Explore the abstract of this artwork, Coronation gown of Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Ordered in October 1952, her gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship, and intricate embroidery to complete. It featured the floral emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom and those of the other states within the Commonwealth of Nations, including the English Tudor rose, Scots thistle, Welsh leek, Irish shamrock, Canadian maple leaf, Australian wattle, New Zealand silver fern, South African protea, Indian lotus flower for India, the Lotus flower of Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute.The gown, like Elizabeth's wedding dress and other notable royal dresses of this period, was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was Elizabeth's wish that the coronation dress should be made of satin, like her wedding dress, with accentuation of regal elegance, but with no undue emphasis on shape. The gown now forms part of the Royal Collection.After the coronation, the Queen wore the dress on several occasions such as when she opened the parliaments in New Zealand (1954), Australia (1954), Ceylon (1954), and Canada (1957).
maple leaf Queen Elizabeth II's coronation Welsh shamrock Norman Hartnell protea cotton South African protea wattle Royal Collection leek thistle countries of the United Kingdom Indian lotus flower Lotus flower of Ceylon Elizabeth Tudor rose silver fern Elizabeth II wheat Elizabeth's wedding dress jute Welsh leek Commonwealth of Nations Ceylon