A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey at the start of the Coronation service, with six Maids-of-Honour holding The Queen's robe. She is flanked by Bishop of Durham and the Bishop of  Bath and Wells [?]. From The Country Life Picture Book of the Coronation.

The elements that made up the coronation service in 1953 were based on traditions established over many hundreds of years. The Queen entered Westminster Abbey dressed in the crimson Parliamentary Robe, consisting of an ermine cape and a long crimson velvet train, supported by six Maids-of-Honour. As The Queen entered the Abbey, the choir sang the anthem ‘I was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the house of the Lord’ by Sir Hubert Parry. The first part of the service then followed the public recognition of the Sovereign followed by the oath.