Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary had died on 24 March 1953, having stated in her will that her death should not affect the planning of the coronation, and the event went ahead as scheduled.
On 6 February 1952, King George VI died following a prolonged illness and Princess Elizabeth immediately acceded to the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II and taking on all of the responsibilities which came with her new title.
Despite acceding to the throne on the 6th of February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI, Elizabeth's coronation was delayed by more than a year due to the unexpected nature of the King's death. Her coronation, therefore, took place on the 2nd of June the following year, when Elizabeth was aged 27.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor became Queen Elizabeth following the sudden death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952. Due to the unexpected nature of the King's death, the Queen's coronation was delayed by more than a year.
The Coronation Procession of His Majesty King George IV, 19 July 1821, George Scharf. Originally scheduled for 1 August 1820, the coronation of King George IV was delayed by nearly a year while the King tried to prevent his estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick, from becoming Queen.
The regal purple used in the emblem has been closely matched to the purple in the Queen's Robe of Estate, worn by her at the Coronation in 1953. A continuous platinum line in the shape of St Edward's Crown features the number "70" at the top of the Crown, signifying the Queen's 70-year reign and her platinum jubilee.
In “The Queen Mother: The Official Biography,” William Shawcross wrote that the coronation was fixed for June 2, 1953, because “Churchill had been against having it in 1952 because he felt that the country's economic crisis was so serious that not a single working day should be lost.”
When was Queen Elizabeth's coronation and why was it delayed? Elizabeth's coronation took place on 2 June, 1953 – almost 16 months after she ascended to the throne. The delay is traditional and allows for a period of mourning for the former monarch.
The coronation usually takes place several months after the death of the monarch's predecessor, as it is considered a joyous occasion that would be inappropriate while mourning continues. This interval also gives planners enough time to complete the required elaborate arrangements.
One reason that the coronation of a Monarch happens so long after their accession is because the King or Queen needs time to mourn the loss of their mother or father. Queen Elizabeth II was coronated on June 2, 1953, 15 months after her father King George VI died at the age of 56.
Preparations had already begun and souvenirs were on sale when Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936. He did this because of opposition from many quarters to his attempt to marry Wallis Simpson, who had already divorced twice. His coronation was cancelled as a result of his abdication.
The moment Queen Elizabeth II died, her eldest son, Charles, became king. However, Charles's official coronation didn't happen immediately; and plans were put in place for the ceremony to happen following a period of mourning for the Queen and after the necessary preparations have been made.
Everything was being raised from the ashes … getting better and better. "" Preparations for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II began the moment she acceded to the throne in February 1952. But it was not until 16 months later, on 2 June 1953, that she was crowned queen.
Queen Elizabeth II was 27 years old at the time of her coronation. However, she had to wait a bit longer than King Charles to be crowned, as she officially became monarch on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father King George VI.
Late Elizabeth II's coronation cost £20.5m in today's money.
Prince William will also appear during the coronation service as the Stole Royal (from an ancient Greek word meaning "scarf") and the Robe Royal are brought to the King. William will assist the Baroness Merron and bishops in putting the robe on King Charles.
The coronation was held more than one year later because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies.
"Charles became King Charles the moment his mother died, but the coronation is to do with the job and being the monarch in the eyes of all the people," royal historian Robert Lacey told PEOPLE. His wife Camilla, 75, will also be crowned as Queen Consort during the ceremony.
The two monarchs who did not have any coronation were Edward V (the boy king), who was presumed murdered in the Tower of London before he could be crowned, and Edward VIII who abdicated 11 months after succeeding his father and before the date set for his coronation.
Nearly 70 years ago, on June 2, 1953, 4-year-old Prince Charles watched his mother be crowned as Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey.
Who is paying for the Coronation? The bill will be footed by the taxpayer, which is why many want more clarity on the final total. A YouGov poll found that more than half of Brits do not think it should fall to the Government to pay for the coronation.
The date for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was announced by Buckingham Palace in October 2022, a month after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
On learning of King George's death on 6th February 1952, Churchill was said to be upset, as he had enjoyed a close working relationship with the King during WW2. It was said that privately, the Prime Minister felt Elizabeth was too young to be Queen.
The pair who ruled during World War II enjoyed a deep and enduring friendship despite their differences. So strong was the relationship between the two that the Queen wrote the former Prime Minister a handwritten letter when he retired and broke protocol at his funeral.
Churchill had supported George's older brother, King Edward VIII, when he had abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. This had particularly annoyed the Royal Family.