The coronation of King Charles III takes place on May 6. To commemorate the historic occasion, we’re taking a look at what the Daily Herald published for past United Kingdom coronations that occurred in the newspaper’s long reign.
Below are two articles published by the Daily Herald on June 2, 1953 in recognition of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.
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Britain Crowns Queen Elizabeth 2nd In Spectacle of Pomp and Ceremony
Heaven Looks Down, Smiles On a Queen
By Paul Gallico
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, London, June 2 – For one quivering instant here today one woman was the center of the eyes of the civilized world. And if the prayers of the Archbishop of Canterbury, her people and those that ascended from her own good and tranquil soul were heard on high, then Elizabeth II, crowned Queen, was noticed and loved of heaven, too, for the breathless moment that the Archbishop in his gray-green cape held the Crown of Steward posed over the shining auburn head, time and its swift passage seemed momentarily stilled.
The brilliantly clad and jeweled thousands, tiered to the roof of the ancient church, watched breathlessly, immobile, turned to stone between two ticks of the — story’s clock, then the silence was broken by the slowly descending arms of his Grace, the Most Rev. Dr. Geoffery Francic Fisher, England’s first prelate. There was something exquisitely sweet and benevolent, tender and fatherly in manner, in which he settled the crown firmly on her head, balanced it for a moment to make certain it was secure, and then, with a flourish released it and stepped back.
Then the trumpets blared, the sound of canon thudding penetrated these gray walls, and all the pentup emotion of the throng of 7,600 here, and its love for the sweet and gallant person in robe of gold, and crowned below, was released in one mighty shout of “God save the Queen,” and never organs pealed more loudly than this cry torn from the hearts of al the great and noble of this Commonwealth of Nations.
The crowning is the high point of this ancient, glittering pageant that is centuries old and yet, by virtue of the grace of this young Queen, still is not an anachronism. And yet there were many other moments that were deeply moving. One that tore at the heartstrings was the recognition, early in the service, when the Queen was presented by the Archbishop to the four quarters, north, east, south and west, as “Elizabeth, their undoubted Queen.”
It was the little curtsy that did it. Each time that Dr. Fisher asked: “Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service: are you willing to do the same?”
And the people in the quarter addressed signified their acceptance by the cry of “God save Queen Elizabeth” and the brassy trumpets blared and the Queen made a curtsy. It was an exquisite gesture of a woman thanking her supporters for their trust and confidence.
It was the last time that this Queen ever will bow her knees to people or things temporal. Her gesture was one of touching grace and enormous dignity. She did not give everything away in it, or bend low beyond what was called upon to do by ritual.
First there came a slight inclination of the head, then a gentle sinking of the knee, humbleness that yet retained command. It was good to see this, for most will not look upon its like again, for England’s Elizabeth now is an enthroned and crowned Queen.
The tenderness of the homage was somewhat marred by the fact that apparently none of the peers could be trusted to learn the simple lines of fealty to their queens which go:
“I ——- Earl of —-, do become your liege man of life and to live and die, against all manner of folks. Do help me God.”
Homage is paid to the Queen enthroned in her crimson damask and golden chair, surrounded by her nobles, soldiers, admirals, chancellors and prelates, all aglitter with jewels and ermine, but when the peers, who took the oath for each of their groups, knelt on the red silk cushion before the Queen and folded their big red palms inside her tiny hands, the Archbishop, standing alongside her, held up a printed card for them to read, for all the world like a cut sheet off camera at a television or picture studio.
Yet the beauty and chivalry of these kneeling men remained. It was only an empty form, and yet many of these knights performed it with a flair as though they were back in the days when loyalty to the crown was a matter of life and death and treason led to the block.
Most dramatic and moving was the homage first of priest and then of husband. He must be a good man, this Dr. Fisher, for every part of the service he, as the Archbishop of Canterbury, endowed the ceremony with a warm, sincere and paternal touch, almost like the family vicar extending comfort. So he paid homage, speaking as though from the heart, and regarding his Queen with great tenderness.
Phillip was a great towering figure in his robes, fair-haired, handsome, performing his part of the ceremony with gallantry and poise. He was firm and sure, put a lanky leg forth, knelt and buried his hands in the palms of those of his wife. One cannot help wondering what electric currents passed between them and whether the Queen permitted herself a gentle, pressure of her hands to convey to him something of what must have been in her heart.
Somehow the most moving scene of all, was the Queen’s departure from the Abbey, crowned, robed, carrying orb and scepter. For as she moved through the theater, she smiled… like an angel and it was that smile that brought tears to the eyes, for she had passed her ordeal and was happy as a lark. It was through a mist of tears that I saw her go.
Charles Did His Mother Proud By Being a Good Boy
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, London — At that golden moment for which he, too, is destined, the little boy was indeed a prince of royal.
The Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles of Britain, heir to the throne, did his mother proud. He was a good boy.
It was only sometime later – after the crown of St. Edward has been placed on the head of Queen Elizabeth II and even after his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, had advanced to the altar for communion — it was only then that the blond darling of England acted like a four-year-old.
Prince Charles sucked his thumb.
His Granny, Queen Mother Elizabeth, who had the task of minding the younger, whispered quick words to him and his royal dignity returned. Charles was again a dutiful son and heir.
They saved a seat for the boy. He has been promised he could sit with all those grownups if he would behave. A great craning and creaking of 7,500 necks at the time of the queen’s anointment signaled the arrival of her son.
Dressed in a white shirt and white knickers, his hair meticulously parted, Prince Charles sat in the royal gallery with the queen mother.
Two chubby hands grasped the gallery lode and he peered over the railing at the wonderful things going on. IN a few minutes, the queen mother gave him something to stand on and Charles had a better view of the fascinating heralds and all those other things that dazzled even his elders.
He now was a solemn lad and a somewhat puzzled one. He turned around many times to find out what was happening.
His aunt, Princess Margaret, answered the questions that spring from childhood. And the questions became more and more abundant.
But at the moment of crowning there was not a better boy in all Christandom.
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