THE QUEEN'S CORONATION

The Queen's Coronation took place on Tuesday, 2 June 1953 amid great public rejoicing. It was over a year since The Queen's Accession, but the ceremony required many months of planning.

The day - chosen as one likely to be sunny - proved very wet, but the enthusiasm of the crowds gathered in London was undiminished.

Spirits were additionally buoyed by the news, announced to the crowds over loudspeakers, that a British expedition under Captain John Hunt had finally conquered Everest. Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, had been the first to set foot on the summit with his Sherpa, Tenzing Norkhay.

Joining in with the crowds celebrating in London were many millions around the UK, Commonwealth and world, since the events were shown on BBC television.
 
The crowds cheered the procession of guests who made their way to the Abbey in coaches, including visiting heads of state, representatives of Commonwealth countries and members of the Royal Family. Queen Salote of Tonga, braving the rain in an open landau, proved especially popular with the crowds.

At just after half past ten, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh set out to Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach, which was pulled by eight Windsor Greys.

The Queen was the last to arrive at the Abbey at eleven o'clock. She was wearing a diamond diadem, crimson velvet robes trimmed with ermine and bordered with gold lace, and a special Coronation gown incorporating all the floral symbols of the UK and Commonwealth. After The Queen had been acknowledged by all four corners of the Abbey, she made her Coronation Oath.

In the central act of the ceremony, The Queen's rich robes and jewels were lifted off by her Maids of Honour, leaving The Queen wearing a simple linen overdress. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Geoffrey Fisher, anointed The Queen with the holy oil, made to a formula originally devised by Charles I.

Then the golden robes of the Supertunica were placed upon The Queen, and she was seated on King Edward's chair, above the Stone of Scone. There The Queen was given the symbols of authority: the orb, the sceptre, the rod of mercy and the royal ring of sapphire and rubies.

Finally, the Archbishop of Canterbury held St. Edward's Crown high in the air and lowered it slowly on to her head. The shout rang out: 'God Save The Queen'; trumpets sounded; bells rang; and gun salutes were fired.

Prince Philip was the first to pay homage to his wife, ahead of all the other peers of the realm. After taking Communion, The Queen went out of the Abbey to meet her people and to make a joyful return to Buckingham Palace.

On her return journey The Queen carried her Orb and Sceptre, warmly acknowledging the cheering that greeted her. At the Palace The Queen and her family made six appearances on the balcony to greet the cheering crowds and to watch the Royal Air Force fly past. The last appearance was at midnight, after which the crowds in the Mall and around the Palace began to disperse.

At nine o'clock in the evening The Queen made a radio broadcast, in which she thanked her people for their support that day, and declared, 'I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust'.

Madam, is your Majesty willing to take the Oath?

And the Queen answering,

I am willing.

The Archbishop shall minister these questions; and the Queen, having a book in her hands, shall answer each question severally as follows:

Archbishop. Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and the other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?

Queen. I solemnly promise so to do.

Archbishop. Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgements?

Queen. I will.

Archbishop. Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?

Queen. All this I promise to do.

Then the Queen arising out of her Chair, supported as before, the Sword of State being carried before her, shall go to the Altar, and make her solemn Oath in the sight of all the people to observe the premisses: laying her right hand upon the Holy Gospel in the great Bible (which was before carried in the procession and is now brought from the Altar by the Arch-bishop, and tendered to her as she kneels upon the steps), and saying these words:

The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.

Then the Queen shall kiss the Book and sign the Oath. 

The Queen having thus taken her Oath shall return again to her Chair, and the Bible shall be delivered to the Dean of Westminster.


Read The Queen's Coronation broadcast on the evening of 2 June 1953 (pdf, 96kB)