At Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the royal family pose at Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953.
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At Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the royal family pose at Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953.
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As Britons prepare for the coronation of King Charles III, we take a look at the United Kingdom’s last coronation — for Queen Elizabeth II.
That was 70 years ago, and Charles is making some changes for his own event.
The parade route will be shorter than his mother’s. The ceremony will include a nod to other faiths besides Christianity. And all of the U.K., not just aristocrats, will be asked to swear allegiance to King Charles.
Elizabeth’s coronation was on June 2, 1953, when the country still had some of the marks of World War II. The start of the 25-year-old’s reign was widely seen as the dawn of a new era. And many citizens got to watch the coronation for the first time on an emerging medium: television.
See the pictures we found from Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
The procession from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II approaches the Marble Arch.
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The procession from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II approaches the Marble Arch.
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Queen Elizabeth II walks down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, on her coronation day.
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Queen Elizabeth II poses with her Mistress of the Robes and the six Maids of Honour after her coronation.
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Queen Elizabeth II poses with her Mistress of the Robes and the six Maids of Honour after her coronation.
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Queen Elizabeth II leaves Buckingham Palace before her coronation ceremony.
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Queen Elizabeth II leaves Buckingham Palace before her coronation ceremony.
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At Westminster Abbey, Queen Elizabeth II is coronated in June 1953.
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A bus in Newcastle is adorned with Queen Elizabeth’s insignia to celebrate her coronation.
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A bus in Newcastle is adorned with Queen Elizabeth’s insignia to celebrate her coronation.
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Queen Elizabeth II examines sets of new stamps issued to commemorate her 1953 coronation.
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Queen Elizabeth II examines sets of new stamps issued to commemorate her 1953 coronation.
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Children enjoy a bicycle race at their North East street party for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
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Lilly Lee, a weaver at Warner & Sons, Braintree, Essex, hand weaves the velvet that will go to make the coronation robes for Queen Elizabeth II, Nov. 18, 1952.
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Crowds in central London celebrate during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
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A coronation goblet is engraved by W.J. Wilson, director and chief designer at the Whitefriars Glassworks.
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This story originally appeared on NPR
