Coronation Gown
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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 Since 1922, the United Kingdom has been made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales (which collectively make up Great Britain) and Northern Ireland (#Terminology, variously described as a country, province, jurisdiction or region). The ...
and those of the other states within the
Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...
, including the English Tudor rose, Scots
thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp spikes on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. T ...
,
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...
leek A leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of Leaf sheath, leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a "s ...
, Irish
shamrock A shamrock is a type of clover, used as a symbol of Ireland. The name ''shamrock'' comes from Irish (), which is the diminutive of the Irish word and simply means "young clover". At most times'', Shamrock'' refers to either the species ...
, Canadian
maple leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is most widely recognized as the national symbols of Canada, national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by ...
, Australian
wattle Wattle or wattles may refer to: Plants *''Acacia sensu lato'', polyphyletic genus of plants commonly known as wattle, especially in Australian English **''Acacia'' ***Black wattle, common name for several species of acacia ***Golden wattle, ''A ...
, New Zealand
silver fern ''Alsophila tricolor'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Cyathea dealbata'', commonly known as the silver fern or silver tree-fern, or as ponga or punga (from Māori language, Māori or ),The Māori word , pronounced , has been borrowed into Ne ...
, South African
protea ''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family. About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...
, Indian lotus flower for India, the Lotus flower of Ceylon, and Pakistan's
wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...
,
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
, and
jute Jute ( ) is a long, rough, shiny bast fibre that can be Spinning (textiles), spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', of the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ...
. The gown, like Elizabeth's wedding dress and other notable royal dresses of this period, was designed by
Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell (12 June 1901 – 8 June 1979) was a leading British fashion designer, best known for his work for the ladies of the British royal family, royal family. Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom ...
. It was
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess 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 The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic List of British royal residences, royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King ...
. 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 Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
(1954), and Canada (1957).


Design

The dress was to be a historic masterpiece befitting the occasion, consequently one that would stand out. Like her bridal gown, the costume was designed by
Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell (12 June 1901 – 8 June 1979) was a leading British fashion designer, best known for his work for the ladies of the British royal family, royal family. Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom ...
. Hartnell proposed at least eight different designs; the first, very simple, similar to that worn by
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
at her coronation; the second, a modern slim-fitting
sheath gown In fashion, a sheath dress is a fitted, straight cut dress, often nipped at the waistline with no waist seam. When constructing the dress, the bodice and skirt are joined together by combining the skirt darts into one dart: this aligns the skirt ...
, embroidered in gold; the third, a
crinoline A crinoline is a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline described a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which was used to ...
style dress of white satin, silver tissue and crusty silver lace; the fourth, white satin embroidered with
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
and
arum lilies ''Zantedeschia'' () is a genus of eight species of herbaceous, perennial, flowering plants in the aroid family, Araceae, native to southern Africa (from South Africa northeast to Malawi). The genus has been introduced, in some form, on every con ...
and encrusted with pendant
pearls A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle (mollusc), mantle) of a living Exoskeleton, shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pear ...
; the fifth, a colourful design of violets, roses and wheat, the sixth, white satin with gold, silver and copper embroideries featuring branches of oak leaves with acorns; the seventh, the Tudor Rose of England, appliqued in gold tissue against white satin; and the eighth, similar to the seventh, but incorporating the floral emblems of Great Britain. The Queen favoured the last option if Hartnell introduced some colour and included the floral emblems of the
dominions A dominion was any of several largely self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the ''British Commonwealth of Nations''. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of colonial self-governance increased (and, in ...
, alongside those of Great Britain. When consulting with the
Garter King of Arms Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior king of arms and officer of arms of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The position ha ...
, Hartnell's plan to use the
daffodil ''Narcissus'' is a genus of predominantly spring flowering perennial plants of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. Various common names including daffodil,The word "daffodil" is also applied to related genera such as '' Sternbergia'', '' ...
to represent Wales was vetoed, with the Garter requiring the use of the
leek A leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of Leaf sheath, leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a "s ...
instead. Hartnell described this event in his autobiography: However, Hartnell found that through the use of silk and the addition of diamonds, "we were able to transform the earthy Leek into a vision of Cinderella charm ... fit to embellish the dress of a queen". These changes were implemented in the ninth design and presented to Elizabeth at
Sandringham Sandringham can refer to: Places Australia * Sandringham, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Sandringham, Queensland, a rural locality * Sandringham, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne **Sandringham railway line **Sandringham railway station * ...
. Later Hartnell secretly added an embroidered extra four-leaved shamrock on the left side of her dress as an omen for good fortune. The final version featured a Tudor rose, embroidered in very pale pink silk, with pearls, gold and silver bullion, and rose diamante; the Welsh leek, embroidered in white silk with leaves of very pale green silk; the
Scottish thistle ''Onopordum acanthium'' (cotton thistle, Scotch (or Scottish) thistle) is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and Western Asia from the Iberian Peninsula east to Kazakhstan, and north to central Scandinavia, and ...
, with pale mauve silk and amethysts and a calyx embroidered in reseda green silk, silver thread, and diamante dewdrops; the Irish
shamrock A shamrock is a type of clover, used as a symbol of Ireland. The name ''shamrock'' comes from Irish (), which is the diminutive of the Irish word and simply means "young clover". At most times'', Shamrock'' refers to either the species ...
, like the thistle, was embroidered in soft green silk, silver thread, bullion, and diamante; the Canadian
maple leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is most widely recognized as the national symbols of Canada, national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by ...
, made with green silk embroideries with a crystal vein and gold border; the silver fern of New Zealand, embroidered in straight stitches using soft green silk and veined in silver and crystal; the Australian wattle flower, made with a coarse mimosa yellow wool and green and gold foliage; the South African protea, embroidered in shaded pink silk, with green silk leaves and silver outlined petals; the lotus flower of India, made with seed pearls and diamante and mother of pearl embroidered petals; the Lotus flower of Ceylon, made with opals,
mother of pearl Nacre ( , ), also known as mother-of-pearl, is an organicinorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer. It is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre is ...
, diamante, and soft green silk; and the three emblems of Pakistan: wheat, in oat-shaped diamante and fronds of golden crystal, cotton, made in silver with leaves of green silk, and jute, embroidered in green silk and golden thread. In addition to the gown, Hartnell also designed a plain white linen robe called a colobium sindonis, which initially covered the short-sleeved, low-neck gown. Attached to the shoulders was a crimson
velvet Velvet is a type of woven fabric with a dense, even pile (textile), pile that gives it a distinctive soft feel. Historically, velvet was typically made from silk. Modern velvet can be made from silk, linen, cotton, wool, synthetic fibers, silk ...
mantle edged with ermine and featuring two rows of delicately embroidered gold lace and gold filigree. On the Coronation Day, the six
maids of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...
carried this robe behind the Queen.


Making

The dress, which was ordered in October 1952, took eight months of research, design and workmanship to make. Its intricate embroidery required many hours of diligent work by the dressmakers. The silk used to make the gown was obtained from Lady Hart Dyke's silk farm at
Lullingstone Castle Lullingstone Castle is a historic manor house, set in an estate in the village of Lullingstone and the civil parish of Eynsford in the English county of Kent. It has been inhabited by members of the Hart Dyke family for twenty generations incl ...
. The dress required the efforts of at least three dressmakers, six embroideresses and the
Royal School of Needlework The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is a hand embroidery school in the United Kingdom, founded in 1872 and based at Hampton Court Palace since 1987. History The RSN began as the School of Art Needlework in 1872, founded by Lady Victoria Welby. ...
, responsible for the embroidery worked in gold bullion thread. The Robe of State of Crimson Velvet, which was attached to the shoulders of the gown, was hand-woven by Warners of
Braintree, Essex Braintree is a town in Essex, England, and is the principal settlement of Braintree District. It is located north-east of Chelmsford, west of Colchester and north-west of Southend-on-Sea. According to the United Kingdom Census 2021, 2021 Cens ...
, using Lullingstone Castle silk and made by Messrs.
Ede & Ravenscroft Ede & Ravenscroft are the oldest tailors in London, established in 1689. They have two London premises, in Chancery Lane and Burlington Gardens, very close to the famous Savile Row. They make, sell and hire out legal gowns and wigs, clerical d ...
of
Chancery Lane Chancery Lane is a one-way street that forms part of the City of London#Boundary, western boundary of the City of London. The east side of the street is entirely within the City,


Gallery

File:1954-state-opening-credit-morris-hill.jpg, The Queen opening a session of the New Zealand Parliament on 12 January 1954 in the Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House. She is wearing her coronation gown. File:Elizabeth 2-RG Menzies 15-02-1954.jpg, The Queen, wearing her coronation gown, arriving at Parliament House, Canberra to open the third session of the 20th Federal Parliament on 15 February 1954 File:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sit on thrones before a full Parliament.jpg, The Queen, wearing her coronation gown, and Prince Philip seated at their thrones, during the opening of the
23rd Canadian Parliament The 23rd Canadian Parliament was in session from October 14, 1957, until February 1, 1958. The membership was set by the 1957 federal election on June 10, 1957, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dis ...
, 14 October 1957 File:Costumes from The Crown.jpg, Replica of the gown created by
Swarovski Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Tyrol. It was founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal Business, which primarily produces crystal glas ...
for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, later used in the television series ''
The Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...
''


See also

*
List of individual dresses This is a list of individual dresses that are notable for their historical significance, appearances in media, or as art. Historical dresses * Apricot dress of Jacqueline Kennedy, designed by Oleg Cassini and worn by U.S. first lady Jacqueline ...


References


External links

{{Elizabeth II 1950s fashion British royal attire Coronation gowns Elizabeth, Coronation
Gown A gown, from the Latin word, ''gunna'', is a usually loose outer garment from knee-to-full-length worn by people of both sexes in Europe from the Early Middle Ages to the 17th century, and continuing today in certain professions; later, the t ...