On This Day - What happened 2 June 1953 AD

The coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey, London.

Churchill developed a close friendship with Elizabeth II. It was widely expected that he would retire after her Coronation in June 1953 but, after Eden became seriously ill, Churchill increased his own responsibilities by taking over at the Foreign Office. Eden was incapacitated until the end of the year and was never completely well again.

In June 1953, instead of attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, his niece, in London, the Duke and Duchess watched the ceremony on television in Paris. The Duke said that it was contrary to precedent for a Sovereign or former Sovereign to attend any coronation of another.

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey.