The tragically early death of King George VI and the sudden Accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952 were emotional events which deeply affected people around the UK, Commonwealth and the world. After a period of widespread mourning for the late king, people welcomed the opportunity to rejoice the following year when the 26-year-old Queen Elizabeth was crowned in an ancient ceremony in Westminster Abbey. Find out more about the events of 1952 and 1953 in this section.