Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
THE CORONATION PROCESSION
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - Preparations
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
PREPARATIONS
For the one-day coronation ceremony, 16 months of preparation took place, with the first meeting of the Coronation Commission taking place in April 1952, under the chairmanship of the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Though Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary died on 24 March, the dowager Queen had stated in her will that her death should not affect the planning of the coronation, and the event went ahead as scheduled.
Norman Hartnell was commissioned by the Queen to design the outfits for all the members of the Royal Family and especially the dress Elizabeth would wear at the coronation; Hartnell's design for the latter evolved through nine proposals, the final reached by his own research as well as numerous personal meetings with the Queen.
What resulted was a white silk dress embroidered with the floral emblems of the countries of the Commonwealth at the time: the Tudor rose of England, the Scots thistle, the Welsh leek, shamrocks for Northern Ireland, the wattle of Australia, the maple leaf of Canada, the New Zealand fern, South Africa's protea, two lotus flowers for India and Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute; unknown to the Queen at the time of the gown's delivery, though, was the unique four-leaf clover embroidered on the dress' left side, where Elizabeth's hand would touch throughout the day.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, rehearsed for the upcoming day with her maids of honour, a sheet used in place of the velvet train and an arrangement of chairs standing in for the carriage.
So that she could become accustomed to its feel and weight, the Queen also wore the Imperial State Crown while she went about her daily business, sporting it at her desk, at tea, and while reading the newspaper.
Elizabeth took part in two full rehearsals at Westminster Abbey, on 22 and 29 May, though other sources assert that the Queen attended either "several" rehearsals or one.
Typically, the Duchess of Norfolk stood in for the Queen at rehearsals.
The Proclamation of the Coronation
by Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
Temple Bar - London
7th June 1952
First Meeting of the Court of Claims
members included
Lord Clarendon (Lord Chamberlain) - Lord Woolton (Lord President)
Lord Simonds (Lord Chancellor) - The Duke of Norfolk (Earl Marshal)
Lord Jowitt - Lord Goddard (Lord Chief Justice)
members included
Lord Clarendon (Lord Chamberlain) - Lord Woolton (Lord President)
Lord Simonds (Lord Chancellor) - The Duke of Norfolk (Earl Marshal)
Lord Jowitt - Lord Goddard (Lord Chief Justice)
Members of the Royal School of Needlework - Kensington
embroidering the Queen's Coronation Robe
The remodelling of the Imperial State Crown
Preparation of Flags for use at the Coronation
Nine Walking Grooms
Four Royal Postillions
The Lion of England
The Queen's Beasts are ten heraldic statues depicting the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II.
They were commissioned by the British Ministry of Works from sculptor James Woodford (who was paid the sum of £2,750 for the work) to stand in front of the temporary annex to Westminster Abbey for the Queen's coronation in 1953.
The beasts are some six-foot (1.83 m) high, cast in plaster, and could not therefore be left in the open air.
The beasts are: the lion of England, the griffin of Edward III, the falcon of the Plantagenets, the black bull of Clarence, the yale of Beaufort, the white lion of Mortimer, the White Greyhound of Richmond, the red dragon of Wales, the unicorn of Scotland, and the white horse of Hanover.
The Queen's Beasts
Coronation Souvenir Wedgewood Plate
1953
The Royal Annexe and the Queen's Beasts
Westminster Abbey - London
Coronation 1953
Coronation Decorations in the Mall
London 1953
Coronation Decorations - Picadilly Circus
London 1953
Work on the Royal Arms for the Royal Annexe to Westminster Abbey
New Uniforms being fitted for the Brigade of Guards
Bearskins being prepared for the Brigade of Guards
Halberds for the use of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - Introduction
INTRODUCTION
THE PASSING OF KING-EMPEROR GEORGE VI
Princess Elizabeth, the heiress presumptive, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated.
A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after the King suffered an arterial blockage in his right leg, which was operated on in March 1949.
The delayed tour was re-organised with Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, taking the place of the King and Queen.
The King was well enough to open the Festival of Britain in May 1951, but on 23 September 1951, he underwent a pneumonectomy where his left lung was removed following the discovery of a malignant tumour.
At the State Opening of Parliament in November, the King's speech from the throne was read for him by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Simonds.
His 1951 Christmas broadcast was recorded in sections, and then edited together.
On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, he went to London Airport to see off Princess Elizabeth, who was going on her tour of Australia via Kenya.
On the morning of 6 February, George VI was discovered dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
His daughter Elizabeth flew back to Britain from Kenya, as Queen Elizabeth II.
From 9 February for two days his coffin rested in St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, before lying in state at Westminster Hall from 11 February (see left).
His funeral took place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on the 15th.
He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel inside St. George's on 26 March 1969.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)