June 2, 1953. It rained. Not just a light drizzle, but a persistent, grey London soak that turned the streets into a slick mess for the millions of people who had slept on the pavement just to catch a glimpse of a gold coach. You’ve probably seen the grainy footage or the high-def "The Crown" reenactments, but the reality of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was a weird mix of ancient mysticism, frantic backstage panic, and a very risky bet on a new piece of technology called the television.
Honestly, the whole thing almost didn't happen the way we remember it. Churchill was against the cameras. The Archbishop of Canterbury was worried about the "sanctity" of the ritual. And a 27-year-old woman was about to have several pounds of gold and diamonds placed on her head while the world watched for the first time in history.
The Massive TV Gamble That Changed Everything
Before 1953, the idea of filming a coronation was basically heresy. The Palace was terrified that the bright lights would melt the wax on the candles or, worse, make the Queen look like a common celebrity. But the Duke of Edinburgh—Prince Philip—pushed for it. He was a modernizer. He understood that if the monarchy didn't get into people's living rooms, it was going to die.
It worked.
Over 20 million people in Britain watched the Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on TV, which was more than the radio audience for the first time ever. People crowded around tiny 14-inch screens in their neighbors' houses. Some families even bought their very first sets specifically for this Tuesday in June. This wasn't just a ceremony; it was the birth of mass-media culture.
The Secret Behind the Anointing
There is one part of the ceremony you didn't see on TV, and you won't see it in any official footage. It’s the anointing. This is the moment when the Queen is actually "made" Queen in the eyes of the church. They used a canopy of silk gold cloth to hide her from the cameras. Why? Because it’s considered the most sacred part.
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She wasn't wearing her heavy velvet robes for this. She wore a simple white linen dress, a "colobium sindonis," to show she was a servant of God. The oil itself was a special blend—ambergris, civet, orange blossoms, roses, jasmine, and cinnamon. Interestingly, the batch made for her father, George VI, was destroyed in a bombing raid during WWII, so a new chemist had to whip up a fresh batch from an old recipe.
The Dress: Five Pounds of Pure Weight
Norman Hartnell designed the gown. It’s arguably the most famous dress of the 20th century, but it was also a feat of engineering. Hartnell went through eight different designs before the Queen picked one that incorporated the floral emblems of the entire Commonwealth: the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the Welsh leek (yes, a leek), and the Irish shamrock.
But he didn't stop there.
He added the maple leaf for Canada, the wattle for Australia, and even the lotus for India and Ceylon. The embroidery was so heavy with gold thread, pearls, and crystals that the Queen supposedly felt like she was being anchored to the floor. She actually asked Hartnell to add an extra layer of silk lining just so the heavy embroidery wouldn't scratch her skin during the several-hours-long service.
It was heavy. Really heavy.
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Logistics and the "Maids of Honour"
The Queen had six Maids of Honour instead of pages. These were young women from the aristocracy who had to carry that massive train. They spent weeks practicing how to walk in unison without tripping over each other or the Queen's heels. One of them, Lady Anne Glenconner, later recalled that they almost fainted because the smell of the lilies in the Abbey was so overwhelming. They even carried small vials of smelling salts tucked into their gloves just in case.
The Crown That Causes Headaches
The St. Edward’s Crown is the one that actually matters. It’s solid gold. It weighs nearly five pounds ($2.23kg$). When you see the Queen sitting there looking slightly stiff, it’s not just royal poise—it’s physics. If she leaned too far forward, the crown would literally snap her neck or fall off.
She actually wore it around Buckingham Palace while eating tea and reading the newspaper for weeks before the ceremony just to get used to the weight. Imagine that. Sitting at a breakfast table, pouring tea, wearing five pounds of gold and jewels.
Later, for the procession back to the palace, she switched to the Imperial State Crown. It’s lighter but still weighs a ton. It houses the Cullinan II diamond and the Black Prince's Ruby. Fun fact: that "ruby" is actually a massive red spinel, but "The Black Prince's Spinel" doesn't have the same ring to it.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1953 Coronation
Most people think the Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was a moment of pure British unity. In reality, the country was still under post-war rationing. Sugar and meat were still being rationed. People were struggling. There was some grumbling about the £1.5 million price tag—a staggering amount for 1953.
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- The Timing: She had already been Queen for over a year. Her father died in February 1952. The long wait was partly for mourning and partly because planning an event this big took a ridiculous amount of time.
- The Guest List: It wasn't just royals. They had to build extra tiers of seating inside Westminster Abbey to fit 8,000 guests. People were packed in like sardines for over seven hours.
- The Food: This is where "Coronation Chicken" comes from. Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume invented a dish called Poulet Reine Elizabeth. It was designed to be something that could be prepared ahead of time and served cold to thousands of people. It’s basically cold chicken in a creamy curry sauce. People loved it, or at least they said they did.
The Walk That Felt Like an Eternity
The procession back to Buckingham Palace was five miles long. It took two hours. The Queen and Prince Philip were in the Gold State Coach, which looks beautiful but is notoriously uncomfortable. It’s hung on leather straps and sways like a boat. The Queen later described the ride as "horrible" and "not very comfortable at all."
Outside, the atmosphere was electric despite the rain. People were climbed up on lamp posts. They were using "periscopes"—little cardboard boxes with mirrors—to see over the crowds.
Why the 1953 Coronation Still Matters Today
We live in a world of instant streaming, but the 1953 event was the blueprint. It was the first time the "mystery" of the monarchy was traded for "visibility." By letting the cameras in, the Queen made a pact with the public. It changed how we view leaders. It wasn't just a religious rite anymore; it was a global television event.
The technical hurdles were insane. To get the footage to Canada and the US on the same day, the BBC used Canberra jet bombers to fly the film reels across the Atlantic. They were literally racing against the clock to beat the American networks to the broadcast. This was the 1950s version of a "live stream."
How to Explore This History Yourself
If you’re a history nerd or just fascinated by the era, you don't have to just watch YouTube clips. There are real-world ways to connect with the Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation history.
- Visit the Jewel House: Head to the Tower of London. You can see the actual Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s Sceptre. Seeing them in person makes you realize how heavy they actually look.
- Westminster Abbey: You can walk the same path she did. Look for the Coronation Chair (the Stone of Scone). It’s been used since the 1300s. It’s surprisingly small and covered in centuries-old graffiti from schoolboys who lived nearby.
- The Fashion Museum: Keep an eye out for exhibitions of Norman Hartnell’s work. The level of detail in the embroidery is something that digital photos simply cannot capture.
The 1953 coronation wasn't just a party for a young Queen. It was the moment the British Empire officially started its transition into the Commonwealth, and the moment the world decided that watching history happen in real-time was a fundamental part of the human experience. It was messy, wet, expensive, and heavy—but it was the start of an era that lasted seven decades.
To truly understand the scale of the event, look up the original BBC radio commentary by Richard Dimbleby. His voice captures the gravity that a 27-year-old woman felt as she walked into that Abbey as a princess and walked out as a symbol of an entire century.
Actionable Steps for History Enthusiasts
- Audit the Footage: Watch the original 1953 broadcast on the British Pathé YouTube channel. Look for the "anointing" gap to see how the production handled the transition.
- Read Primary Sources: Check out "The Little Princesses" by Marion Crawford or the diaries of Sir Henry "Chips" Channon for a less-sanitized look at the behind-the-scenes chaos of the royal household during that period.
- Analyze the Symbolism: Research the specific gemstones in the Black Prince's Ruby. Understanding the "stolen" or "gifted" nature of these jewels provides a much more nuanced view of the Commonwealth's history.