Elizabeth II became Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms upon the death of her father George VI in February 1952, with her formal coronation held on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey. The ceremony, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, blended ancient traditions with modern spectacle and was the first British coronation to be televised, drawing an estimated 20 million viewers in the UK alone and helping establish television as a major medium. This event symbolized post-war recovery, national unity, and the modernization of the monarchy in the early television age, influencing cultural perceptions of royalty and public ceremony worldwide.

The coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 inspired contemporary poetry that examined themes of tradition and national identity. Poets like Philip Larkin reflected on the monarchy's role in shaping cultural narratives, using their works to explore the complexities of British identity in a changing world.