The Queen's 60th Coronation anniversary

The 1953 Coronation provided the Queen with a formal initiation rite and an investiture with her official regalia.

Australia's magnifiscent Queen's Birthday stamp 2013

Queen Elizabeth was the 39th sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey; the first was William the Conqueror, whose coronation took place on Christmas Day, 1066.

The 27-year-old Queen swore her oath and was anointed (concealed under a canopy) on her hands, her breast and her head with holy oil of orange flowers, roses, cinnamon, jasmine and sesame with benzoin, musk, civet and ambergris, in imitation of the anointing of the kings of ancient Israel. She put on the Armills (bracelets), the Robe Royal and the Stole Royal. She held the orb and sceptre. Then the crown was placed upon her head.

Everyone shouted “God Save Queen Elizabeth. Long Live Queen Elizabeth. May the Queen live for ever.”

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Australia Post releases Diamond Jubilee Coronation stamps

Australia Post is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation with the release of one domestic base-rate (60c) stamp and one international-rate ($2.60) stamp.

"Australia Post is delighted to recognise the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty's coronation with the release of this stamp issue," said Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt. "We're pleased that this special stamp issue will be a great memento of this wonderful event for collectors and the public."

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2nd June 1953 over twelve months after her accession. The Queen rode from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the ornate Gold State Coach.

Prime Ministers and leading citizens of the Commonwealth countries, representatives of foreign states, hundreds of thousands of Britons and over 200,000 tourists from other countries arrived in London for the coronation. (Actually there were approximately three million spectators lining the procession and more than twenty million viewers around the world watched the coverage on television.)

During the coronation ceremony, Queen Elizabeth swore the coronation oath, undertaking to rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy and to maintain the Church of England. She was then anointed, blessed and consecrated and crowned by the archbishop before trumpets sounded, the Abbey bells pealed, and guns at the Tower of London saluted.

The large-sized 60-cent stamp features the Gold State Coach which has been used for every coronation since that of King George IV in 1821. The photograph is by Tim Graham from Getty Images.

The $2.60 stamp features a photographic portrait of the newly-crowned monarch in 1953 and is a detail from a full formal portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip. The photograph was taken in Buckingham Palace by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton and is featured on the miniature sheet. The image comes from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A special pack is available which features an embellished sheetlet of 10 x 60c double-definitive stamps housed in an attractive folder.

Other associated products include a first day cover, stamp pack, maxicard set of two, sheetlet of five x $2.60 self-adhesive stamps and a stamp and medallion cover.

The stamps and associated products were designed by Jo Mure of the Australia Post Design Studio. Jo's previous stamp issues include the Royal Wedding (2011) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (2012).

The Diamond Jubilee Coronation stamp issue is available from 9th April 2013 at participating Australia Post retail outlets, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.

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21 Australian cinemas will present ‘A Queen is Crowned’ as part of HM’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

‘A Queen is Crowned’ is the only colour film of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation ceremony, narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier. Upon its original release, the film won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Oscar at the 26th Annual Academy Awards.

This will be the first time this lavish documentary has been seen in cinemas since its initial release 60 years ago. Rights owners ITV Studios Global Entertainment have carefully restored the film in time for this historic occasion.

CinemaLive’s CEO, Peter Skillman, said of the release: ‘I’m delighted to begin our relationship with Park Circus by bringing this remarkable piece of history to the Australian public, for one very special day leading up to the excitement of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations."

Nicholas Varley, Park Circus’ Managing Director says: ‘We are pleased to have teamed up with CinemaLive on this project. Park Circus has been at the forefront in making classic films available to worldwide audiences in the digital format. We have always looked for new and innovative ways to get classic films back in theatres and what a wonderful way to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen”.

These are the cinemas, where "A Queen is Crowned" will be shown:

New South Wales

Dendy Opera Quays, Sydney

Griffith City Cinema, Griffith

Odeon Cinema, Orange

Forum 6 Cinema, Tamworth

Forum 6 Cinema, Wagga Wagga

Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Cremorne


Victoria

Palace Cinema, Balwyn

Palace Dendy, Brighton

Wangaratta Cinema, Centre

Deakin Cinema Complex, Mildura

Tasmania

Cmax Cinema, Devonport


Western Australia

Grand Cinemas, Warwick

Grand Cinemas, Bunbury

South Australia

Wallis Cinemas, Mt Barker

Wallis Cinemas, Noarlunga

Wallis Cinemas, Picadilly

Wallis Cinemas, Mitcham

Semaphore Odeon Star, Cinema

Oatmill Cinema, Mt Gambier

Gawler Village Twin Cinema

The Age spoke to Jason Ronald, Victorian president of monarchist group the Royal Over-Seas League, who said the cinema release was a ''great idea'' that reflected increasing interest in the Diamond Jubilee.

''Going to the cinema was the only way to see it in Australia 59 years ago, so they're trying to recreate the atmosphere and I think it's marvellous.''

He is certainly right. See you at the movies!!

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Australian World War II Victoria Cross recipient dies

While the Sydney Morning Herald reported: "

Mr Kenna went to London for the Queen's coronation in 1953 and was presented to her when she visited the newly-restored Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in 2000. He appeared on a postage stamp in that year."

... The Age left the Monarchist part of Mr Kenna's biography unmentioned:

"Mr Kenna was born in Hamilton, in Victoria's west, in 1919 and returned there when discharged from service in December 1946.

He worked at the local council and played for the local footy team, was active in army reunions and has led Melbourne's annual Anzac Day march.

Before enlisting in the army in August 1940, he had worked as a plumber in his hometown."

Of course, both Fairfax media failed to mention that he received the Victoria Cross from HRH Prince Henry, The Duke of Gloucester, during his service as Governor-General of Australia in 1947.

This failure of leaving out what was obviously a big part of his life, makes me wonder, once more, just how much we can trust the Australian media to provide the whole story on any topic let alone the state of our Monarchy.

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Would you believe ...
... that The Age published 19 lines on Her Majesty's birthday today? 19 lines without open nastiness, but in the usual substandard quality when it comes to referring to our Monarchy. It must have cost the editor some effort to give facts - or information (s)he considered to be facts - and not open bias. Well, and of course not quite without its usual sting against the Australian Monarchy, just by not mentioning it in the headline.

ELIZABETH II (1926-)
QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM [and Australia, as The Age deliberately failed to mention]
BORN on April 21, 1926, in Mayfair, London, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The young princess became first in line for the throne in 1936 when her father ascended to become king, following the abdication of King Edward VIII. Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten announced their engagement early in 1947, and were married in December that year. [It was actually 20th November 1947, but we don't want to be fussy]. Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948, and Elizabeth and Philip had three more children - Anne, Andrew and Edward.

After the death of George VI, Elizabeth was crowned on February 6, 1952. [The Age did not check the archives, Princess Elizabeth became Queen on her father's death on February 6, but she was crowned 16 months later, on 2nd June 1953.] Elizabeth was crowned Queen of 32 countries, but 16 have subsequently become republics. [The reality was, when she was crowned the Archbishop of Canterbury asked the Queen: "Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia , New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?" That makes SEVEN countries of which three became republics. The Age is as ill informed as usual.]

She was named Time Person of the Year in 1952. Elizabeth described 1992 as an "annus horribilis", following the divorce of Prince Charles and Lady Diana [Princess Diana at the time of her divorce], and a fire at Windsor Castle. She is now the longest living English monarch.

Isn't it amazing, how many mistakes a 19 lines news item can contain when it is published in The Age?

Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation day, 2nd June 1953 and not, as The Age stated, on 6th February 1952. To her left Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Philip.

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