On 12 May 1937 a million cheering subjects lined the streets of London to witness the Coronation Procession of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. A grand affair, the route through the city was carefully chosen to showcase some of London’s most famous landmarks.
It was also the first true outside broadcast of the fledging BBC. Television cameras captured a smiling King as he approached through Hyde Park and passed through Apsley Gate. The BBC reported that over 10,000 people watched the Coronation of 1937. Many more listened to it on the radio.
This pictorial map by Claude Atkinson highlights the Coronation Route taken by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The procession began at Buckingham Palace, proceeded up The Mall, through Admiralty Arch and down Whitehall. It passed by the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, continuing along Victoria Street on the banks of the River Thames.
The procession re-entered central London via Northumberland Avenue. From there, it continued through Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, up Regent Street and onto Oxford Street, passed Hyde Park, finally arriving back at Buckingham Palace via Constitution Hill. The King and Queen appeared on the balcony to greet the crowds.
If you are interested in learning more about the Coronation of King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth you can visit the Royal Archives.
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