[Elizabeth by Yousuf Karsh]
On this day in 1952 Elizabeth II proclaimed herself Queen during a 20-minute ceremony held in London's St James's Palace, two days after the death of her father George VI and shortly after her return to Britain from Kenya, where she'd been stopping en route to an official visit of Australia and New Zealand. An important date, to be sure, but then I don't even need that much of an excuse to publish a photo of my Queen...
While she read her statement in front of 150 witnesses known collectively as the Lords in Council - including the Duke of Edinburgh as well as representatives of the Commonwealth and the City of London including the Lord Mayor - the young queen had already been proclaimed Queen of Canada by acting Governor-General Thibaudeau Rinfret at Rideau Hall, the country's official vice-regal residence.
Following the ceremony the Queen held her first meeting with the Privy Council, during which time the proclamation was signed by the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, and many of the dignitaries who'd been present for its reading.
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