Tag Archives: Buckingham Palace

Art Events, Art News, Eugenie Absalom photography, Fashion, Queen Elizabeth II, Royalty, The Queens Coronation 1953, The Royal Collection

The Queen’s Coronation 1953 at Buckingham Palace

1 Comment
“The Queen’s Coronation 1953” display at Buckingham Palace.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

For the first time since Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation Day in 1953, a spectacular Coronation show at Buckingham Palace brought together an array of royal dress, robes, uniform, jewels and diamonds as part of the State Rooms Summer Opening 2013.

“The Queen’s Coronation 1953” exhibition (27 July – 29 September) is celebrating the 60th anniversary of this historic event.  Royal regalia, paintings, photography and recordings recreate the atmosphere of that extraordinary State occasion that has remained essentially unchanged for the past 1,000 years.

The crowning of the Sovereign is an ancient ceremony.  For the last 900 years it has taken place at Westminster Abbey.  Before the Abbey was built, Coronations were carried out at Bath, Oxford, Canterbury, etc.

 

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Dress and the 6,5 metres long Robe.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The Palace’s Ballroom houses a grandeur and sumptuous display of elaborate gowns and uniforms, worn by the senior royals and The Queen’s Maids of Honour at coronation. The centerpiece of the show is the Queen’s white satin Coronation dress, created by the British couturier Norman Hartnell. The design incorporates an iconographic scheme of embroidered national and Commonwealth floral emblems in gold, silver and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with crystals, pearls and sequins.

The Dress embroideries were are arranged in three scalloped tiers with a pointed waist. Each tier, together with the edge of the skirt, were embellished with a border of gold bugle beads, diamantes and pearls. The skirt has a slight train and was reinforced with horsehair crinoline – a woven fabric made of a mixture of linen and horsehair. It ensured that the skirt would not lose its shape under the weight of embroideries.


Coronation dress, Coronation State Banquet display & original BBC camera.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

As part of the exhibition this summer, The State Dining Room is dressed to recreate the atmosphere of Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation State Banquets of 3 and 4 June 1953.

Visit Demotix to view more of my photos of  The Queen’s Coronation 1953 exhibition.

 

News and photos by Eugenie Absalom

Sign Up for JustHost

 

Arts and Culture, Buckingham Palace, Celebrities, Commemorative Event, Commonwealth, Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule, Entertainment, Events, Fun, JTC 2012, Music, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen's Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule, Royalty, The Diamond Jubilee Concert, The Diamond Jubilee Concert, The Diamond Jubilee Concert, The Diamond Jubilee Concert, The Diamond Jubilee Concert

The Diamond Jubilee Concert From The Mall

2 Comments
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

It was the sea of joy and the best celebration ever outside Buckingham Palace to honour 60 glorious years of Queen Elizabeth II as Monarch on the 4th June 2012.

Thousands gathered outside the Queen’s residence for the Diamond Jubilee Concert, organised by Take That frontman Gary Barlow and performed on the elegant jubilee stage, surrounding the Queen Victoria Memorial.

I was in The Mall, which was covered with blue, red and white Union Flags and outfits as far as the eye could see.   Giant screens in St James’s Park and all along The Mall made it possible for thousands of fans to watch the concert steps away from the palace.  One could move freely down the Mall and enjoy the show from a variety of screens, which I did.

 

Colours of The Mall on The Diamond Jubilee Concert night.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Rays of descending sun added a finishing touch of glory to the hot party atmosphere that reigned over the star-studded show with the Queen as the guest of honour.  Presenter Rob Brydon kept the crowds warm with  his jokes.  The Jubilee Concert  featured almost every music genre under the sun and became a true celebration of the six decades in music.  It brought together a constellation of knighted music legends like Sir Tom Jones, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Elton John and Dame Shirley Bassey.

Celebrity performers on the night included Robbie Williams, who opened the show with Let Me Entertain You, backed by Cold Stream Guards, Kylie Minogue with Flawless, Annie Lennox wearing Angel wings, extravagant Grace Jones with hula hoops, Alfie Boe, Jools Holland, Jessie J, JLS, classical pianist Lang Lang, Ed Sheeran, Cheryl Cole, Stevie Wonder and pop veterans Madness, who brought the concert to finale with Our House on the roof of Buckingham Palace.  The palace façade represented live canvas at that point with intricate 3Ddesigns created by lasers.  It was a totally unforgettable spectacle, thanks to 600 technicians who worked on the show behind the scenes.

 

The Diamond Jubilee Concert artists.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie could be seen on giant screens singing along to popular tunes.

The Queen, dressed in gold colour gown with crystals, arrived mid way through the concert.  It was announced that Prince Philip, the Duke of  Edinburgh was unwell and had been taken to hospital.   Crowds were chanting ‘Philip, Philip, Philip’.

One of the most magic moments of the concert was the premier of a new inspirational piece of music called Sing – the song of tribute to the Queen by distinguished composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and award winning song-writer Gary Barlow with over 200 people on stage.

The Jubilee anthem was performed by the Military Wives choir conducted by Gareth Malone and musicians from across the Commonwealth including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Band, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Slum Drummers of Kenya and the African Children’s Choir.  For one performance only the Commonwealth band came together and filled the hearts with hope and light with its beautiful singing to the video track, featuring special moments from the life of  Her Majesty.

 

“You brought hope, you brought light
Conquered fear, it wasn’t always easy
Stood your ground, kept your faith
Don’t you see
Right now the world is listening to what we say

Sing it louder, sing it clearer
Knowing everyone will hear you
Make some noise, find your voice tonight
Sing it stronger, sing together
Make this moment last forever
Old and young
Shouting love tonight”

 

The Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The proceedings were closed by Her Majesty the Queen, lighting the national beacon outside Buckingham Palace.  Spectacular extended fireworks marked the end of the Diamond Jubilee Concert at 10:30pm.

14.7 million people tuned into the BBC’s coverage of the concert on Monday night.  It was totally overwhelming to  celebrate  the Queen, the country and the Commonwealth with thousands of well wishers in the Mall to crème de la crème of the music world.

 

Visit my  Diamond Jubilee Concert entry to the Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule.

 

News and photos by Eugenie Absalom

Photo Copyright © Eugenie Absalom

 

 

Sign Up for JustHost

Art Events, Arts and Culture, Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace State Rooms 2011, Entertainment, Great British Design, London attractions, Palace Garden, Palace Garden, Royal Faberge, State Rooms Summer Opening 2011

Hot Season at Buckingham Palace Summer Opening

16 Comments

Decorative vase atop a barrier at the west face of Buckingham Palace.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom 2011.

 

 

Buckingham Palace has seen record numbers of visitors during the 2011 State Rooms Summer Opening. The Palace Gardens with a lake and cafe are really hot with tourists as London is baking in unseasonable temperatures, topping 29°C.

With only two days remaining till the 3rd October, when the Summer Opening is coming to an end, all online tickets are sold out and the only hope to buy a ticket is the Palace ticket office.

 

Elegant barrier with decorative vases along the West front of Buckingham Palace.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom 2011.

 

The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and a special Royal Fabergé exhibition of over 100 masterpieces by Peter Carl Fabergé are generating sell outs during this season.

The Royal wedding dress is the main exhibit of A Story of Great British Design show. It takes centre-stage in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace. The dress is displayed alongside the magnificent Cartier “Halo” tiara, lent by The Queen to The Duchess on her wedding day, The Duchess’s wedding shoes, hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen, the diamond earrings commissioned by the Middleton family as a personal gift to the bride from her parents, and a replica of the bridal bouquet.

 

 

Dove in the sun outside Buckingham Palace.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom 2011.

 

The display also includes a special exhibition film in which Sarah Burton discusses for the first time the creation of the dress. Keeping in mind that the wedding took place at Westminster Abbey, the dress had to have a presence. It had to be historical and contemporary at the same time.  Her Royal Highness worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress.

The 8-tiered royal wedding cake by Fiona Cairns and large-scale reproductions of the official wedding photographs, showing The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the pages and young bridesmaids are on display in The Throne Room, where they were taken by photographer Hugo Burnand.

 

 

Rays of descending sun, reflected against Buckingham Palace windows.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom 2011.

 

The magnificent State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. During August and September when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace’s nineteen state rooms are open to visitors.

 

Trees reflected in the lake of Buckingham Palace Garden.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom 2011.

 

By the end of the tour visitors find themselves in “walled oasis in the middle of London”, the Palace’s garden. They can take photos of the splendid views of the west front of the Palace and the garden lake.  Summer Café in the Palace garden is a cool place to enjoy your refreshments with cakes or ice-cream.

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Summer Opening dates: 23 July – 3 October 2011.

View my photos of Buckingham Palace State Rooms Summer Opening 2011 on Demotix.

 

News and photos by Eugenie Absalom

 

Sign Up for JustHost