Royal Splendor 101: Enthronement Outfits

As we look ahead to adding a new member to the list of currently reigning monarchs, let's have a look back at the enthronements/inaugurations/coronations/whatever that marked the entrances of those already on the list - with a particular emphasis on what they wore, naturally. Of course, there are often more events than just the one or two you'll see here. There are more monarchies, too, and we'll stick to Europe today.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms

1952

This is the only event with an actual crowning in today's list (in the others you'll see here, items of regalia such as crowns are either not involved or are on display only, and even mantles or robes are scarcely used). This is certainly the most elaborate here and the most famous for it - it took over a year to plan and occurred in 1953. The Queen, who took the throne at the age of 25 following the death of her father King George VI, wore a heavily symbolic gown from Norman Hartnell and her best jewels. We've covered this all in depth in the past, click here to see the coronation posts; click here to see more on the Queen's accession.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

1972

The Danish process seems incredibly stark and sad in comparison to the festival of a British coronation. Queen Margrethe II was proclaimed queen on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace at the age of 31 just after the death of her father, King Frederik IX. Since the process happens so soon after the previous monarch's passing, there's not always time to prepare; Margrethe had to borrow a black dress from her mother, Queen Ingrid, to wear with a blouse of her own and a veil. Meanwhile, couturier Jørgen Bender and his team feverishly worked to prep other black outfits including matching black coats for the new queen and her mother and sisters for the funeral. For the proclamation, she also wore the riband and star of the Order of the Elephant and her brooch of her father's portrait. The brooch at her neck is a ruby and diamond horseshoe brooch given to her by her father when she was named heir to the throne (at her birth, only males could inherit the throne - the law changed after Frederik and Ingrid had three girls and no boys); she wore this same brooch during her Ruby Jubilee celebrations in 2012. Click here to see my entry on Margrethe's accession.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

1973

Carl XVI Gustaf became king at 27 years old, when his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf died. (Carl Gustaf's father, also named Gustaf Adolf, died in a plane crash when Carl Gustaf was just a baby.) Gustaf Adolf died on September 15th, and the new King was enthroned on September 19th. The king's magnificent ermine robe was draped on the grand silver throne but not worn; the regalia sat to the side on display. In uniform, he was adorned with two collars from orders of chivalry (the Order of Vasa and the Order of the Seraphim) plus accompanying medals and so on. An impressive outfit, if a bit loud - click here for a video from the day and listen for his clanking. He was unmarried at the time; his sisters wore traditional Swedish court mourning dress outfits. The King has a Jubilee this year, 40 years on the throne, and he and the Queen have already started their visits to each of Sweden's counties.

King Juan Carlos I of Spain

1975

Juan Carlos is a unique member of this group: when he took the throne, it meant the restoration of the Spanish monarchy after the rule of General Franco (the young prince was chosen by Franco to be his successor). Franco died on November 20th. On the 22nd, accompanied by Queen Sofia in a long pink court dress with the sash of the Order of Charles III, the 37-year-old uniformed royal visited the Cortes Generales and was sworn in as King of Spain (click here for video of that event). They then visited the lying-in-state of Franco, for which the Queen added a black coat over her pink dress. On the 27th, they attended the Holy Spirit Mass - the enthronement mass, which served as the coronation equivalent - where the new queen made an impression her blue dress with a peineta and mantilla.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

1980

We'll have more on Dutch inaugurations later, but for now: 42-year-old Beatrix wore a long white gown from dressmaker Theresia Vreugdenhil following the abdication of her mother, Queen Juliana. Beatrix's request for the gown was that it include some sleeve interest, since the lasting photograph would be of her with her arm raised, taking her oath. She wore the Pearl Button Tiara as well as the Military William Order and her ermine robe was restored by Vreugdenhil prior to the event. Her husband Prince Claus was in white tie and the Order of the Netherlands Lion. Click here to see our entry on Beatrix's accession.

Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein

1989

Video: the proclamation of Hans-Adam II

Prince Hans-Adam II formally became Liechtenstein's head of state at the age of 44 in 1989 when his father, Franz Joseph II, died. But in fact he'd been ruling in all but title since 1984, when Franz Joseph passed on his powers. Hans-Adam's proclamation celebrations were held on National Day in August 1990. Sartorially, the ceremony itself seems quite casual in comparison to some of the others seen here: the Prince wears a business suit, his wife Marie Aglaë wears a floral dress. Hans-Adam has now followed in his father's footsteps and passed his powers on to his son, Alois, while still remaining head of state.

King Harald V of Norway

1991

King Harald came to the throne at the age of 53 following the death of his father, King Olav V. Olav died on January 17th; on the 21st, the new king and queen went to parliament and Harald took his oath. In June, a consecration ceremony was held at Nidaros Cathedral, which was the larger "coronation" event (though Norway had done away with an actual crowning decades before). The King was formally dressed in his uniform adorned with the collar of the Order of St. Olav and the sash of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, while Queen Sonja made an impression in her theatrical ensemble of white and gold from Norwegian designer Tine Solheim. The outfit included the St. Olav collar and her family order pinned on a flowing dress overlay, and was topped by a fabric kokoshnik in her hair. Click here to read more about Harald's accession.

King Albert II of the Belgians

1993

Albert's brother King Baudouin died at the age of 62 on July 31st. The unexpected death of the well-loved king hit the country hard. Baudouin and his wife Queen Fabiola had no children, and many had considered Prince Philippe, Albert's son, to be the natural heir. But the line of succession was followed, and it was Baudouin's 59-year-old younger brother that was enthroned in front of parliament on August 9th. Sartorially, it was one of the simpler events on our list today, with Albert in uniform and the Order of Leopold and the new Queen Paola in a simple day outfit.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

2000

Much like the Netherlands, Luxembourg has had a tradition of abdication for a few generations now. Grand Duke Jean abdicated in favor of his 45-year-old son Henri just as his mother had abdicated for him decades earlier. There were several events celebrating the change of power, but the main show was the signing of the Abdication Decree at the palace followed by the swearing in and enthronement speech of the new Grand Duke. For this, Henri wore his military uniform and the sash of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau; the new Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore a long court outfit with her own sash. Their five children came dressed in their very best, with their oldest sons in morning jackets. For more on the process of abdication in Luxembourg, click here for a post from Luxarazzi.

Prince Albert II of Monaco

2005

Prince Rainier III passed away on April 6th and the throne of his small principality passed to his son, Albert, who was 47 years old. There were ceremonies in July and at National Day in November. The November celebrations were the more formal enthronement event, including representatives from foreign royal families and Albert all uniformed up. We've talked about Albert's accession in the past, click here to see.

Pope Francis

2013

The Pope isn't really in the group we tend to cover here, but he is considered a monarch. No real need to remember Francis' installation, though - we've just seen it!

So, we've got a bit of everything on show here: from the very fancy to the fairly simple, and mostly in between. The magpie in me requires me to hold the British version as my favorite (tiaaaarrraaas, hello) but I think the variety's kind of nice. After all, each one of these monarchies has a different history and a different culture to represent, and each tradition has developed accordingly. Plus, variety is the spice of life and all that, right?

What do you think makes a good enthronement outfit?

Photos: Royal Collection/DR/Corbis/Getty Images/Reuters

Flashback Friday: Coronation Guests and Their Jewels

A model displaying coronets and tiaras for the coronation

The impending coronation of Queen Elizabeth II sent the invited guests into a frenzy of preparation. This was to be a post-war celebration for all time - even grander than the previous coronation in 1937, and everyone strove to show up in their very best. The aristocracy set about dusting off carriages to take them to Westminster Abbey and rustling up the proper robes and coronets for their rank in the nobility. They also broke out their finest jewels from the depths of storage in banks and vaults to produce the sparkliest gathering in Britain for a long time, certainly a level of glitter that hasn't been seen since.

With 8,251 guests in attendance, cataloging all the jewels on show is probably an impossible feat (at the least, a life's work which I am far too lazy to attempt). But we can take a look at few of the photographed guests with notable jewels, and that's just what we'll do today, starting with the royal family:

The complete consort crown of the Queen Mother; the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and a very bored Prince Charles during the coronation; the Halo Scroll Tiara

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, wore the circlet from her queen consort crown, complete with the Koh-i-Noor diamond in the center. Her crown was made for her for her husband's 1937 coronation as Queen Mary's crown was unexpectedly going to be in use on Queen Mary (who decided to break tradition and attend in 1937). Princess Margaret wore the Halo Scroll Tiara, one of her regular tiaras when she was younger. It was loaned to her by the queen and is obviously now famous for its appearance on the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding day. Like most of the women in the royal family, Elizabeth and Margaret were both dressed by Norman Hartnell.

Left to Right: the Kent family (the Duke of Kent, Prince Michael, the Duchess, Princess Alexandra), the Kent Festoon Tiara (above), the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara (below), the Gloucester family (Prince William, the Duchess, Prince Richard, the Duke)

The Duchess of Gloucester wore her Honeysuckle Tiara; there are a few different options for the center stone here, and she went with diamonds for coronation day. This is worn often now by the current Duchess of Gloucester. The Duchess of Kent wore her diamond and pearl tiara. Her daughter Princess Alexandra went without a tiara, but did have her princess' coronet.

L to R: Princess Mary (two photos), Princess Marie Louise, the Cartier Indian Tiara

Princess Mary, the Princess Royal and the Countess of Harewood, was one of the most bedecked royal ladies. She wore a massive diamond scroll tiara with an interchangeable center element - here, she's using a sapphire brooch given to her by her mother, Queen Mary, which is in the same style as Prince Albert's Sapphire Brooch. She's also wearing a huge diamond and sapphire ornament from her husband on her dress and the diamond and sapphire necklace given to her by her father (along with Queen Victoria's Sapphire Coronet) for her wedding. These items were all auctioned off after her death. Princess Marie Louise wore her Cartier Indian Tiara with diamonds, sapphires, and pearls which is now worn by the Duchess of Gloucester. "Cousin Louie" was not a Princess of the United Kingdom but a Princess of Schleswig-Holstein (she dropped the Schleswig-Holstein when the family ditched their German titles). As such, she wasn't entitled to the same robe and wore a simple velvet train instead.

Tradition says that other reigning monarchs don't usually attend coronations (or whatever they may be called in any given country). Thus, the turnout for the coronation of Elizabeth II was rich with heirs and others, from which a few tiaras can be picked out.

L to R: Crown Princess Märtha, Empress Joséphine's Emerald Tiara (above), the Belgian Scroll Tiara (below), Hereditary Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte

Norway's Crown Princess Märtha wore Empress Joséphine's massive emerald tiara, while the then Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Joséphine-Charlotte, wore her own Belgian Scroll Tiara.

The Countess of Barcelona and the Fleur de Lys Tiara

Spain was an exiled monarchy at the time, but they were well represented with the Countess of Barcelona (mother of the current king) in the biggest Spanish tiara, the Fleur de Lys.

L to R: The Portland family, the Essex tiara (above), the Portland tiara (below), Mrs. Churchill

Moving away from royalty, the Duchess of Portland wore the massive Portland Diamond Tiara (a second Portland option to the sapphire tiara that made your Top 15). Clementine Churchill, wife to then Prime Minister Winston Churchill, borrowed the diamond Essex Tiara made for Adele, Countess of Essex for the day.

L to R: Earl and Countess Mountbatten, the Mountbatten tiara (above), the Spencer tiara (below), the Countess Spencer

The Countess Mountbatten wore the diamond Mountbatten Tiara, now sold off. The Countess Spencer (that would be Diana, Princess of Wales' grandmother) wore the other diamond Spencer tiara, which is...well...different from the one most know and many love. It still belongs to the Spencers and is currently on tour with the traveling Diana exhibit, though Diana never wore it.

L to R: The Marchioness of Cambridge, the Westminster Halo Tiara (above), the Marchioness' tiara (below), the Duchess of Westminster

The Marchioness of Cambridge wore a tiara of stars and pearl spikes which is an absolute dead ringer for a tiara currently owned by Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and frequently worn by her two daughters. The Duchess of Westminster wore the Westminster Halo Tiara, which must have made quite the impression amongst the coronation sea of tiaras. The tiara has since been sold by the family.

As I said, with more than 8,000 guests in attendance, there's plenty more tiara hunting. But for now, this will be the sparkly end to our look at Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

Photos: Corbis/Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II/Getty Images/Geoffrey Munn

Royal Splendor 101: Jewels for Queen Elizabeth's Crowning

In another installment on the coronation of Elizabeth II, today we're taking a look some of the items from the crown jewels that played a big role in the coronation ceremony. Not every piece in the crown jewels, mind you; we'll just touch on some of the items that were directly presented to or placed on Queen Elizabeth during that marathon ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

During the coronation, Queen Elizabeth was dressed in garments of cloth of gold which belong to the crown jewels. The Mantle - the outer robe shown above - was made for George IV in 1821 and is woven with various national emblems; the Supertunica underneath was made for George V in 1911. The Stole, at right, was made new for the 1953 coronation and incorporated plant and flower emblems from the Commonwealth just as the coronation gown did. The Spurs (shown here on the ground at the left) were also presented to the queen as a symbol of chivalry; they date from Charles II, 1660-61, as do most of the crown jewels which were recreated after the restoration of the monarchy.

The queen was presented with the Sovereign's Orb (above left) to carry, a hollow gold sphere decorated with hundreds of gems and made in 1661. The Armills (above center) were placed as bracelets on her wrists; these were newly made for the 1953 coronation and were a gift from the Commonwealth. They represent sincerity and wisdom. The Sovereign's Ring (above right), dating from 1831 and composed of rubies over a sapphire surrounded with diamonds, was placed on her finger.

Multiple swords are used during the coronation; the only one directly presented to the monarch is the Sword of Offering, elaborately jeweled and made for George IV in 1820. Two sceptres were presented to the queen to hold while she was crowned: the Sceptre with Dove (above on the top) and the Sceptre with Cross (above in the middle). Both were made in 1661, but the Sceptre with Cross was modified for the 1911 coronation to hold the First Star of Africa, also known as the Cullinan I diamond. The largest part of the famous Cullinan diamond is 530 carats (shown in the detail at right above).

The most significant object in the crown jewels is St. Edward's Crown, made in 1661. The gold crown is set with multiple types of stones including sapphire, amethyst, tourmaline, citrine, and topaz; the stones are set in white enamel acanthus leaf mounts. It is intended to be used only once in a reign: for the actual moment of crowning. All other events involving a crown traditionally use the second monarch's crown, the Imperial State Crown.

The queen after crowning, with her robes of gold, both sceptres, and St. Edward's Crown

King Edward VII is one of the exceptions to this rule; after his coronation was postponed once due to his ill health, he wasn't deemed well enough to bear the weight of the gold crown (a hefty 2.23 kilograms or 4.9 pounds). Thus, he was crowned with the Imperial State Crown and St. Edward's Crown was placed on top of his coffin when he passed away. It was also too heavy for Queen Victoria, and wasn't used by William IV or George IV either.

The most famous piece in the crown jewels is the Imperial State Crown (the front is left above, the back is center). Lighter than St. Edward's Crown at .91 kilograms or 2 pounds, it is easier to bear for its frequent use, which includes each State Opening of Parliament. It is set with over 3,000 stones, including several famous gems: the Second Star of Africa (also known as the Cullinan II, a 317 carat diamond shown in the top right detail above), the Black Prince's Ruby (which is actually a spinel with a small ruby plugging a hole, shown in the center detail), the Stuart Sapphire (bottom above), St. Edward's Sapphire, and pearls belonging to Elizabeth I. I'll let the lady herself explain the rest:

 

Because it is used so often, the crown has been redone several times. It received a major overhaul before the 1937 coronation of George VI - it was in such disrepair that the cross fell off during the funeral procession for George V. It had another makeover before the 1953 coronation, including lowering the arches to make it more feminine for Elizabeth II.

The Imperial State Crown, Armills, Orb, and Sceptre with Cross all feature prominently in Cecil Beaton's famous coronation portraits.

As I said, this has been no attempt to chronicle the entire stash of crown jewels - entire books have been written on that (if you're looking for a recommendation, Anna Keay's The Crown Jewels is a recent publication with gorgeous photos and readable text - an excellent starting point). But they're always worth a glance in any quantity, because such magnificent and historical items are rarely in use anywhere else.

Of course, the crown jewels are on display at the Tower of London, and are basically a must-see for royal fans and magpies alike. 

Photos: Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II/Anna Keay

Flashback Friday: The Queen's Coronation Gown

For the most important outfit of her reign and what was essentially her second wedding dress, Queen Elizabeth returned to the man that made her first and would shape her look for decades to come: Norman Hartnell. With instructions to create a regal gown for the ages, Hartnell began a back-and-forth design process with the queen. Pure white was out in favor of color; form-fitting sheaths were discarded in favor of less body-conscious options; simplicity was rejected in favor of symbolism from around the United Kingdom, which was in turn rejected in favor of symbolism from all around the Commonwealth.

After diligent research on past coronation gowns and consultation with the symbolism authorities (during which he was forced to learn that the Welsh leek could not be substituted for the daffodil, no matter how much prettier he thought it might be), and nine proposals to the queen, Hartnell had a design.

The coronation gown was created from white satin made from fibers from the silk farm at Lullingstone Castle. Short sleeves and a heart-shaped neckline tapered down to the monarch's tiny waist, with the full skirt flaring out from below and ending in a slight train at the back. On to this base of a dress came the real star of the show: the embroidery. Seed pearls and crystals created a lattice-work background for floral emblems in pastel silks and gold and silver threads.

Every country in the Commonwealth at the time was represented: the Tudor rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the leek for Wales, the shamrock for Ireland (despite the fact that by that time only Northern Ireland remained), wattle for Australia, the maple leaf for Canada, the fern for New Zealand, protea for South Africa, lotus flowers for both India and Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute. Unbeknownst to the queen, a single four leaf clover was added on the left of the dress, just where her hand would brush throughout the day. In order to carry and distribute the weight of all the embroidery, the dress was lined in taffeta and three layers of horsehair.

After eight months of work, the gown was delivered to the queen three days ahead of the coronation; she declared it to be "glorious". Queen Elizabeth actually wore her glorious gown six more times after Coronation Day: for receptions at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse as well as Parliament openings during her coronation tour in New Zealand, Australia, and Ceylon in 1954 and Canada in 1957.

At left, on the way to be crowned; at right, after returning to Buckingham Palace

The queen accessorized her dress with Queen Victoria's "coronation" necklace and earrings, commissioned by Victoria in 1858 and worn by queens at each coronation since Edward VII's in 1902. She departed for the coronation carrying a bouquet and wearing the Robe of State at her shoulders and the George IV State Diadem on her head. She returned in the Robe of Purple Velvet plus the Imperial State Crown and other pieces from the crown jewels - more on those later.

The coronation necklace and earrings and the George IV State Diadem

Queen Elizabeth's robes were among the other garments commissioned for the coronation. Norman Hartnell also created a simple pleated white linen covering added over the gown for the anointing.

L to R: the linen covering, the Robe of State, the Purple Robe of Estate

Both robes were new and created with hand-woven velvet made from silk from the same silk farm as the dress. The 18 foot crimson Robe of State was lined in ermine with gold lace and filigree work around the edges. It weighs more than 15 pounds and was worn arriving to the coronation; this is the robe used by the queen for each State Opening of Parliament. Special to the coronation, the 21 foot Purple Robe of Estate featured an ermine border and cape with a white silk lining. The Royal School of Needlework put 3,500 hours into the gold embroidery. The queen departed the coronation wearing this robe, and it is the one that features in all of the official photographs.

The maids of honor, L to R: Lady Moyra Hamilton, Lady Anne Coke, Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton, Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby and Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill

Hartnell was also commissioned to make the outfits for the queen's 6 maids of honor, all single aristocratic girls who were in charge of managing and carrying the heavy train via invisible silk handles. Smelling salts were sewn into their gloves as their dresses featured tight waists, the ceremony was long, and the pressure was high. Each wore white satin gowns with pearl blossom and golden leaf embroidery with gold tissue wreaths of forget-me-nots, freesia, and heather. They were the perfect accompaniment to the star of the show and her magnificent gown. 

Do you think Hartnell succeeded in his mission to create an iconic gown? 

Photos: Norman Hartnell/The Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II/Victoria and Albert Museum/Daily Mail

Royal Splendor 101: The Coronation Scene

Westminster Abbey, with special annex

As promised, we're going to be digging into the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and we have plenty to talk about. But first, I thought we might set the scene a little bit for one of the grandest events in (relatively) recent royal memory with just a few of the facts and tidbits surrounding it.

The coronation was held on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Every coronation for the previous 900 years had been held there (prior coronations were held in various locations throughout the country).The last coronation had been that of her father and mother, George VI and Elizabeth, in 1937, which Queen Elizabeth had attended. June 2nd was a rainy and cold day, and the crowds outside - including many that had slept on the streets - were wet but happy: news reached London that same morning that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had reached the summit of Mount Everest. The victory for New Zealand's adventurer was hailed as a coronation gift, and yet another reason to celebrate.

The Queen's procession

Sixteen months of preparation went into the coronation, after the queen's accession on February 6, 1952. The event planning was headed by the Earl Marshal, a post held by the Duke of Norfolk as dictated by tradition; the coronation committee was chaired by the Duke of Edinburgh. The queen's grandmother, Queen Mary, had died on March 24, 1953, but left specific instructions that the coronation was to go on without disruption by mourning. Rehearsals were held at Westminster Abbey. The queen attended some of the rehearsals (the Duchess of Norfolk filled in when she wasn't there) and practiced on her own as well.

The coronation was attended by 8,251 guests, including the peerage and dignitaries from around the world. As a comparison, the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge filled the very same venue with just around 1,900 guests. The coronation guests were packed in on two levels, and media personnel inside were chosen for their slight builds. An annex was built on the west end to allow the long processions to form under cover, since there wasn't room inside.

During the ceremony

The ceremony was just short of 3 hours long, beginning at 11:15 a.m. and ending at 2:00 p.m. In order to fit the thousands of guests in an orderly fashion, the doors opened at 6:00 a.m. for guests to start arriving; big name guests arrived after 8:30 a.m. Because people were stuck inside for so long, many brought sustenance. Peers were said to have used their coronets to conceal snacks, and the stalls after the event were filthy with trash, discarded wrappers and the like (even some lost jewels!). When asked if it was true that the peers had hidden sandwiches in their caps, the Duke of Norfolk said "Probably. They're capable of anything."

Princess Marie Louise, one of Queen Victoria's grandchildren, was one guest who went a slightly different route: she brought a supply of gin and tonic. Once she made it back out to her carriage (assistance was required, as you might expect), she hung out the window in the rain to wave to the crowds all the way back to the palace (much to the frustration of her carriage-mates). Marie Louise was 80 years old and was one of a select group in the audience who were attending their fourth coronation. She witnessed the coronations of Edward VII, George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II.

Another guest impervious to the rain was the cheerful Queen Salote of Tonga. The instantly recognizable monarch - she was over 6 foot tall, with a frame to match - became a crowd favorite when she rode in her carriage without any cover despite the damp conditions, waving all the way.

This was the first coronation service to be televised (in 1937 just the procession was filmed), and it was the first major worldwide BBC television broadcast. Some estimates say that 27 million people watched the 27-year-old monarch be crowned. Winston Churchill and others were against televising the ceremony, but Queen Elizabeth wanted as many people as possible to be able to watch. Still, the anointing - the most sacred portion of the ceremony - was performed underneath a canopy and shielded from the cameras.

Crowned, with peers all around

The service had six parts: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture, the enthronement, and the homage (the order of service in full can be read at this link). It was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, who was joined for the first time by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland. The service is derived from the one used in 973 to crown King Edgar and was performed in Latin until the coronation of Elizabeth I. The coronation is on YouTube in several parts, the first of which is embedded below.

The queen rode to Westminster Abbey in the magnificent Gold State Coach. The coach has only been used twice since then - for the Silver and Golden Jubilees. After leaving the coronation, her route took her through London so she could be seen by as many on the streets as possible. The procession itself was 3 kilometers long and included 16,000 members; it took two hours to get everyone back to Buckingham Palace.

The Gold State Coach

Once back at the palace, the royal family and attendants appeared on the balcony. Most all of the royal family attended the coronation, including 4-year-old Prince Charles who could be heard whispering to his grandmother during quiet parts of the ceremony. His younger sister Anne skipped the abbey but joined in once the party returned to Buckingham Palace.

On the Buckingham Palace balcony

Later that night, Queen Elizabeth appeared again to turn on the lights that lit London that night down the Mall, at Admiralty Arch and floodlights all over for the celebrating crowds. The coronation day was over, but there was still plenty more for the new sovereign to do to introduce herself to her people, including a 6 month world tour for the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Lights and crowds on the Mall

In the coming weeks, we'll talk about the regalia used in the coronation as well as what Queen Elizabeth wore and what some of her guests wore, so stay tuned.

Photos: Corbis