Royal occasions Gallery

Coronation decorations JRU01_01_088

THE MALL, CITY OF WESTMINSTER, GREATER LONDON. Looking along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace, showing decorations for the coronation of Elizabeth II, including three Coronation Arches over the road and decorative standards topped by crowns positioned on either side of the road, with pedestrians walking along the side of the road.
Four steel Coronation Arches, designed by Eric Bedford, were erected over the Mall for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2nd June 1953. The arches featured metalwork crowns and fan-shaped designs, and were floodlit at night. The arches were linked by lines of standards mounted with golden crowns. From each standard were hung four scarlet banners, not shown in this photograph, bearing the royal cypher E R

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Royal opening JLP01_11_5610_9_11

CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL, FULHAM ROAD, KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, GREATER LONDON. Sir William Doughty presenting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with a framed photograph of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, on the day of the official opening.
At the time this photograph was taken, Sir William Doughty was chairman of North West Thames Regional Health Authority. This image was published in the July 1993 issue of Laing's monthly Team Spirit newsletter.
Laing Management Contracting worked on the construction of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on behalf of the North West Thames Regional Health Authority between 1989 and 1993. The new teaching hospital was built on the site of the old St Stephen's Hospital, which was demolished in the early months of 1989. The use of fast track construction techniques enabled the entire project to be completed in less than 5 years, and the hospital was officially opened by the Queen on 13 May 1993

© Historic England Archive

Royal proclamation JRU01_01_078

National Westminster Bank, Prince's Street, City of London. A view from Cornhill towards the National Westminster Bank, looking over crowds gathered outside the Royal Exchange and on rooftops of nearby buildings and the Bank of England, for the public proclamation of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Exchange.
Princess Elizabeth was formally proclaimed Queen on 8th February 1952, following the death of her father, George VI, on 6th February. An accession proclamation was published in the London Gazette on 6th February and in The Times on 7th February. The formal proclamation ceremony took place at St James Palace at 10:00am, when Elizabeth proclaimed herself Queen. After the ceremony, the accession proclamation was read to the public from the balcony of St James Palace overlooking Friary Court, and then in Trafalgar Square, Fleet Street, and the Royal Exchange, by the Garter Principal King of Arms and Officers of Arms

© Historic England Archive