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Sounds. Hello and thank you for downloading witness history from the BBC World Service with me

Claire Bowes. As Queen Elizabeth celebrates her platinum Jubilee I'm taking you back to her spectacular coronation in 1953. In 2013 I brought

together the memories of two of her maids of honor.

Welcome to Coronation London.

This city transformed by excitement and joy and loyalty,

the true center this June morning of the emotions of the whole wide

Commonwealth. June the 2nd 1953 and all eyes are on London. Her majesty's London

home is the right place to begin our rejoicing, and the day, while a little chill,

but the early morning rain has gone, there's even a hope of sun.

Queen Elizabeth would travel from her home at Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey to be crowned.

The fine eastern front of the palace, so impressive because alone of all the buildings of Central

London it remains und undeclared.

Lady Anne-Kook was one of six young women chosen to be the Queen's maids of honour.

They had two jobs to carry the long velvet train of the Queen's

coronation robe and to look lovely. My grandmother thought I should have a

poem and I went off and I think had one of the very last poems

...