"The Coronation" (2018) - BBC One Documentary on Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation

[Duc_et_Pair]

I liked the Queen's comment that the pearls dangling under the arch of the Imperial State Crown (which were claimed to have been earrings given to Mary Tudor by her halfsister Elizabeth) were rather sad. As known pearls need "contact" to keep their lustre.

For the rest it was hardly "an interview". It was limited with side-comments by the Queen on what was largely a history lesson. I thought the contribution of Lady Anne Glenconner was the best.

 

[Osipi]

I really want to watch this documentary if and when its shown in the US. I do get the Smithsonian channel as part of my satellite package and will be watching for it.

With watching the clips that are available, HM looks very relaxed and at ease during the whole thing and I saw something that I thought I'd never see. The Queen crosses her legs. I grew up with the fact that ladies, like the Queen, never crosses her legs but crosses her ankles.

Another thought struck me. This was HM, The Queen taking us through her own coronation and giving us an extensive lesson on the various items of the coronation regalia and its significance even down to the sacred oil itself and the anointing being aired to the public for the very first time. This tells me that if, and when, the time comes for Charles' coronation, they are not going to skimp over any part of the centuries of meaning and tradition when it comes to Charles' ceremony. HM, herself, is preparing us for it.

 

[wyevale]

pearls need "contact" to keep their lustre.

I hope HMQ [so attuned to the needs of 'her' jewels] has had them removed from the Crown, and is now sleeping with them on a chain around her neck. They will revive in no time..

 

[Skippy]

I liked the Queen's comment that the pearls dangling under the arch of the Imperial State Crown (which were claimed to have been earrings given to Mary Tudor by her halfsister Elizabeth) were rather sad. As known pearls need "contact" to keep their lustre.

For the rest it was hardly "an interview". It was limited with side-comments by the Queen on what was largely a history lesson. I thought the contribution of Lady Anne Glenconner was the best.

It was never "an interview" to begin with, for Queen Elizabeth II doesn't do interviews. It was a conversation.

 

[Molly2101]

Nice to see Alastair Bruce having the chat with the queen as he’s a friend of Edward and one of James’ godfathers. Suppose it makes it less awkward if it’s with someone you know.

Lovely documentary as it’s so fascinating to hear the Queen’s thoughts on her coronation. Lovely to see images of George VI’s coronation as well. The genes in the Windsor family are strong as Prince Edward looks a lot like his grandfather and even in the clips of Bertie you can see so many of Edward’s mannerisms.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I liked the Queen's comment that the pearls dangling under the arch of the Imperial State Crown (which were claimed to have been earrings given to Mary Tudor by her halfsister Elizabeth) were rather sad. As known pearls need "contact" to keep their lustre.

For the rest it was hardly "an interview". It was limited with side-comments by the Queen on what was largely a history lesson. I thought the contribution of Lady Anne Glenconner was the best.

I know from your previous posts here on TRF that you're one of the very few people in this world who is not one of the Queen's biggest fans (and I respect that), but even you must admit that it was HM who was the star of this documentary.

And (as Alastair Bruce himself has said) it was never supposed to be an interview.

What did I think about it? I loved it. - And as the Telegraph put it: The Queen outshone the Crown Jewels.

 

[Dman]

Video Clip:
This is how The Queen handles the Imperial State Crown- Funny Moment-

https://twitter.com/x/status/952636176678178816

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

That was hilarious. And as you can see, she isn't actually careful with it.

 

[gagates]

what i really liked, in the few clips i could see, was her "verschmitztes" smile. she really reminds me a lot of my grandma, who had the same style of hair, the same work attitude (never explain, never complain), a great sense of duty and the same impish (verschmitzt) smile. the crossing of her legs surprised me as well.
and i really hope, that the coronation of charles doesn't get stripped down. i think the coronation is a vital part of a monarchy, if you don't want to have that, then why still a monarchy? then it will do a bundespräsident too.
and osipi i agree with you, i think it's a type of preparing. in a way they have to explain it as well, because we live now in times/societies where a monarchy is less god-given and much more questioned. simply doing it because it was always done this way wont work anymore.

sorry, I'm understand english better than writing, pardon my mistakes.

 

[Osipi]

Gagates, your ability to express yourself in the English language is excellent in my book and the German expressions that you add to it just serves to enhance it even more.

I think even if it was subconscious, this documentary goes a long way to ensure that when the time comes, nothing is changed from the centuries old tradition of the coronation of a British monarch. Tradition and continuity, duty and the history of the British people are the cornerstones of what the monarchy is all about and to downgrade or trim the coronation ceremony would be like chipping away at the very foundation of the British nation.

With this documentary, the people that watch it learn the importance of every item, every ritual and its personal effect on two monarchs, George VI and Elizabeth II. If there was anything that could ever be done to lessen the possibility of the "taxpayers" moaning and groaning about the coronation costs for Charles III, this would be it.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I know from your previous posts here on TRF that you're one of the very few people in this world who is not one of the Queen's biggest fans (and I respect that), but even you must admit that it was HM who was the star of this documentary.

And (as Alastair Bruce himself has said) it was never supposed to be an interview.

What did I think about it? I loved it. - And as the Telegraph put it: The Queen outshone the Crown Jewels.

You are a fan of the Queen. Logical that she is your star of the evening. Essentially the Queen had little to tell. It was Lady Anne who told about the meticulous preparation under the sharp eye of the Duke of Norfolk. It was her who told about the dresses for the ladies of honour, showing her fabulous example, it was her who told how the Queen reacted when they were in the dead moment before entering the Abbey, it was her telling about the smelling salt in the long gloves and how one of the capsules broke, it was her telling about the rehearsal with the Duchess of Norfolk as stand-in for the Queen, it was her who told about the Black Rod giving support, it was her telling about how not only the Queen but also the Ladies of Honour changed "behind the fence" (near the Tomb of Edward The Confessor). The Queen uttered some platitutes ("an awfully lot of backward walking") but it was Lady Anne who enriched the documentary with lots of lovely faits-divers. Without Lady Anne it would have been a fish soup without fish. Thank you, Lady Anne!

 

[sm1939]

I really enjoyed this programme , so lovely seeing the Queen talking and being relaxed , think I will watch it again

 

[Skippy]

You are a fan of the Queen. Logical that she is your star of the evening. Essentially the Queen had little to tell. It was Lady Anne who told about the meticulous preparation under the sharp eye of the Duke of Norfolk. It was her who told about the dresses for the ladies of honour, showing her fabulous example, it was her who told how the Queen reacted when they were in the dead moment before entering the Abbey, it was her telling about the smelling salt in the long gloves and how one of the capsules broke, it was her telling about the rehearsal with the Duchess of Norfolk as stand-in for the Queen, it was her who told about the Black Rod giving support, it was her telling about how not only the Queen but also the Ladies of Honour changed "behind the fence" (near the Tomb of Edward The Confessor). The Queen uttered some platitutes ("an awfully lot of backward walking") but it was Lady Anne who enriched the documentary with lots of lovely faits-divers. Without Lady Anne it would have been a fish soup without fish. Thank you, Lady Anne!

Even those who are not "a fan" of the Queen, or even just neutral about her, can acknowledge her presence in the program.

You are really going out of your way to not have anything positive or remotely neutral to say.
Your emphasis on Lady Glenconner and making your reply only about her input implies talking about the Queen as if she wasn't there and that's ignorant at the least and falsifying at the most.
In real life it would be downright rude.

She seems to be a really funny lady and gifted with a very dry sense of humor.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I only uttered that -for me- Lady Anne was the star of the docu. But of course it is like with Madonna's fans. When she sang off-key, they will still claim she sung like a nightingale.

The Dean of Westminster was nice, Lady Anne was nice, the item about how the golden spoon escaped the demolition by Cromwell was fascinating, the almost military rehearsal by the Duke of Norfolk was informative, how the regalia were hidden at Windsor was almost a suspense, "James Bond" as was said indeed. On the whole of the documentary, they were the ones giving the building stones to construct the story. The Queen made some comments. Essentially that was it. Let us be happy that we are free individuals to see and to digest a documentary in each individual way.

I have seen streams of demolishing comments in British comments sections, on Twitter and other social media. So I have said nothing wrong by praising Lady Anne.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

You are a fan of the Queen. Logical that she is your star of the evening. Essentially the Queen had little to tell.

1. Am I a fan of the Queen? Yes, I am! And I'm proud of it!

2. Is the Queen my star of the evening? Yes, she is. And I'm proud of that too.

3. Had the Queen little to tell? Whether the Queen had little to tell or not, she was always going to be the star of the show. - Why? Because she is who she is. - And what is that? The reigning Queen of 16 countries, the figurehead of 2 billion people, the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the world's longest-reigning Queen regnant and female head of state, the oldest and longest-reigning current monarch and the oldest and longest-serving current head of state.

She is because of this and many other things (which I have mentioned in other threads) an international icon.

Another long article from the Telegraph:
Unstuffy, deadpan, and most amusing - our naturally funny Queen really should do TV more often

Who knew the Queen was so funny? I suppose her nearest and dearest did. Yet for us mere mortals - for whom Elizabeth II remains a distant figure at state occasions or a familiar figurehead on stamps and banknotes - Her Majesty's warm, twinkly wit was the undoubted highlight of Sunday’s splendid BBC film The Coronation.

With bone-dry quips and a gleeful glint in her eye, the Queen proved herself a comic natural. The monarch might be notoriously camera-shy but she let the magisterial mask slip during this documentary to mark 65 years since her ascension to the throne. Behind the public persona lay a smiling sovereign who was unstuffy and surprisingly fun - a stark contrast to her far more formal speech which aired three weeks ago on Christmas Day.

The Queen’s wicked wit has long been the stuff of myth, often talked about by those who've met her - there’s even a book dedicated to it - but thanks to this rare, relaxed interview, the rest of us got to witness it. The 91-year-old really should do TV more often.

This documentary was made to mark the 65th anniversary of the Queen's coronation, not the 65th anniversary of her ascension to the throne.

Yes, it turned out that our monarch is most amusing. The Coronation reminded me of Netflix drama The Crown - the similarity in their titles was surely no coincidence - which recently dedicated an entire episode to reformist peer Lord Altrincham’s scathing criticisms of the Palace for not letting the Queen be herself in public. After initial uproar, they eventually took Altrincham’s advice on-board. Well, to an extent. Maybe they could have gone further and let her out of that gilded cage more often.

Perhaps in her dotage, The Queen could enjoy a late-blooming TV career. She could do the chat show circuit, perching on Graham Norton’s sofa alongside Hollywood royalty. With her droll humour, she could pop up on panel games or make a guest cameo in Mrs Brown’s Boys.

On this evidence of The Coronation, Her Royal Highness’ presence would perk up the TV schedules no end. Besides, a Bafta might look nice nestling among the Crown Jewels.

She is Her Majesty, not Her Royal Highness.

Michael Hogan (who wrote this article) is a writer specialising in TV and radio, so he is not an expert in terms of royal facts.

 

[Elly C]

I refer to my earlier comment, this will be remembered as much for seeing and hearing the Queen in these circumstances as for what it revealed about the coronation. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of the Queen or whether you thought her contribution was particularly interesting in terms of new information about the Coronation, it was groundbreaking for giving a glimpse of the Queen's character.

 

[Leopoldine]

The footage showing the hidden sally port where the jewels had been stashed was a real treat. I thought HM was her typical reserved self (in a good way) and charming. I laughed when she so casually grabbed the crown.

I had never realized the size of the 3-tier grandstands erected adjacent to the coronation dais in the Abbey. Also, finding out that 8,000 people were packed into Westminster Abbey for the coronation was surprising. All in all I enjoyed the program very much.

 

[Skippy]

I only uttered that -for me- Lady Anne was the star of the docu. But of course it is like with Madonna's fans. When she sang off-key, they will still claim she sung like a nightingale.

The Dean of Westminster was nice, Lady Anne was nice, the item about how the golden spoon escaped the demolition by Cromwell was fascinating, the almost military rehearsal by the Duke of Norfolk was informative, how the regalia were hidden at Windsor was almost a suspense, "James Bond" as was said indeed. On the whole of the documentary, they were the ones giving the building stones to construct the story. The Queen made some comments. Essentially that was it. Let us be happy that we are free individuals to see and to digest a documentary in each individual way.

I have seen streams of demolishing comments in British comments sections, on Twitter and other social media. So I have said nothing wrong by praising Lady Anne.

You are truly selling the Queen short and you can leave that part about "Madonna's fans" out. It isn't even remotely compatible.

Bottom line is and remains that this was an extremely rare and very unique appearance.

Your opinion is, while not forbidden, quite remarkable but then again, knowing your disposition - like ROYAL NORWAY said - it's not surprising.

I'm just totally baffled by you completely sideling the Queen and that is what I strongly disagree with because you make it a totally different programme with that. Eye of the beholder, stuff like that and I don't want to turn this into a battlefield. Enough now.

 

[MichelleQ2]

loved the show last evening - will most definitiely watch again. thought HM was marvelous - so many bon mots - and loved Lady Anne's contributions as well.

But what will stay with me was her complete infatuation with the pearls and her reference to them as living things and how the looked sad just hanging there. Perhaps a little insight into why pearls are such a ubiquitous presence in her daily wardrobe. I know I pulled out my my pearls this morning and wore them for the first time in a long time. they deserved a little love and attention. Pearls - not just for special occaisions anymore

 

[Marengo]

1. Am I a fan of the Queen? Yes, I am! And I'm proud of it!

2. Is the Queen my star of the evening? Yes, she is. And I'm proud of that too.

3. Had the Queen little to tell? Whether the Queen had little to tell or not, she was always going to be the star of the show. - Why? Because she is who she is. - And what is that? The reigning Queen of 16 countries, the figurehead of 2 billion people, the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the world's longest-reigning Queen regnant and female head of state, the oldest and longest-reigning current monarch and the oldest and longest-serving current head of state.

She is because of this and many other things (which I have mentioned in other threads) an international icon.

I am quite sure that all of us know who the Queen of the UK is. The program was interesting enough and it was nice to see the queen talk and smile. And yet in the end there were just a hand full of remarks and impressions on her jewels and a carriage mostly. Some of the remarks funny and charming indeed.

The way the BBC has milked these quotes in a barrage of clips, and the way get repeated in much of the Anglo-Saxon press is funny to me. Today a comment of HM about the stones being buried under the palace (she wondered what would have happened if the person who hid them would have died) was inflated and hailed with a long article with praises as if it was a remark on par with the best quotes of Plato. The pompous way reporters are talking about 'the importance' or 'the great importance' of something that is in essence an entertaining sideshow which was re-invented in the 19th century, also has a comic value to it.

Although the queen was charming, I find it a pity that of all the interviews, or 'conversations' that HM could have given, it was decided that she should talk about jewels. IMHO a reflection on the value of the monarchy in this day and age, or a reflection on her reign, would have been much more valuable and certainly much, much more interesting than a hand full of comments on a few stones.

 

[jneugeba]

Video Clip:
This is how The Queen handles the Imperial State Crown- Funny Moment-

https://twitter.com/x/status/952636176678178816

This was the best moment for me. And then her line "when I wear it". Umm.... you are the ONLY one who wears it! It cracked me up!

 

[Osipi]

That clip of the Queen and the crown is just simply priceless. Almost reminds me of a little girl wanting to be a princess with a tiara and having one placed before her. HM's eyes light up as she dives right in for the crown, turning and inspecting every side of it.

Most likely, this was the very first time the crown has been touched by bare human hands in a very long time and I imagine that if a crown had emotions, it would set off all the sparkling jewels looking like a fireworks explosion.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I am quite sure that all of us know who the Queen of the UK is.

1. Point 3 in that post was meant to show that the Queen was always going to be the star of the show.

2. And I'm aware that everyone here know who the Queen of the UK is.

3. And after reading what people wrote to me in the thanks button, I think most people understood what I meant.

Although the queen was charming, I find it a pity that of all the interviews, or 'conversations' that HM could have given, it was decided that she should talk about jewels. IMHO a reflection on the value of the monarchy in this day and age, or a reflection on her reign, would have been much more valuable and certainly much, much more interesting than a hand full of comments on a few stones.

1. As Alastair Bruce himself has said, it was never supposed to be an interview.

2. The Queen (as you know) doesn't give interviews, and most British commentators/experts agree that this is one of many reasons for her success as monarch.


Watch the documentary here, not likely to be on YouTube for a long time, so do it now:

 

[Dman]

Royal Norway, thank you for posting the doc. I’m watching it now and I’m just mesmerized by The Queen, The Crown Jewels, the stories and scenes from the Coronation. Just breathtaking!

 

[Osipi]

I'm also echoing Dman's thanks to Royal Norway for posting the link to the entire documentary.

I never realized just how much history, meaning and planning that is put into the coronation. Everything down to the very last detail was executed brilliantly.

Most definitely though, the Queen was the star of this documentary. I just wouldn't have been as meaningful or poignant without HM's input into it.

 

[Rudolph]

Fascinating only three people in the world - the Queen, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweller can touch the Coronation Crown without gloves on.

 

[LauraS3514]

I loved Her Majesty's matter-of-fact way of handling the crowns - the interviewer couldn't touch them, the jeweler used gloves, and HM just picked them up quite casually. Priceless.

In the US, they re-did the narration with a male American voice-over. It also contained a couple of real cringe-worthy moments: Windsor Castle is "over 100 years old" and they completely butchered the pronunciation of "Agincourt" - giving it a hard "g." Does anyone know if they actually rewrote the text for the narration or did he just botch it up? I don't have the equipment to do a side-by-side comparison.

 

[Mbruno]

2. The Queen (as you know) doesn't give interviews, and most British commentators/experts agree that this is one of many reasons for her success as monarch

I find that silly with all due respect. Many European monarchs give interviews and they are not less successful because of that. To me, that just highlights that the Queen is still old-fashioned and keeps a certain distance from the people, which is forgiven in her case because she is from a different generation after all. Charles has given and gives interviews and so does William. I am pretty sure they will do it too when they sit on the throne. Times have changed and monarchs can no longer live in their ivory towers.

 

[linda85]

Thank you Royal Norway for posting this. I just finished and loved it. Fascinating stuff!

 

[Prisma]

Thank you Royal Norway!

Loved the documentary. I wonder if Prince Charles will allow cameras to show the anointing and communion when it's his turn.