Popular Nostalgia

Following the death of King George VI on 6 February 1952, Princess Elizabeth immediately became Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith. She was the first monarch in over 200 years to succeed to the throne whilst abroad. However, the desire for a sunny day and a big party to accompany the coronation led to the ceremony itself being held the next year.

Buckingham Palace housemaids, chefs and gardeners gathered inside the Grand Hall at Buckingham Palace to see The Queen leave for Westminster Abbey, where coronations have been taking place for over 900 years. Queen Elizabeth is the 39th monarch to have been crowned there.

In front of 8,000 guests packed into Westminster Abbey, Geoffrey Fisher -the Archbishop of Canterbury -lowered the St Edward crown onto the head of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen’s Coronation dress was made by Mr Norman Hartnell. The dress was made of white satin embroidered with the emblems of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. It had short sleeves with a full, flaring skirt, slightly trained, while the neckline of the fitted bodice was cut square over the shoulders, before curving into a heart-shaped centre. The dress’s exquisite embroidery in gold and silver thread and pastel-coloured silks was encrusted with seed pearls and crystals to create a lattice-work effect.

Street parties, fireworks and a balcony appearance then ensued with many people buying television sets especially to watch the ceremony. This was the first coronation to be televised and marked a breakthrough in broadcast history.