coronation of Elizabeth II

coronation of Elizabeth II, coronation of Elizabeth II as queen of “the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon,” and “Possessions and other Territories.” The ceremony was presided over by the archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Francis Fisher, and took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, London. Although Elizabeth had ascended the throne upon the death of her father, George VI, on February 6, 1952, her coronation took place more than a year later. This allowed for a period of mourning and was typical of the modern British monarchy.

The following account of Elizabeth II’s coronation was authored by Lawrence Edward Tanner, keeper of Westminster Abbey’s Library and Muniment Room and secretary of the Royal Almonry. It offers a unique insider’s view of the event and its historical context. It originally appeared in the 1954 Britannica Book of the Year.

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At the coronation of King George VI in 1937 for the first time a commentary was broadcast from within the Abbey and the service was relayed. In 1953 not only was there a commentary but the service itself was televised and colour films were taken during its progress. The innovation, which had caused some misgivings when it was first proposed as possibly tending to “theatricalize” the ceremony, was in fact a great success. The millions who saw on their screens or subsequently in motion pictures the age-long and stately ceremony unfold itself before their eyes realized, perhaps for the first time, that this was no outworn pageant but a deeply religious and significant service. In it the queen, matchless in her dignity, poise and humility, dedicated herself to the lifelong service of the peoples over whom she was called to rule and was solemnly invested with the robes and insignia of sovereignty, each with its own symbolic meaning. Those who had been present within the abbey at the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 were not unprepared for a ceremony which, despite its splendid setting, had a simplicity which was deeply moving. There is, however, no doubt that on the millions who were thus enabled to see and take part, as it were, in the service for the first time it made the most profound impression.

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The form and order of the coronation service has altered little in essentials down the centuries and can, indeed, trace its descent in a direct line from that used at the coronation of King Edgar at Bath in 973. It has been, of course, often revised, but from the coronation of William III and Mary II in 1689 its main outline has remained the same.

During the first half of the 20th century successive archbishops of Canterbury, with whom lay the responsibility for revision, made various improvements in the service. Broadly speaking these were made with a view to decreasing its length, to removing the traces of past controversies which had become embedded in the service, and to emphasizing its spiritual significance which during the 18th and early 19th centuries had almost disappeared.

For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II there were many who hoped and urged that the procession from Westminster Hall should be revived, and that some ceremony should be devised within that historic hall which might associate the overseas members of the Commonwealth more closely with the sovereign’s coronation. But for various reasons this was not found to be practicable. With regard to the actual service, the sermon was again omitted; the litany was sung, as in 1937, during the regalia procession; and the oath was again slightly reworded. In addition, various changes or additions to the ritual were made by the archbishop of Canterbury (Geoffrey Fisher) with the advice of several distinguished scholars, and these added greatly to the dignity and significance of the service.

The most important of the changes was the presentation of the Bible immediately after the sovereign had taken the oath instead of after the crowning. This enabled the archbishop of Canterbury and, by a notable innovation, the moderator of the Church of Scotland—representing the two churches which in particular the queen was pledged by her path to protect—to present the Bible to her jointly and to share between them the words accompanying the presentation.

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No less striking was the revival of the presentation of the armills or bracelets which, although part of the ancient rite, fell out of use in Stuart times. The bracelets symbolize “sincerity and wisdom” and are “tokens of the Lord’s protection embracing you on every side” as well as “symbols and pledges of that bond which unites you with your peoples.” It was, therefore, peculiarly fitting that the new bracelets were given by the Commonwealth governments and served as visible tokens of the readiness of the peoples of the Commonwealth to support and protect the sovereign.

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The presence of the husband of a queen regnant at a coronation had not occurred since Prince George of Denmark attended the coronation of Queen Anne in 1702. Although as consort the duke of Edinburgh could take no part in the ceremony beyond doing homage as a royal prince, it was felt that his presence should in some way be recognized. When, therefore, the queen after her coronation went from the throne to a faldstool before the altar for the Holy Communion, she was joined there by the duke, for whom, before the prayer for the whole church, a special prayer was inserted and a blessing given that “in his high dignity he might faithfully help the queen and her people.” Then as husband and wife they received the Sacrament together before the duke resumed his seat with the royal princes in front of the peers.

The music for the coronation was under the direction of William (later Sir William) McKie, the organist of Westminster Abbey, assisted by Sir Arnold Bax, the master of the queen’s music. Unlike the liturgical forms, the music is chosen afresh for each coronation, and it was the aim of those responsible, following the precedent first set in 1902, to make it representative of English music of every age, special prominence being given to living composers. Handel’s “Zadok the Priest,” sung during the anointing, and Sir Hubert Parry’s “I Was Glad,” sung on the sovereign’s entry into the church and into which is introduced the Vivats of the Westminster scholars, had alone remained constant since the coronations of George II and Edward VII for which they were respectively written. For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II the most notable innovation was the setting by Vaughan Williams of the Old Hundredth (“All People That on Earth Do Dwell”), which was sung by the whole congregation during the offertory. The group of anthems chosen for the homage was representative of English church music from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II. It included Orlando Gibbons’ “O Clap Your Hands,” Wesley’s “Thou Shalt Keep Him in Perfect Peace” (both of which were sung at the coronation of George VI) and “O Lord Our God” specially written for this occasion by Healey Willan, the Canadian musician. Mention should also be made of the effective setting of Te Deum by Sir William Walton, the lovely simplicity of Vaughan Williams’ “O Taste and See,” sung during the Communion—both of which were written for this coronation—and the fanfares composed by Sir Ernest Bullock, who, as the organist of Westminster Abbey, was responsible for the music at the coronation of King George VI.