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Queen Elizabeth II has given an incredibly rare interview, opening up for the first time about her coronation almost 65 years ago.
Speaking with BBC royal commentator, Alastair Bruce, Her Royal Highness spoke candidly about the moment she became sovereign at age 27, 16 months after the death of her father, King George VI.
“It’s the sort of, I suppose, the beginning of one’s life really as a sovereign,” the 91-year-old monarch said.
“It is sort of a pageant of chivalry and old-fashioned way of doing things, really. I’ve seen one coronation and been the recipient in the other, which is pretty remarkable.”
HRH also opened up about wearing heavy crowns, two of which she wore at her coronation: The Imperial State Crown, which weighs 1.2kg, and which the Queen sometimes wears to formal events, and the St Edward’s Crown, which weighs 2.2kg and which she has never worn since.
“Fortunately, my father and I have about the same sort of shaped head. But once you put it on, it stays. I mean, it just remains on,” she said, smiling.
“You can’t look down to read the speech, you have to take the speech up. Because if you did your neck would break, it would fall off,” she quipped.
“So there are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they’re quite important things.”
The full documentary is due to air in Australia in February.
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