The Queen’s Coronation was an elaborate ceremony, steeped in tradition and religious significance.

Thousands took to the streets of London to celebrate the crowning of Elizabeth II despite the rain that fell on June 2, 1953.

The service took place 16 months after the Queen acceded to the throne, allowing a period of mourning for King George VI and ensuring that the detailed planning needed for the day could be put in place.

June was picked in the hope that the weather would be fair, but the unseasonal downpours failed to deter the crowds who stood firm, bedding down on the procession route overnight to get the best spots.

The Queen herself prepared by wearing her crown the evening before as she said goodnight to a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne so she could get used to its weight.

On the day itself, the joyous atmosphere was accentuated with the news that climbers from a Commonwealth expedition had conquered Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

The Queen agreed to the TV cameras being present in Westminster Abbey to capture the historic event on the relatively new medium for the first time. Family, friends and neighbours crowded around black and white sets to watch, with an estimated 27 million people in Britain alone tuning in. The number of licence holders doubled to three million.

In the post-war period, the coronation of the young Queen was a pick-me-up for the nation for whom rationing was still partly in place. The uncrowned monarch – who wore the George IV Diadem on the journey to Westminster Abbey – set out from Buckingham Palace in the specially-renovated gold State Coach, escorted by the Yeomen of the Guard, the Household Cavalry, and the Royal Bargemaster and Royal Watermen.

She was met by the deafening cheers of the crowds as she took an extended circular route to Westminster which she requested to enable more schoolchildren to see the procession.

On entering the Abbey, she was greeted by the Westminster School choristers’ traditional cries of “Vivat, Vivat, Vivat”.

Her Coronation dress, by couturier Norman Hartnell, was a shimmering white satin gown encrusted with diamonds, seed pearls, crystals, pale amethysts and sequins, embroidered with the emblems of the UK and Commonwealth.

During the three-hour service, which was attended by 8,000 guests, the Queen took the Oath, followed by the Communion and the sacred anointment with holy oil, which was concealed from view by a gold canopy.

She was then given the precious emblems of sovereignty including the golden spurs, a jewelled sword, the vestments, the orb, the coronation ring, the glove and the sceptre.

Next came the crowning when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher, placed the majestic St Edward’s Crown on her head. The Duke of Edinburgh, kneeling before her, swore to be his wife’s “liege man of life and limb” and was the first layman to pay tender homage to the newly-crowned monarch.

Unlike a Queen Consort, Philip, as the husband of a reigning Queen, was not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony.

For the return journey to the Palace, the Queen changed into the lighter Imperial State Crown and a robe of purple velvet. This longer procession was accompanied by 13,000 troops, 29 bands and 27 carriages and took two hours to complete.

The Queen, still wearing her crown, and Philip appeared on the Palace balcony with Charles, Anne and other royals for a flypast.

She returned to the balcony throughout the evening as the crowds shouted “We want the Queen”. The newly-crowned Queen’s sixth and last appearance on the balcony finally came at midnight before she waved the revellers goodnight.