By Lucy Caulkett-
The intimate moments of the Queen’s coronation 65 years ago have been revealed for the first time.
Queen Elizabeth visited memory lane in an interview featured on the BBC1’s The Coronation how she found the five-pound St Edward’s Crown which she has only worn once, “really heavy”.
Personal footage from the Queen herself revealed scenes official cameras did not capture on June 2, 1953.
Once back at Buckingham Palace, the newly crowned monarch and her ladies-in-waiting burst into fits of giggles when one of them tripped on her train.The huge train was used as a playground for the children waiting to greet the Queen back at home.
They are filmed dashing in and out of the huge canopy as it’s carried down one of the hallways.
“Not what they’re meant to do,” the Queen said in the documentary, speaking to Royal commentator Alastair Bruce.
The Queen had some less than complimentary comments for the Gold Stage Coach she traveled in was “horrible”, adding: “It’s only sprung on leather. Not very comfortable.”
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The documentary also revealed other previously unseen elements of the historical coronation including the fact one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting, Lady Anne Glenconner, nearly fainted because he dress was so tight.
The fear of collapsing was so great all ladies-in-waiting had smelling salts hidden in their gloves
This solution had its drawbacks when the Archbishop of Canterbury shook one girl’s hand and cracked the vial they were kept in.
Lady Anne, who was swaying and struggling to breathe, was saved by Black Rod who put his arm across the light-headed girl.
Lady Anne said:
“I was told to wriggle my toes in case I felt faint.
Britain’s longest Monarch explained she could not lean forward while reading her speech wearing the Imperial State Crown, which weighs 2lbs 13oz fearing the “unwieldy” bejeweled crown would break her neck.
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“Luckily I was standing with my back to a pillar and a wonderful gentleman called Black Rod saw me and I was sort of swaying about and I thought ‘I cannot faint in front of millions and millions of people, I just can’t’ and then luckily he put his arm like that (across her) sort of pinning me to the pillar and it just gave me enough time to recover.”
The monarch, the longest serving in British history, explained how she cannot lean forward while reading her speech wearing the Imperial State Crown, which weighs 2lbs 13oz fearing the “unwieldy” bejeweled crown would break her neck.You can’t look down to read the speech, you have to take the speech up. Because if you did your neck would break or it would fall off,” the Queen said.
“So there are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they are quite important things.”Before her crowning, the 91-year-old was also made to write down what she remembered of the coronation of her father, George VI when she was just 10-years-old.
She also recounts how she was brought to a standstill when her robes ran against the carpet pile in Westminster Abbey during her coronation.
The 91-year-old’s nonplussed reaction to discovering the Crown Jewels was hidden in a biscuit tin during the Second World War has already become a favorite online.
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