Overview
The coronation of Elizabeth II as queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952. The coronation was held more than one year later because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to make preparations for the ceremony.
The hype surrounding the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II grew to unprecedented levels, driven by the dawn of a "new era" and the revolutionary decision to televise the event in full. The event is widely credited as the "tipping point" for television in the UK. Before the coronation, many considered TV a novelty, but the announcement that it would be broadcast live caused a massive surge in sales. An estimated 27 million people in Britain (out of a population of 36 million) watched the ceremony live on the BBC, with many crowding into the homes of friends or family who owned a set. Globally, the audience reached tens of millions, including 85 million Americans who watched delayed broadcasts.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was also a massive commercial catalyst. In the build-up to the coronation the market was flooded with commemorative items ranging from affordable mugs to high-end collectibles. This even extended to pinball, with D. Gottlieb & Co. releasing their "Coronation" table in November 1952.
"Coronation" is a single-player, electro-mechanical game designed by Wayne Neyens. The artwork was created by renowned artist Roy Parker, and features a playful and slightly risqué take on the crowning of a queen. The blackglass shows a modern, youthful queen in a striped bikini wearing a crown, a royal cloak and cherry-red high heels. The playfield is defined by 7 trap holes and 7 bumpers arranged in a "V" for Victory formation.
Approximately 1,100 unites were produced, and the table remains well-regarded for its gameplay, artwork and lighting to the present day.
