Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on 2 June, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. Her Majesty was the thirty-ninth Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey.

Equally, if you want to keep your decorations simple, we suggest creating your own hand-made coronation decorations such as paper chains, streamers and hanging paper balls. Also, why not take a look at our best coronation recipes for some tasty treats to enjoy over the bank holiday weekend too? The Sovereign's procession was made up of 250 people including Church leaders, Commonwealth Prime Ministers, members of the Royal Household, civil and military leaders and the Yeoman of the Guard. The Queen's Lord Lieutenants commissioned artist Terence Cuneo to paint the Coronation ceremony and in 1954 Herbert James Gunn painted a State Portrait of The Queen in her Coronation outfit. The King's Coronation is edging ever closer and many of us will be breaking out the bunting – or making our own – putting together paper crowns and dusting down our best tea sets to celebrate this historic occasion. Some roads in Westminster will be closed, affecting several bus routes. Five London buses will also feature commemorative wraps on routes serving locations linked to the royal family, such as Horse Guards Parade and Hyde Park.While valuable in sentimental terms, most of these items have not increased in financial worth, as so many were made and remain in circulation. However, some well-chosen commemorative pieces are now coveted by collectors, fetching thousands of pounds at auction. We asked the experts which mementos take the crown… Which coronation souvenirs were most popular?

On 24 June 1953, the Honours of Scotland (the crown, the sceptre and the sword) were carried before The Queen in a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral. The King and Queen also gave cheery waves from their vehicles, hiding any hint of nerves about the big day. The Queen was crowned in St Edward's Chair, made in 1300 for Edward I and used at every Coronation since that time. It is permanently kept in Westminster Abbey. With the UK getting ready to celebrate the upcoming Coronation of King Charles III — there are plenty of ways to get into a celebratory mood for the occasion. Whether you plan to watch the monumental event on TV, attend the Coronation Concert or throw a street party, there are plenty of ways to mark this historic event.

International delivery

The Queen Salote of Tonga won the hearts of the waiting crowds by refusing to raise the roof of her carriage for protection despite the rain.