Many of us can’t remember a time when Queen Elizabeth II was not the nation’s sovereign, and she has been the nation’s Head of State for almost 70 years. The Queen has been monarch since the age of 25, following the death of her father, King George VI, at the age of 56.
What date was the Queen’s coronation?
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
Every king and queen has held their coronation at Westminster Abbey for the past 900 years.
The Queen’s coronation was the first British coronation to be televised, and 27 million people in the UK tuned in to watch the event live.
Inside the Abbey, a total of 8,251 guests gathered to witness the coronation of the UK’s next monarch – including Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
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The coronation service was carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as has been tradition since 1066.
The Queen’s coronation took several hours, and she wore a dress created by esteemed fashion designer Norman Hartnell for the event.
The dress is made of white satin, and is embroidered with emblems of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
The Queen also wore the George IV State Diadem en route to the Abbey, which is the same crown the Queen is depicted wearing on stamps.
How long has the Queen been on the throne?
This year in February, the Queen will mark her 69th year on the throne.
The Queen became the UK’s longest-serving monarch in history on September 9, 2015.
On this date, the Queen surpassed the record of 63 years, seven months and two days set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
Next year will be the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and to mark the occasion a special four-day weekend has been granted for the UK.
The May bank holiday weekend will be moved to Thursday, June 2, and an additional bank holiday will be set for Friday, June 3.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee will be a truly historic moment – and one that deserves a celebration to remember.
“We can all look forward to a special, four-day Jubilee weekend, when we will put on a spectacular, once-in-a-generation show that mixes the best of British ceremonial splendour with cutting edge art and technology.
“It will bring the entire nation and the Commonwealth together in a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s reign.”
