Features

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

One of the most recognisable and iconic moments in The Queen’s historic 70-year reign was her 1953 Coronation. It was the first televised Coronation and was watched by 27 million people in the United Kingdom, with millions more watching from around the world.Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne upon her father’s death on 6 February 1952. King George VI had only reigned for fifteen…
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Features

The Coronation of the first King of the House of Windsor

King George V and Queen Mary, like King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, were crowned as King and Queen of the United Kingdom (and Dominions) and as Emperor and Empress of India. Their 1911 coronation was luckily less eventful than that of George’s parents.George came to the throne following his father’s death on 6 May 1910. The couple had been very involved with his parents’…
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Coronation

King Charles III's Supertunica

The King will be wearing several different significant garments throughout the Coronation on 6 May at Westminster Abbey. While some of those garments will be made specifically for him, there are also many garments that have been used at multiple coronations. The Supertunica has been used for three previous coronations. The Supertunica is a coat that is made of gold silk. The Royal Collection…
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Coronation

Zadok the Priest, a coronation anthem

Fewer pieces of music have become more closely related to British coronations than ‘Zadok the Priest.’However, the anthem was composed relatively recently in the history of coronations in Britain. ‘Zadok the Priest’ was composed by German composer George…
The Coronation

The cheap and cheerful coronation of King William IV

King William IV and Queen Adelaide’s coronation in 1831 was a strong departure from British coronations in the past. As the oldest person to take the throne until King Charles III ascended in 2022, William’s approach to his coronation was to keep the event as budget-friendly as possible.William’s elder brother reigned as King George IV from 1820 to 1830 after acting as Regent multiple…
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