Queen Elizabeth: The most important people are missing from her big day

Queen Elizabeth, 96, ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, making her the longest-serving head of state in the world to date.

Queen Elizabeth’s coronation followed 16 months after taking office. Extensive preparations were necessary for the ceremony. It was the first coronation to be televised by the BBC – everything had to be perfect. On her big day, the then 27-year-old was supported by her loved ones. People she sorely misses today.

Queen Elizabeth: Prince Philip played a central role in her coronation

The love story of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, † 99, is unique and shapes the life of the monarch to this day. Philip’s support and, above all, his loyalty to the royal house laid the foundation for Elizabeth’s tenure. Philip was the mainstay of the princess-who-became-queen – until his death in 2021.

The then 31-year-old was also involved in the extensive preparations for the coronation. As Chairman of the Coronation Commission, he planned many aspects of the event. It was also he who campaigned for the live broadcast of the coronation service. In doing so, he significantly initiated the modernization of the monarchy, but also encountered resistance: according to the BBC, the then Prime Minister Winston Churchill, †90, was against it. However, Elizabeth supported her husband’s idea and finally prevailed.

70th anniversary of the throne without her Philip

During the religious ceremony, Queen Elizabeth swore the Coronation Oath administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. As Queen consort, Philip was the first to pledge allegiance to the newly crowned Queen.

He knelt and said: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your liege man life and death and earthly worship. […] So help me God.” Later, the royal couple appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, watching the Trooping the Color parade and waving to the immense crowd.

A special moment that Queen Elizabeth will certainly remember with a smile even today. This year, as she celebrates her 70th jubilee, she carries the memory of her beloved husband in her heart.

Queen Elizabeth + Princess Margaret: Two dissimilar sisters

In addition to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s sister Princess Margaret, †71, was an indispensable constant in the life of the royal. When Princess Elizabeth was ten years old, her father was proclaimed king, making little Lilibet, as she was affectionately known by her family, the heir to the throne. Her younger sister, then six years old, became the so-called “Spare”. While Elizabeth grew up knowing that she would devote her life to the service of the Crown and was prepared to one day rule, Margaret’s life path was less defined. However, the two have been close since childhood.

But when Elizabeth was proclaimed queen in 1952, tensions arose between the sisters. Margaret was no longer her sister’s playmate as she used to be, but her subject. The sisters’ relationship was also strained by the fact that Elizabeth would not allow her sister to marry former Royal Air Force pilot and already divorced Peter Townsend – the Church of England was against the principle of remarrying a divorced person. Because of Margaret’s flamboyant lifestyle, characterized by parties, alcohol and cigarettes, she was quickly viewed as a rebel by the British royal family. A lifestyle that the reserved and responsible Elizabeth probably could not understand.

“Margaret understood the Queen in a way no one else could”

Despite all their differences, they had a strong bond. Even as an adult, Margaret was always Elizabeth’s greatest caregiver – and vice versa. Princess Margaret had a direct telephone line to Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. The sisters are said to have been on the phone every day, Royal Family friend Reinaldo Herrera revealed in an essay for Vanity Fair. “Margaret understood the Queen in a way no one else could,” royal expert Andrew Morton told People. There was a “unique intimacy” between the two.

But the sisters were divided far too early: Princess Margaret died on February 9, 2002 at the age of 71. Queen Elizabeth lost her closest confidante. Her sister, whose behavior she might not always understand, but whom she loved beyond measure.

Queen Mum: She lived through 50 years of Elizabeth’s reign

Not only will Margaret be absent from Queen Elizabeth’s jubilee celebrations, but so will another woman who shaped her life: her mother.

At the coronation of her eldest daughter, she showed herself at the side of the new queen, despite the grief for her beloved husband. Queen Mum has been by her firstborn’s side in word and deed for a full 50 years in office. Mother and daughter are said to have maintained a very close relationship. They not only shared royal life, but also a passion for equestrian sports and for corgis.

Queen Elizabeth’s speech after her mother’s death

On March 30, 2002, Queen Elizabeth suffered a terrible blow: just a few weeks after burying her sister Margaret, Queen Mum died at the age of 101. Her mother’s death was a great loss not only for Queen Elizabeth, but for Britain as a whole. That prompted the then 75-year-old Queen to give a rare televised address. “Over the years I have met many people who have had to deal with the loss of a family member, sometimes in very tragic circumstances, so I am fortunate that my mother was blessed with a long and happy life,” she said, adding added: “She had an infectious joie de vivre that she didn’t lose until the end.”

On June 2, 2022, Queen Elizabeth will only be able to think of her husband, sister and mother. But in the presence of her children Prince Charles, 73, Princess Anne, 71, Prince Edward, 58, her grandson Prince William, 39, and her great-grandchildren, the Queen is still surrounded by her loved ones.

Sources used: rct.uk, royal.uk, bbc.com, vanityfair.com, people.com, youtube.com

Gala