On June 2, 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey in London. It was a historic and profoundly momentous symbolic formality.
A day of celebration and solemnity, the Queen's coronation served as a much-needed morale boost for a nation starved of pomp and pageantry following the devastation of the Second World War.
Over three million people witnessed the ceremony unfold on the capital's streets that day. A further 11 million in the UK listened on radio. Remarkably, an estimated 277 million people worldwide watched on television, in what was the first time a British coronation had been broadcast.
Over 70 years later, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II still stands as one of the most famous royal events in history. In this gallery, we revisit June 2, 1953, and capture the spirit of the occasion that even unseasonable summer rain couldn't dampen. Click on to continue reading.