On 2 June 1953, Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey to be officially crowned, more than a year after her accession to the throne. In eager anticipation of a personal glimpse of the Queen on her way to the Coronation ceremony, many had camped up to two days in advance to secure their spot on the pavement and be a part of the great occasion.

The Coronation received vast media coverage, not least as the first ceremony to be broadcast on television, bringing royalty into the homes of millions worldwide.

The event was also documented photographically, including official portraits by Cecil Beaton, and candid photographs by Fleet Street press and freelancers such Bob Collins whose work is in the Museum of London collections. Celebrations ran beyond central London of course, to include thousands of street parties in the capital and nationwide. Photographs of these events, many made by amateur photographers, captured the extensive preparations undertaken and the upbeat, merry atmosphere amidst all the Union Jack flags and bunting.

A guest blog by the Museum of London as part of our Visiting the Past series. More next week

If there’s one thing we love about the royals, it’s their clothes. From The Queen’s unending range of hats, to the Duchess of Cambridge’s maternity wear, we’re fascinated by what the other half wear. With the news that Princess Diana’s most famous dresses are to be auctioned for thousands of pounds this month, we’re looking at some of the places in London where you can see attire worn by the royal family - from recently worn clothes to much older garments.

Kensington Palace

One of the best places to view generations of female royal fashions is at Kensington Palace, where a wealth of garments are on display. You can, for example, see a magnificent collection of royal wedding dresses, or marvel at the clothes included in the Victoria Revealed exhibition (including the dress pictured above). Adult tickets are £15.

Buckingham Palace

This summer, Buckingham Palace is the perfect place to begin your exploration of royal fashions through the ages. From 27 July to 29 September, the palace’s State Rooms will host a celebratory display to mark 60 years since The Queen’s coronation. This will feature a range of dresses, robes and uniforms worn by those involved on the day, as well as the chance to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the historic occasion. Keep an eye out for the charming outfits of Prince Charles and Princess Anne, which provide a pleasing contrast to the adult costumes on display. Adult tickets are £19.

Hampton Court Palace

It may not be strictly an item of royal attire, but the replica of King Henry VIII’s crown at Hampton Court Palace is undoubtedly worth a look. Made by the crown jeweller, this stunning piece is on display in the Royal Pew and is crafted to the specifications set out in the King’s servants’ inventories. The original was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell after the English Civil War. Adult tickets to Hampton Court Palace are £16.

Museum of London

As you walk through the many galleries of the Museum of London, you’ll notice various displays of clothing that provide extra context to the eras under scrutiny. Some of these garments belonged to the royal family of the time and within the museum’s collection are royal clothes ranging from the  mid-17th century to the mid-20th. The most intricate items in their collection, however, may sadly never be on display.  Entry is free.

The Tower of London

The most compelling exhibit at the Tower of London is undoubtedly the Crown Jewels. An important symbol of the British monarchy, they are regularly worn by The Queen in state ceremonies and include some of the world’s most beautiful diamonds. Alongside these spectacular adornments you can also view royal armour in the White Tower and King George V’s military uniform in the Fusilier Museum. Entry costs £21.45 for adults.

Kew Palace

Visitors to Kew Palace can see George III’s (1738-1820) waistcoat on display. Made from pale blue damask, the waistcoat was designed for the monarch towards the end of his life and was especially crafted with his comfort in mind. You can check out the long sleeves and fine workmanship on this garment from 2 April when the Palace re-opens. Adult tickets are £6.

More royal attractions in London

Joey, the puppet star of London theatre hit War Horse, galloped along the roof of the National Theatre and reared in salute to The Queen as she passed on the Royal Barge.

The Queen is well-known for her love of horses, and she seemed very pleased by Joey’s salute. Well done team National Theatre!

The Thames Jubilee Pageant

Don’t miss the opportunity to view this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, use our guide to find the best places to stand.

Bridges:

If you’re prepared to get there well before the pageant’s 2.25pm start, some of the bridges will offer unbeatable views. Some of them are closed off for private events, but the ends of Lambeth, Westminster and Blackfriars will be open. These areas are expected to be very crowded and spectators will be subject to bag searches. The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant website recommends viewing the pageant from the river bank.

River Bank:

More London: south side of the river by Tower Bridge. This large open area will afford good views of the pageant and the Avenue of Sail.

Embankment: north side of the river by Temple tube station. The Queen’s barge will stop by HMS President at 4.15pm to watch the rest of the pageant go by – stand on the wide pavement here to get a good view. There are also three large TV screens in this area.

Victoria Tower Gardens: north side of the river by the Houses of Parliament. This leafy area has a great view of the river, contains a viewing screen and provides ample space for a picnic.

Chelsea Embankment: nearest tube Sloane Square. The area next to the Royal Hospital should afford a great view and will feature viewing screens across its length. If that gets too busy, however, we reckon that the area on the south side of the river between Battersea and Albert bridges might be quieter as it’s harder to access. 

Things to note:

• Battersea Park’s Jubilee Festival is now sold out
• Most of the riverside dining venues, like the OXO Tower restaurant, are either sold out or serving set menus.
• The pageant disperses at Greenwich – if you can’t find space elsewhere then head east of Tower Bridge to watch the ships dock along the river.
• The Avenue of Sail – a display of more than 60 boats too large to join the pageant – will be open for viewing from 30 May.

The Thames Jubilee Pageant takes place on 3 June from 2.25pm. Visit our event page for a map of the route. Check the official Thames Jubilee Pageant website and Twitter feed for more information.

Portraits from legendary artists including Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, Lord Snowdon and Lucian Freud show the changing image and public perception of the Queen over the years, with a mixture of formal and candid shots. 

A highlight is the majestic 1954-55 painting of Her Majesty by Annigoni, which is rarely displayed and is reunited with another of his portraits from 1969. These paintings immediately caught my eye and reminded me of the powerful image the Queen conveys.

I especially enjoyed the reminder of the Queen’s early years and the powerful image she displayed even then.

• The Queen: Art and Image is at the National Portrait Gallery until 21 October.

Did you see the fantastic projections on Buckingham Palace last night? They’ll be there from 8.30 to 11.15pm, until 21 April if you want to see them in person.

Thousands of self-portraits by children from across the UK are being projected on to the front of the palace to form a montage image of The Queen, to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.

Face Britain is a project created by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts and brought to life by PhotoBox to celebrate the nation’s children and young people in the lead up to The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Read more about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee here

Today marks the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s accession to the throne. There are celebrations taking place throughout the city, including a gun salute from the Tower of London at lunchtime.

This morning, the V&A gave me a sneak preview of the special exhibition they’re running to mark The Queen’s 60 years on the throne. Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton is an exhibition of the best photographs from the V&A’s collection of royal photography. Opening on Wednesday, the show presents The Queen across the years, examining the portrayals of her as a princess, a monarch and a mother.

It’s an intimate show, staged in five small sections on the ground floor of the V&A. The intimacy of the space reflects the incredible relationship between the photographer and his subject: Beaton took photos of the royal family for more than 60 years, capturing The Queen in her teens in the 1940s right through to his final portrait of her in 1968. He was the photographer chosen to take the first pictures of Prince Charles when he was born; Beaton went on to commemorate the birth of each of Elizabeth’s children. He was also present at the Coronation and produced the famous official portrait photographs in the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.

The striking thing about the V&A’s new show is the sense you get of a family passing through time. Early shots of Prince Philip look just like William today; baby photos of Prince Charles look rather like any other baby photo from the late 1940s. And in one striking photo of The Queen with Charles and the baby Anne, Beaton has captured the happy smiles of what could be any young mum excited about the arrival of her second child. It’s fascinating to see such familiar faces lit up with emotion for Beaton’s camera.

Alongside the photographs are diary extracts, letters and other artefacts revealing even more about the unique relationship Beaton had with the Royal Family. I’d recommend getting the audio guide to hear even more about the show. A charming video in the section on Beaton at the end shows the photographer chatting with David Hockney and other friends and contemporaries. He seems to be a thoroughly charming man: witty and elegant.

There’ll be plenty more ways to examine The Queen’s legacy this year (a BBC series The Diamond Queen starts tonight), but for one that intimately captures a young princess becoming a mother, then a monarch, then a mature woman, this is surely one of the best.

Visit the Diamond Jubilee section on our main site for all the special events taking place this year.

Back in 2002, The Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee. Take a look back at what the celebrations involved ahead of this year’s Diamond Jubilee extravaganza.

Want to know more about the exciting events planned for celebrating The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee? Bookmark www.visitlondon.com/jubilee and we’ll keep that page updated with all the latest on the events taking place this spring.

If you’re looking to boost your stamp collection, 2012 is the year to do it!

Royal Mail is issuing some interesting new collections featuring London events and figures this year, starting with the Olympic “definitive”, or everyday stamps, which go on sale today.

Olympic and Paralympic Stamps
The new stamps feature the Olympic and Paralympic logos, as well as an image of the Queen’s head, and are set to brighten up millions of letters.

After the Games, Royal Mail will issue a set of Gold Medal stamps to honour all Team GB victories.

Diamond Jubilee Stamps
Royal Mail will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with three new stamp sets:

• House of Windsor stamps featuring the five monarchs from the start of the 20th century, issued 2 Feb
• A miniature sheet with six portraits of the Queen taken from banknotes, coins and stamps issued during her reign, including a 1st class diamond blue definitive, which replaces the standard 1st class gold definitive during the Jubilee Year, issued 6 Feb
• A set of eight stamps featuring images of the Queen during the six decades of her reign, issued 31 May

More London Stamp News
That’s not all! Look out for special Charles Dickens stamps in June to mark the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth, and an upcoming collection on British Fashion Designers (hope there’ll be a few Londoners there too).

While you await these new collections, keep your inner philatelist occupied at the British Postal Museum & Archive, where you can see stamps from all over the world.

The Football Fan
The fantastic Wembley Stadium Tour will satisfy any football fan, regardless of team loyalty. Highlights include the crossbar from the 1966 World Cup and a replica of the World Cup Jules Rimet Trophy. (The original was stolen in 1966 and later found under a hedge by a dog named Pickles). Prices start at £15.

If you’re after something a bit more tangible, then why not buy a piece of Wembley Way? Etch your words in stone to be cemented into the ground surrounding the national stadium, from £50.

The History Buff
In the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, give a loved one the royal treatment, with a day visiting the State Rooms, the Royal Mews and The Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace next summer, from £19.50.

The visit to the State Rooms includes the highly-anticipated exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration.

Or if they don’t mind travelling further afield, they can visit all three of the Queen’s official residences, with a Queen’s Palaces gift ticket. This includes Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, from £26.95.

The Thrill Seeker
See the city from a new angle and at high speed! London RIB Voyages and the Thames RIB Experience run daily speedboat trips down the Thames. Suitable for all ages, weatherproof clothing is provided. From £32 per adult, £19.50 under 14s.

Or if the Thames is just too tame, then head east to The Lee Valley for some white water rafting, from £49. You could even challenge the whole family! (Participants must be at least 14 years old).

The Budding Zookeeper
Go behind the scenes at one of London’ s most loved attractions, London Zoo, and buy an Attenborough in the making the chance to be a zookeeper for the day, from £16.

If their interests are more marine-based, they can join the aquarists behind the scenes at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium. The new 40-minute behind-the-scenes tour shows the aquarium’s inner workings and takes guests “behind the glass”. £7.50 for adults and £5 for children.

Good luck with the rest of your Christmas shopping, and let us know if you’ve had any London gift brainwaves this Christmas!