The Queen chose to wear St Edward's Crown throughout for two reasons, I think. The first is the serious one, that it emphasised the unity of the Rite. The second is theatrical but no less important in hindsight: the first time Her Majesty was seen (ever) wearing the Imperial State Crown was when she emerged from St Edward's Chapel to join the Recession. She had also, of course, removed the colobium sindonis, along with the other vestments, so the Hartnell gown was on full show and glittering furiously. The Queen was also wearing the purple Imperial Robe (which had caused as much speculation as any wedding dress) and was carrying the Sceptre with the Cross and the Orb. All of this as the National Anthem thundered around the Abbey. Eye-witness accounts testify that it was a moment never to be forgotten and so dazzled even the BBC cameramen that this is when they went for broke and got their forbidden close-up.
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