Triumphs of Queen’s ‘happy and glorious’ record-breaking reign

When Elizabeth became Queen it was hoped that she would continue to strengthen the future of the monarchy still haunted by the humiliation of the abdication crisis. But despite Elizabeth’s best efforts, her reign has not always been happy and glorious.

Steve Cain looks at some of the defining moments of the second Elizabethan age, beginning with events that gave cause for celebration.

1953 – The Coronation – Coronation Day, June 2, 1953, was marked by an eruption of patriotic fervour. Although the skies were grey, crowds lined the streets from early morning.

Everyone was determined to celebrate the dawn of a new era – and they did. Neighbourhoods crowned their own ‘queens’ and sat down to sumptuous coronation buffets, while souvenir-hunters bought anything from coronation storybooks to mugs. An estimated 20 million people watched Elizabeth on their screens as she accepted the sceptre and crown from the Archbishop of Canterbury before walking down the aisle of Westminster Abbey to emerge as Queen. For the Queen herself, the ceremony and the presence of the television cameras, were a test of her composure that she passed with flying colours.

1977 – The Silver Jubilee – The Silver Jubilee reaffirmed the magic of the monarchy. Suddenly, the nation came alive, united in a glittering celebration of the Queen’s 25 years of reign. It was a grey day, but the Queen glowed in pink. The surge of warmth and emotion was overwhelming – a true bond between a monarch and her people. In a speech the Queen reminded the nation of the promise she made six years before her Coronation: “When I was 21, I pledged my life to the service of our people ... I do not regret or retract one word of it.”

1981 – The Marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer – Like the Coronation and the Silver Jubilee, the wedding of the Prince of Wales, the Queen’s eldest child and Heir Apparent, and Lady Diana Spencer captured the imagination of the country and became a huge spectacle with crowds of 600,000 people filling the streets of London. A congregation of 3,500 people were at St Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, and a further 750 million are estimated to have watched on television. For Elizabeth, the marriage of her son and heir represented not only the continuation of the House of Windsor but also the future of the monarchy.

1982 – The Birth of Prince William – The Queen already had two grandchildren when the new Princess of Wales gave birth to Prince William on June 21, 1982. However, William’s birth was not only a source of personal joy for the Queen but a further continuation to the Windsor bloodline. The baby boy became second (behind his father, Prince Charles) in the line of succession, further strengthening the continuity of the monarchy. The Queen and Prince William share a particularly close relationship.

In 2016, William said of his relationship with his grandmother: “Growing up, having this figurehead, having this stability above me has been incredible. I greatly appreciate and value that protection.”

1986 – The Queen’s 60th Birthday.

The celebration of the Queen’s sixtieth birthday on April 21 1986 saw a much more relaxed monarch than at any previous grand occasion. On the big day, she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, who were married later that year. They were greeted with delight and 6,000 children holding daffodils sang Happy Birthday to the Queen.

ITN news anchor Sir Trevor MacDonald said: “One tends to take the Queen for granted. But the most amazing thing I found is the esteem in which she’s held throughout the Commonwealth. She is universally adored.”