The Archbishop of York raises both hands in prayer above the kneeling figure of Queen Alexandra; behind her the Duchess of Buccleuch holds a small crown, and the pages kneel by her train; in the distance King Edward VII sits enthroned.

This is the third in the sequence of paintings of the Coronation of King Edward VII by the Danish artist Laurits Tuxen. The others are: The Coronation of King Edward VII dated 1904 (RCIN 404487) and The Anointing of Queen Alexandra, 1902-3 (RCIN 404466). Unlike the official picture of the Coronation by Edwin Abbey, (RCIN 404612), a wide open scene of the ceremony at the Abbey, Tuxen, 'Queen Alexandra's Special Artist to the Coronation', depicts more intimate, 'close-up' views of the event.

He worked on all three paintings at St James's Palace in mid-June 1903. His attitude to much of this pedestrian work can be gauged in his letter to his wife Frederikke of 11 August, 1902: 'I consider myself on a treadmill, tramping over acres of gold, which it's a shame to admit as it's all so magnificent'. The Regalia, robes and accessories would have been available to Tuxen to incorporate into his pictures. The artist records that the pictures were finished in Copenhagen in first half of 1904; he then travelled to London to deliver them.

Queen Alexandra wore a new crown, specially made for her for the Coronation, as it was thought that neither the Mary of Modena nor Adelaide crown was suitable. It was Influenced by the design of European crowns and could also be worn as a circlet. It was composed of a selection of the Queen's own jewels, and its front arch joined a jeweled cross into which was set the Koh-i-nûr diamond.

A cartoon, or final preparatory drawing, for this composition is in the Royal Danish Embassy.