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Witness History: The fight to televise the Queen's Coronation

Documentaries

The fight to televise the Queen's Coronation

28/04/2023 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The fight to televise the Queen's Coronation

How BBC bosses battled with the government for the right to film inside Westminster Abbey

How BBC bosses battled with the government for the right to film inside Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953 was a watershed moment for television as millions watched the ceremony live.

But it nearly never happened as the UK Government initially refused to allow TV cameras inside Westminster Abbey.

The late Peter Dimmock, the BBC’s former head of outside broadcasts, looks back on the challenges the corporation faced.

Former maid of honour Lady Jane Rayne Lacey also shares her memories of the day with Vicky Farncombe, including the part that felt “too sacred” to televise.

(Photo: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Credit: Getty Images)

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