MARKIA ELIZABETH AFANYA IBADA YA KUTIMIZA MIAKA 60,TAZAMA HAPA
Her husband Prince Philip was also
able to accompany his wife to the event, despite having to withdraw from
an engagement with her last night due to illness.
Outside
the church crowds of well-wishers wearing red, white and blue and
waving flags enthusiastically cheered Britain's monarch, 60 years since
she was crowned at the Abbey.
The
Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and more than 20 royals,
including the heavily pregnant Duchess of Cambridge and her husband
Prince William attended the religious service.
It is the first time the couple,
whose first baby is due next month, have attended a public event at the
church since they married there two years ago.
The
service had several elements that mirrored the Queen's coronation, and
the Crown Jewels, including the majestic St Edward's Crown, were taken
from the Tower of London and placed on the Abbey's altar - the first
time they had been there since she was crowned on June 2, 1953.
During
his address the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, described the
Queen's life as one of 'demanding devotion and utter self sacrifice - a
path she did not choose but one she was called to,' adding she would 'rule in heaven with Jesus'.
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Royal event: Queen Elizabeth arrives with her
husband Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the 60th
anniversary of her coronation, which took place there on June 2 1953
Pleased to be there: The Queen smiled broadly as
she came to the Abbey, dressed in all white, as members of the Royal
Family also gathered to celebrate her reign
Royal arrival: Prince William and his pregnant
wife Kate pictured ahead of the service, and the couple were accompanied by William's brother Prince
Harry (right)
Line of succession: Queen Elizabeth II and
Prince Philip leave Westminster Abbey led by the clergy after the
service. They were followed by Prince Charles and The Duchess of
Cornwall, then Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince
Harry, and finally Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice
Momentous occasion: Britain's Queen Elizabeth
and the royal party depart as St Edward's Crown sits behind them on the
Abbey's altar, the first time the Crown Jewels have been there since
1953
Happy to be together: Prince William and Zara
Phillips laugh and grip one another as Kate and Princess Eugenie smile
behind them after the service ended this afternoon
The Duke of Edinburgh looked well despite 'feeling under the weather' yesterday.
The
service was the main national event to celebrate the coronation and is a
lower-key affair than last year's events that marked the Queen's
Diamond Jubilee.
Leading
figures from national life
were among the 2,000 guests who filled the church, which included
royalty, leading political and military figures as well as leaders from
around the Commonwealth.
Prince William, Prince Andrew and Catherine,
Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the service at Westminster Abbey. The
Queen returned to the scene of her coronation on Tuesday
Queen Elizabeth II arrives with The Dean of
Westminster, Dr John Hall. She wore an Angela Kelly dress, hat and coat,
with the clothes made from oyster coloured silk-satin brocade that has
been in the Buckingham Palace's material room for a number of years
The Queen is all smiles as she greets Britain's
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall ahead of the service. The service was the
main national event to celebrate the coronation and is a lower-key
affair than last year's events that marked the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Guests including a traffic warden attended the
service. In 1953, more than 8,200 guests witnessed the historic
proceedings in the Abbey and an estimated 27 million people in Britain
watched the events unfold on television
Family event: Queen Elizabeth sits amongst
members of the Royal family close to the altar of the grand Central
London church as the service held in her honour was about to start
Royal family: (From left to right) The Queen,
Prince Philip (obscured from view), Prince Charles, his wife Camilla,
Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Having fun: The Duchess of Cambridge grins as
she speaks to the Sophie Countess of Wessex during the service attended
by at least 20 royals
Service: Queen Elizabeth II and members of her
family sit and read the order of service, while well-known joker Prince
Harry made Kate giggle
Westminster Abbey: Prince William, left, his
pregnant wife Kate, and his brother Harry read from the order of service
and chat after they took their seats in the Abbey today
Princesses: Sarah Ferguson's daughters Beatrice
and Eugenie sit quietly inside a packed Westminster Abbey ahead of the
service this morning
PM: David Cameron arrives at Westminster Abbey
today where he read the first reading - 60 years on from when Winston
Churchill was Prime Minister and attended the Queen's Coronation
Next generation: Prince William, his pregnant
wife the Duchess of Cambridge, and his brother Prince Harry wait for the
Queen in the Abbey
Heir to the throne: The Queen's son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are welcomed into the church ahead of the service
Dropping off? Zara Phillips's husband Mike
Tindall sitting behind Kate and William looked tired and had his eyes
closed on several occasions
Former England captain Tindall was also rubbing
his eyes, having just returned from Hong Kong where he played in a rugby
match against the British and Irish Lions
Traditional: Members of the choir prepare to
sing for the monarch, in a service which included several elements from
the Queen's Coronation on June 2 1953
Today's spectacle, like the event of
60 years ago, was broadcast live by the BBC. Elements of the 1953
coronation ceremony were also reflected in the celebration service.
Fanfare trumpeters of the Band of the Welsh Guards sounded a musical flourish to announce the arrival of the Queen.
The Queen was crowned at Westminster
Abbey on June 2, 1953, in a solemn, ancient ceremony which dates back
more than 1,000 years.
Although
the 1953 coronation was an exclusively Anglican Christian ceremony,
representatives from other faiths were invited to attend today's
celebration.
When kings or queens are crowned the
ritual features the recognition, oath, anointing, investiture and homage
and the service was divided in the same way.
Elegant: Despite being only a month away from
giving birth, the Duchess of Cambridge easily climbs out of her Land
Rover as she attended the Queen's special service
Arrival: Princesses Eugenie (right) and Beatrice
(left) wave to the crowds as they arrived at Westminster Abbey in
strong sunshine
Royal family: (Pictured left to right) Princess
Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex
walked through the gates at Westminster Abbey wearing wide smiles
Getting to the Abbey: Camilla, Duchess of
Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Dean of Westminster, The
Very Reverend Dr John Hall (right), look pleased as they arrived for the
celebration
Arrivals: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, smiled to photographers (left) as did Prime Minister David Cameron
(right) who did the first reading today
Expecting: A heavily-pregnant Duchess of
Cambridge gets out of a car as she arrived at Westminster Abbey today.
She is expecting her baby in just four weeks
Prince William, his wife Catherine, and Prince
Harry enter Westminster Abbey today ahead of the service to celebrate
the 60th anniversary of the Coronation Service
Pleased to be there: Princess Eugenie, Prince
Edward and Sophie of Wessex arrive (left) and Princess Michael of Kent
is seen (right), also outside the church
The service began with a form of the recognition - where the Queen's 60 years of service was recognised.
The
majestic St Edward’s Crown - with which the Queen was crowned - was
then rested on the High Altar - the first time the heavy, solid gold, jewel
encrusted crown has left the Tower of London since the 1953 coronation.
The Ampulla, the gold, eagle shaped
bottle from which the holy oil was poured for the anointing - the most
sacred part of the coronation - also stood on the altar.
The Dean of Westminster told the congregation: 'Sixty years ago, in this
holy place, Queen Elizabeth II was anointed with holy oil, clothed with
sacred garments, and, after receiving symbols of authority, crowned
with the Crown of St Edward, King and Confessor, just as Her Majesty's
royal predecessors from 1066.
'Here today we gather to give thanks to almighty God for the faithful
ministry and dutiful service the Queen continues to offer God and the
people of this nation, the overseas territories and the realms, and as
head of the Commonwealth.'
Royal arrival: The Queen, with her husband
Prince Philip behind her (right ) arrives at Westminster Abbey this
morning. He was taken ill yesterday and was forced to miss an
engagement - but was fit enough for the commemorative service today
Lining the streets: Well wishers wait outside
Westminster Abbey ahead of a service of celebration to mark the 60th
anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation
Celebration: A patriotic man wears a crown and a similarly flamboyant
woman wears a union flag headscarf as they wait outside Westminster Abbey in
the summer sunshine
Royal arrival: The majestic St Edward's Crown -
with which the Queen was crowned, arrived at Westminster Abbey today
before Her Majesty. It was the first time it has left the Tower of
London since the Coronation
in 1953. It sat on the altar during the service but was not worn by the
Queen
Royal arrival: Prince Charles (right) and his
wife Camilla (left) head into Westminster Abbey this morning at the
start of the service
Sixty year reign: The Queen, sitting with her
husband Prince Philip who was forced to miss an event yesterday because
of illness, wave to the crowds from their chauffeur-driven limousine
Wave: Fit enough to attend after being taken ill
yesterday, Prince Philip looked healthy and waved to the crowd as the
Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey
After the National Anthem had been sung Prime Minister David Cameron gave a reading from
the Bible, from the first book of Kings chapter 1 verses 32 to 40.
The Prime Minister told the congregation how King David named his son
Solomon as his heir and how the new King was proclaimed monarch by the
people.
During the Queen's coronation she was anointed with oil and a flask
containing the liquid was carried through the Abbey and placed on the
altar by the dean.
Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma gave the second Bible
reading from Mark chapter 10, verses 35-45 about how some of Jesus'
disciples asked him if they could sit on his left and right hand.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby then gave the main address and told the congregation: 'We live in a
hierarchy of liberty under authority that ascends to God's limitless
love.'
He went on to
say: 'A nation that crowns its head of state with such a model of
liberty under authority expresses commitment to the same glorious values
for itself.'
History: A smiling Prince Philip watches on
after Queen Elizabeth II is crowned in Westminster Abbey 60 years ago,
on June 2 1953
Amazing: The historic event on June 2, 1953, was
the first Coronation to be broadcast live on television and was watched
by 27million people
Regal: St Edward's Crown, one of the world's
most famous and valuable objects, was brought to Westminster Abbey for
the first time in 60 years
The
Archbishop made reference to the death of Drummer Lee Rigby highlighting
the efforts of members of the public, like Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, who
went to the aid of the fatally wounded soldier, and the actions of the
police officers who responded to the incident.
He
said: 'When we obey God's call, whoever we are, leading Government or
quietly serving our local community, we establish a country that is
open-handed and open-hearted, serving others with joy.
'In such service we become Britain at its best. We know how to celebrate - as again last year in the Olympics.
'We know how to comfort and grieve - as on the streets of Woolwich, in the courage of passers-by and police.'
The Archbishop singled out one element from the 1953 ceremony, telling the guests how the Queen was handed the sword of state.
He
read some of the words from the coronation that described the role
expected of the new monarch, who should use the sword to 'do justice'
and 'help defend widows and orphans'.
'The
symbols and words point us to our deepest understanding of the nature
of power, which is found neither in pomp and circumstance nor in public
displays but in radical commitment, single-minded devotion and servant
leadership,' said the Archbishop.
The Queen leaves, with her order of service
in hand, before moving on to a private lunch with Prince Philip for one
hundred guests including her family
Procession: The main members of the Royal family are led away up the aisle by the Queen after the service had ended
Respectful: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry all looked serious as they began to leave the Abbey today
Watching on: Prime Minister David Cameron and
Labour Party leader Ed Miliband watched as William and a smiling Kate
leave the historic service
A serious Ed Miliband stares into the camera
while David Cameron reads, but the pair appeared to have little to say
to eachother
Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy had written a poem for the celebratory
service called The Thorne, but it focused on the emblem of Kings and
Queens - the crown.
Duffy's short poem, read by actress Claire Skinner, represented the
coronation's Homage element and concentrated on the burden and gift that
the crown represents for the Queen - 'one head alone can know its
weight'.
Music was an integral part of the Queen's crowning and for today's
service the Thanksgiving was represented by the hymn - Praise to the
Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.
After the ceremony the Queen and members of her family, who had attended
the service, made the short journey to College Hall, the 14th century
medieval Abbot's dining Hall, for lunch with the Dean and the Chapter of
Westminster.
60th anniversary: The Queen, left, emerges from
the church after the service. Right Mike Tindall can be seen standing
close to his wife Zara Phillips
The Queen, left, walks out of Westminster Abbey,
while Kate Middleton (right) talks to Prince William's cousin Zara
Phillips outside the church
With her husband Mike Tindall in the background
talking to Prince Harry, Zara Phillips chats with Kate and her husband
Prince William outside Westminster Abbey
Royal get together: Prince William, Kate and Zara Philips had a long chat before heading off to a lunch with the Queen
Pregnant: The Duchess of Cambridge, who is due
to give birth in just over a month, looked heavily pregnant as she left the church with husband
Prince William. It was the first time they had been there officially since their marriage
Royal get-together: Kate speaks to William's
cousin Zara Philips outside Westminster Abbey (left, while the Queen
(right) talks to the Dean of Westminster as she leaves
Look of shock: The Duchess of Cambridge leaves Westminster Abbey today after the service and spoke animatedly to a clergyman
Extended family: Autumn Phillips, left, the wife
of Peter Phillips who is the only son of Princess Anne. Lady Louise
Windsor, right, daughter of Sophie Wessex and Prince Andrew
Family: Katharine, Duchess of Kent, with husband
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, outside Westminster Abbey following the
service this morning
Meeting: Prince William and the Duchess of
Cambridge speak to the Dean of Westminster (in yellow) as the Royal
family leave Westminster Abbey today
Departure: Prince Harry talks to Zara Phillips
as they leave Westminster Abbey. Princess Anne can be seen (right),
while Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are walking away (left)
Prince William and Kate are seen leaving
Westminster Abbey this morning after the service to mark the 60th
anniversary of the Queen's Coronation
Family departure: Prince Andrew, left, Prince
William, Princess Eugenie, the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles
(front), Camilla and Prince Harry are seen leaving the church behind the
Queen
Royals: Members of the royal family including
Prince William, (Centre) his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge,
(centre) and William's cousin Zara Phillips (centre right) gather
outside Westminster Abbey as they prepare to leave
Departure: Prince Harry (left) lags behind Prince William and Kate Middleton as the walk down the steps of the church
Big smiles: The Duchess of Cambridge, left,
outside Westminster Abbey and the Queen, right, both grin outside the
church today bathed in warm sunshine
Princess Eugenie, left, Lady Louise Windsor,
daughter of Sophie Wessex and Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice seen
outside Westminster Abbey
Young family member: Lady Louise Windsor looks
out of a car window as she leaves the celebration to mark the 60th
anniversary of the Queen's Coronation
Prince William (left), his wife the Duchess of
Cambridge and Prince harry (right) depart Westminster Abbey following a
Service of Celebration, while Prince Harry grins behind them
Royal wave: The Duchess of Cambridge waves to
the crowds as she is driven with husband Prince William to a private
lunch after the church service
Princess Beatrice waves to the crowds as she is
driven away from Westminster Abbey and taken to the private lunch for
members of the Royal family afterwards
In
1953, more than 8,200 guests witnessed the historic proceedings in the
Abbey and an estimated 27 million people in Britain watched the events
unfold on television.
Last year’s Diamond Jubilee was the
focal point for national celebrations for the Queen’s accession, with a
river pageant down the Thames involving a flotilla of 1,000 boats, a
concert in front of Buckingham Palace and a traditional service of
thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation is a more low-key affair, with commemorations focusing on the Abbey service.
Outside the Abbey: Prince Harry walks with purpose clutching his order of service while Autumn Phillips (right), the wife of
Peter Phillips, waits for her husband
Political representatives: Labour leader Ed
Miliband, left, and Prime Minister David Cameron look all smiles outside
Westminster Abbey following the historic event
Enjoying the sun: The Countess of Wessex and
Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, (left) and Peter Phillips and Autumn
Phillips (right) stand outside the Abbey
Departure: The Royal family leave Westminster
Abbey today following the service to mark the 60th anniversary of the
Queen's Coronation
In
the summer, a four-day Coronation Festival is being held in the gardens
of Buckingham Palace from July 11 to July 14, organised by the Royal
Warrant Holders Association.
Galas in the evening will include performances by Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Katie Melua and The Feeling.
For
its annual summer opening this year, Buckingham Palace will stage a
special exhibition dedicated to the coronation and display the outfits
worn by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
Amid
the celebrations, the royals are awaiting the arrival of William and
Kate’s baby - a future king or queen - which is due in mid July.
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