On this day - 2 June

On June 2nd 1953 Queen Elizabeth II had her coronation. She had been proclaimed Queen following the death of King George VI in February 1952 but tradition would have the coronation held after an appropriate length of time for mourning. It also allowed for time to plan and prepare for a ceremony. The ceremony itself was entirely televised allowing millions of people to watch the event from their homes. In the lead up to the event, the number of people who had a TV and TV license increased dramatically, with many purchasing them to watch the coronation specifically.

Queen Elizabeth II was queen for over 70 years, having taken the throne aged 25. She remained Queen until her death on September 8th 2022 when her son King Charles III took the throne. She was the longest reigning female monarch in history and the second longest reigning monarch ever, second only to King Louis XIV of France.