Coronation
At the age of 25, she became Queen Elizabeth II. Her coronation in June 1953 was the nation’s first televised coronation, already signifying a time of change. Despite the dull and dreary weather on that day, the mood was the complete opposite with hundreds of thousands gathered in London and millions across the nation and the commonwealth glued to their TV sets to get eyes on Queen Elizabeth II.
The nation was still experiencing post-war austerity but for many millions, the coronation was seen as a shining light and the beginning of a new age. Her reign commenced with the commonwealth tour, visiting thirteen countries, lasting from November 1953 to May 1954. This included trips to Australia and New Zealand, the first time a reigning monarch visited those nations.
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One of the first major events Queen Elizabeth II was embroiled in was the Suez Crisis of 1956 which ultimately led to the resignation of then Prime Minister Anthony Eden. She was recommended to call Harold Macmillan to the palace to become the next Prime Minister and it was a similar story six years later when she was advised not to call in RA Butler to become Prime Minister, perhaps a more publicly acceptable figure, but instead Sir Alec Douglas-Home. The Conservative party did not have a process of electing a new leader during these years, so the pressure was on the shoulders of the young Queen. Following this, however, she was never put in such a position ever again.
One of her most historic state visits came in May 1965, when the Queen visited West Germany. This was the first state visit by a British monarch to Germany in over 50 years and it cemented the reconciliation between Britain and Germany after both world wars. She was warmly welcomed as it was believed that she rubber-stamped the legitimacy of West Germany as a player on the European and world stage.
During the late 1960s, growth in popularity of the Queen was on the agenda for Buckingham Palace. This led to the creation of Royal Family, a behind-the-scenes documentary. The aim was to portray the Royal Family in a more approachable and less formal manner. The documentary that aired on the BBC and ITV attracted in excess of 30 million viewers from Britain and featured scenes of the Royal Family watching TV, having a barbeque, and setting up the Christmas tree. Many criticised the documentary for diminishing the Royal Family’s image, but many others enjoyed the viewing.
