This Day in History: 1953-06-02

On one of the coldest June days of the century, after 16 months of planning, Princess Elizabeth is crowned Queen Elizabeth II, in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey. This would be the first televised Coronation. BBC TV went on air earlier than usual that day – at 9.15am – radiating the test card, to allow viewers more time to adjust their aerials. 20.4 million people watched at least half an hour of the service – almost double the radio audience. This was the first time the television audience exceeded the numbers listening on radio.