Video: Pomp and ceremony as Queen celebrates 60 years

She was crowned at Westminster Abbey and she returned to the ancient place of worship today to mark the historic event.

The Duke of Edinburgh was by her side despite missing a Buckingham Palace engagement last night because he was feeling “under the weather”.

The service is the main national event to celebrate the coronation and is a lower-key affair than last year’s events that marked the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Leading figures from national life were among the 2,000 guests, including the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister David Cameron, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and senior individuals from the military.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall, welcomed the Queen and Duke when they arrived at the great west door of the Abbey where kings and queens have been crowned since 1066.

Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, who had arrived a few minutes before the royal couple, also warmly greeted the Queen and Philip.

The nation watched spellbound as the Queen, just 27 years old, was the central figure in the centuries-old ceremony that took place within the Abbey’s walls on June 2 1953.

More than 8,200 guests witnessed the historic event and an estimated 27 million people in Britain watched on television - a relatively new medium at the time.

Today’s spectacle, like the event of 60 years ago, was broadcast live by the BBC.

Fanfare trumpeters of the Band of the Welsh Guards sounded a musical flourish to announce the arrival of the Queen.

Although the 1953 coronation was an exclusively Anglican Christian ceremony, representatives from other faiths were invited to attend today’s celebration.

Among the guests was Lord Singh of Wimbledon, from the Sikh community, a regular on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, and senior figures from the Sunni and Shia Muslim communities, liberal and orthodox Jewish communities and the UK’s Hindus.

High Commissioners from Commonwealth countries were also present, along with representatives of British overseas territories, the diplomatic corps and participants in the 1953 coronation.

As the Queen arrived, already seated in the abbey were senior members of the Queen’s family from the Duke of Cambridge and his heavily pregnant wife Kate to Prince Harry and the Duke of York and his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Also present were the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their daughter Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn, Zara Phillips and her husband the former England rugby international Mike Tindall.

Among the minor royals were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

The Queen and Philip were the last figures in a procession along the Abbey’s nave that featured Charles and Camilla, the Dean of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will give the service’s address.

The Queen wore an Angela Kelly dress, hat and coat, with the clothes made from oyster coloured silk-satin brocade that has been in the Buckingham Palace’s material room for a number of years.

Kate wore a bespoke delicate daisy lace dress with silver grey ribbon detail and a soft peach silk shantung jacket by British designer Jenny Packham.

Elements of the 1953 coronation ceremony were reflected in the celebration service.

When kings or queens are crowned the ritual features the recognition, oath, anointing, investiture and homage.

The service began with a form of the recognition - where the Queen’s 60 years of service was recognised.

The Dean of Westminster told the congregation: “Sixty years ago, in this holy place, Queen Elizabeth II was anointed with holy oil, clothed with sacred garments, and, after receiving symbols of authority, crowned with the Crown of St Edward, King and Confessor, just as Her Majesty’s royal predecessors from 1066.

“Here today we gather to give thanks to almighty God for the faithful ministry and dutiful service the Queen continues to offer God and the people of this nation, the overseas territories and the realms, and as head of the Commonwealth.”

After the National Anthem had been sung Mr Cameron gave a reading from the Bible, from the first book of Kings chapter 1 verses 32 to 40.

The Prime Minister told the congregation how King David named his son Solomon as his heir and how the new King was proclaimed monarch by the people.

During the Queen’s coronation she was anointed with oil and a flask containing the liquid was carried through the Abbey and placed on the altar by the dean.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma gave the second Bible reading from Mark chapter 10, verses 35-45 about how some of Jesus’ disciples asked him if they could sit on his left and right hand.