The splendour of the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and the
corteges, enriched by the magnificence of the Empire, caught the
imagination of people during the 20th century and that made the
international attention focus in London during the coronations
of King Edward VII in 1902, of King George V in 1911 and of King
George VI in 1937. Each one reaching levels of organization and
coordination that had not been achieved before. The coronation
of King George VI was the first to be recorded on television,
inside the abbey. However, in 1952 there was a general feeling
that a new era had come and that not only the coronation should
be the most fantastic ever but also the whole people should be
able to watch it on television. After the announcement of the
date of the coronation, which was to be held on the 2nd June
1953, all around the empire the excitement for the upcoming
event started to grow. Countries prepared presents and tributes,
while in London meetings to arrange the details of the
coronation began. The Earl