queen elizabeth
The greatest tragedies and successes of her 70-year reign
On the Queen’s Jubilee, we look back at the most beautiful and tragic moments of her reign.
Elizabeth’s coronation
Elizabeth’s coronation
On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth was crowned Queen at just 27 years old. The historic event took place in Westminster Abbey. It was the first coronation ceremony to be televised live. Some 27 million people in the UK (out of a total population of 36 million at the time) listened to them, with a further 11 million listening on the radio.