Claim: Elizabeth II is Queen of the United Kingdom and has been since 1952.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as monarch of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , New Zealand , South Africa , Pakistan and Ceylon took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey . Elizabeth ascended the throne at the age of 25 , upon the death of her father , King George VI , on 6 February 1952 , and was proclaimed queen by her various privy and executive councils shortly afterwards . The coronation took place more than a year later because of the tradition that holding such a festival is inappropriate during the period of mourning that follows the death of a monarch . During the service , she took and subscribed an oath to , among other things , govern the peoples according to their respective laws and customs , was anointed with holy oil , presented and invested with regalia , and crowned .   Celebrations took place across the Commonwealth realm and a commemorative medal was issued . It was the first British coronation to be televised .