The Queen kept the anointing ceremony hidden from television cameras in 1953
Queen Elizabeth II made sure important royal and religious traditions were respected during her coronation in 1953.
One of the most sacred parts of the ceremony was the anointing. This moment was kept away from the public and was not shown on television.
George William Cullen Gross explains the decision in his book, Crown and People: British Coronations and the Shaping of National Identity 973–2023.
The author writes that the anointing was hidden from television cameras to protect its religious importance and sense of mystery.
During the ceremony, four Knights of the Garter held a golden canopy over and around the Queen. This prevented the cameras and the public from seeing the sacred act.
Before being anointed, the monarch removes the crimson robes and any jewellery. This represents giving up the outward signs of royal rank.
The Archbishop is then handed the Ampulla, a solid-gold flask shaped like an eagle. It contains the special holy oil used to anoint the monarch.
The Ampulla dates from 1661, when the Crown Jewels were remade for the coronation of King Charles II.
