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On this day in 1953, Elizabeth II is crowned queen of England in a ceremony that dates back over a millennium. Princess Elizabeth was 25 when she inherited the British throne upon the death of her father, King George VI. After mourning him for a year, a lavish coronation celebration was held for her at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. A thousand dignitaries and guests attended the ceremony; millions listened on radio and, for the first time, watched the proceedings on live television.
A very popular queen, Elizabeth has travelled more extensively than any other reigning British monarch and has four children with her husband, Philip Mountbatten.
