QUEEN ELIZABETH II’s 65th coronation

AMAZING! marking the 65th of QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S coronation, the Smithsonian channel is celebrating January 14th!
The compelling one hour special “The Coronation” is the story of the Crown Jewels and the ancient ceremony for which they are used in THE CORONATION.  The Queen shares memories of her father King George VI and the ceremony in June 2, 1953, where she was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

In the film, The Queen says, “I’ve seen one Coronation, and been the recipient in the other, which is pretty remarkable.”

Set out to air U.S. exclusively on Smithsonian Channel on January 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, In partnership with the BBC and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Smithsonian Channel shares the a ceremony that was watched by millions of people throughout the world.

Viewing both private and official film footage, The Queen recalls the day when the weight of both St. Edward’s Crown and the hopes and expectations of a country recovering from war were on her shoulders, as the nation looked to their 27-year-old Queen to lead them into a new era.

The film also explores The Crown Jewels, which form part of the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. Consisting of 140 items and containing 23,000 precious stones, these sacred objects form the most complete collection of royal regalia in the world. Exploring the role and symbolic meaning of the Crown Jewels in the centuries-old coronation ceremony, THE CORONATION shows these objects of astonishing beauty in new high-resolution footage. The film tells the extraordinary story of St. Edward’s Crown, which was destroyed after the English Civil War and remade for the Coronation of Charles II in 1661. It has only been worn by Her Majesty once, at the moment she was crowned.

THE CORONATION features eyewitness accounts of those who participated in the 1953 Coronation, including a maid of honor who nearly fainted in the Abbey, and a 12-year-old choirboy who was left to sing solo when his overwhelmed colleagues lost their voices.

“The Crown Jewels include ‘The Regalia’, which are used at a coronation, when the monarch is invested with the best known, if least understood, symbols of this kingdom,” said Coronation expert and key contributor Alastair Bruce. “Post boxes, Police helmets, Income Tax Returns and almost every visual expression of the United Kingdom displays a Crown and Orb. The meaning of each of the key objects has evolved from emblems of authority that date way back before the Saxons arrived. Yet there is an enduring relevance to modern leadership wrapped into each symbol that express values of humility, duty and service, while representing total power. Discovering their meaning helps to define what the Sovereign is to the Crown and how that Crown is the property of us all, in the constitutional function of Monarchy.”

“It is truly an honor to have Her Majesty The Queen revealing her intimate knowledge of the Crown Jewels – and fond childhood memories from when her father was crowned King George VI – in this very special BBC One film,” said Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content. “The Queen’s words will bring to life the importance of the coronation ceremony for modern audiences to enjoy.”

QUEEN ELIZABETH II’s 65th coronation.

more info:  smithsonianchannel @Smithsonian_Channel.

photo credits:

Queen + close up of the Crown : Smithsonian Channel

archive photo: Her Majesty the Queen + Alastair Bruce by Julian Calder (C).

(by courtesy)

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