aragorn discovers a sapling of the White Tree and it is taken and planted in the Citadel, in place of the withered tree.

On Midsummers Eve, messengers came saying that there was a riding of fair folk to the North and Aragorn bids the city to be made ready. The company arrive ’First rode Elrohir and Elladan with a banner of silver, and then came Glorfindel and Erestor and all the household of Rivendell, and after them came the Lady Galadriel and Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien, riding upon white steeds and with them many fair folk of their land, grey cloaked with white gems in their hair; and last came Master Elrond, mighty among Elves and Men, bearing the sceptre of Annuminas, and beside him upon a grey palfrey rode Arwen his daughter, Evenstar of her people.’. The king welcomes them and ‘King Elessar wedded Arwen Undomiel in the City of the Kings upon the day of Midsummer, and the tale of their long waiting and labours was come to fulfilment.’

Differences between the book and the movie:
-In the movie there is very little time given to the story of Eowyn and Faramir, however the extra scene in the Extended Edition does manage to show at least some of the story and presents the feeling of dread that is over the city as well as showing Faramir optimism. It also shows the feeling of quiet waiting that is described in the book.
-Gimli hands the crown to Gandalf who places it on Aragorn’s head, whereas in the book it was Frodo, not Gimli who did this.
-The Elves are at the coronation. In the book they weren’t, this group however has a similar appearance to the group described as arriving with Arwen and being present when her and Aragorn wed at the end of the chapter in the book.
-Despite being strongly inferred and leaving no doubt in the viewers mind, Aragorn and Arwen aren’t ‘officially’ wed in the movie
-There is no showing in the movie of Aragorn finding the new sapling of the White Tree, however in the Extended Edition we see a small flower blooming on the old and withered White Tree.