Queen reveals her discomfort at coronation
Queen tells of heavy crown and a ‘horrible’ journey to Westminster Abbey for new BBC documentary
Nearly 65 years after the Queen charmed the Commonwealth with the first televised coronation, she has disclosed the secret discomfort behind the glamorous facade, from a heavy crown with some “disadvantages” to a frankly “horrible” journey in the Gold State Coach.
IN THE memories of the generation who watched it, the coronation was the stuff of fairytales: a bejewelled Queen being invested with all the pomp and circumstance Britain could muster.
Nearly 65 years after the young Queen charmed the Commonwealth with the first televised coronation, she has disclosed the secret discomfort behind the glamorous facade, from a heavy crown with some “disadvantages” to a frankly “horrible” journey.
The Queen, who reflects on her own coronation and that of her father for a BBC television programme, has given an unprecedented insight into the reality of the day she was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2 1953.
The programme is due to be broadcast by the BBC and in the US, with an American trailer released this weekend showing the Queen speaking candidly about the less than picture-perfect elements required to make the coronation ceremony and procession a success.
Filmed watching scenes of her 27-year-old self travelling in the Gold State Coach, she appears to confess the experience had in part been “horrible”, suggesting difficulties may have been down to a lack of suspension. “It’s only sprung on leather,” she said. “Not very comfortable.” Later in the trailer for The Coronation, as she discussed the Crown Jewels, she said smiling: “There are some disadvantages to the crowns, but otherwise, they’re quite important things.”
Though the short clip does not specify what those disadvantages are, others have previously told of the extraordinary weight of crowns. The St Edward’s Crown, which the Queen has worn only once, for her coronation, weighs nearly 5lb.
In one scene, which sees the Queen watching footage of the young
Prince Charles and
Princess Anne playing with her robe,
Alastair Bruce, the presenter, remarks:
“Such fun for the children.” The Queen replies drily: “Not what they’re meant to do.”
The programme is expected to share with viewers the
Queen’s memories of the day which, as she puts it, was the “beginning of one’s life really, as a sovereign”. Presented by
Bruce, an expert on the coronation, and due to be screened on BBC One at 8pm next Sunday, it will see her discuss the Crown Jewels from her unique perspective, identifying an apparent favourite gem in the Black Prince’s Ruby, which adorns the Imperial State Crown.
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: “In the programme, part of the Royal Collection season, the Queen reflects on various aspects of the coronation ceremony and the significance of the Crown Jewels.” A Royal source said of the programme: “It’s a rare and often charming insight into Her Majesty’s personal recollections of the day. We’ll let people watch the film as a whole in due course.”
The trailer, released in America, shows more of the programme than a more cautious 30-second edit released by the BBC.
In 2007, the corporation was compelled to apologise after a documentary trailer wrongly appeared to show the Queen storming out of a photography session with Annie Leibovitz, with footage of her walking into the room used out of sequence.
The BBC version shows the smiling Queen saying: “I’ve seen one coronation, and been the recipient in the other, which is pretty remarkable. It’s sort of, I suppose, the beginning of one’s life really, as a sovereign.”
In both, the Queen appears pleased to be sharing her knowledge of the jewels and the two coronations, in a rare television interview.
‘There are some disadvantages to the crowns, but otherwise, they’re quite important things’