Coronation of Elizabeth II

The coronation of Elizabeth II was held in June 1953. The Wire attempted to take the energy from the millions of humans watching the coronation on their televisions, but the Tenth Doctor foiled her plans. (TV: The Idiot's Lantern) Ian Chesterton watched the coronation on "the box". (PROSE: Set in Stone)

Upon the death of her father King George VI on 6 February 1952, Princess Elizabeth succeeded to the British throne. Her Coronation was then scheduled to take place the following year, on Tuesday 2 June, after a sufficient period of mourning for the deceased monarch. The Queen gave permission for the event to be televised, against the advice of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and about 56% of the country's population of 36.5 million were estimated to have watched the live broadcast by the BBC, which ran from 10.15am to 5.20pm.

The broadcast began with cameras following the Queen and her husband as they left Buckingham Palace in the Golden State Coach. The Coach made its way along the processional route to Westminster Abbey, arriving little over an hour later. The Queen was crowned at 12.34pm. The live coverage, presented by commentator Richard Dimbleby, continued into the afternoon, as the Queen left the Abbey shortly before 3pm, and the State Coach made its way through London's streets back to Buckingham Palace. As the official event concluded, the population began to celebrate with street parties and fireworks. (PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac)

The coronation was attended by various people high up in Torchwood One, including the Vicar, Reginald Rigsby and Norton Folgate. (AUDIO: Parasite) The first thirteen numbered incarnations of the Doctor attended the coronation (COMIC: Where’s the Doctor?)

In 1997, after having been briefly deposed by Ice Lord Xznaal in May, the Queen had a second coronation, the only instance of a recoronation in the history of the United Kingdom, which was held on 23 November. (PROSE: The Dying Days)