How long did Queen Elizabeth II wait for her coronation after accession?
It almost doesn’t seem real that, in the near future, the new King Charles III will have his coronation.
Crowned beside him will be Camilla, The Queen Consort, who will stand by his side during his reign.
It was 70 years ago that His Majesty’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was in the very same position – mourning the death of a beloved parent while instantly taking on duties as sovereign.
As Charles will, Her late Majesty also waited for a significant period of time for her coronation to take place.
But when was it, and why isn’t the coronation straight away?
How long did Queen Elizabeth II wait for her coronation after accession?
Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
But she became the monarch instantly upon the death of her beloved father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952.
The latter is known as her ‘accession’.
She’d been The Queen for one year and four months before the ceremony took place.
Why do coronations take place so long after accession?
The answer is quite straightforward.
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When Her late Majesty was plunged into her life-defining role as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, she was also a young woman of 25 grieving her father’s passing.
King George VI was considered a popular and deeply respected sovereign by many, so one can only imagine that nation was experiencing a different type of grief, too.
In light of this mourning period, it certainly makes sense that you’d allow some time to pass, before holding such a significant event.
There’s also the question of planning.
It took months to plan The Queen’s coronation – not to mention Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation would be televised, for the first time in history.
The Royal Family’s website concurs, simply explaining: ‘The coronation of the new sovereign follows some months after his or her accession, following a period of mourning and as a result of the enormous amount of preparation required to organise the ceremony.’
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