The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

Thanks to Lord Wakehurst, the excitement of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was captured in this beautiful colour film, Long to Reign over Us (1953), which he narrated himself. Lord Wakehurst (1895-1970) was a Conservative MP, Governor of New South Wales, Governor of Northern Ireland and a keen amateur filmmaker.

More archive films like this are available to view on the BFI’s YouTube channel. They are preserved in the vast collections of the BFI National Archive.