Description:

Elizabeth II Queen of England
[London, England], ca. June 2, 1953
Elizabeth II Coronation Ritz Hotel Ticket - Fun Association With V-E Day Royal Escape to Ritz Hotel Conga Line!
Ticket/Invitation

An entrance ticket, "Coronation of / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II / 2nd June, 1953 / The Bearer… / has reserved accommodation at The Ritz Hotel, / Piccadilly, W.1…" Ca. June 2, 1953. [London, England.] Partly printed and partly inscribed on a magenta stock card. Issued to the bearer "Mrs. R. Hopkins" in manuscript. Pencil-numbered "117-18-19" at lower right. Mounted on a stock card of similar dimensions. Near fine. 4.375" x 3."

This Ritz Hotel ticket has a fun association with the future Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), then Princess Elizabeth, and V-E Day. On May 7, 1945, Princess Elizabeth and younger sister Princess Margaret ventured incognito into the London streets to celebrate. They somehow ended up in a conga line at the Ritz Hotel. Queen Elizabeth later recalled of the jubilant evening: "I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life." Was Queen Elizabeth remembering this evening as her state coach rumbled past the Ritz Hotel?

The ticket holder's access to rooms at the Ritz Hotel permitted her to observe Queen Elizabeth's coronation procession on June 2, 1953. The 5-star luxury hotel in downtown London was located directly on the 5-mile-long parade route, at the corner of Piccadilly and Arlington Streets facing Green Park. Front-row viewing would have been available along the entire front façade of the Ritz Hotel.

It's estimated that 3,000,000 on-the-ground spectators watched Queen Elizabeth roll by in the Gold State Coach as it traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and back again. On its route, the procession passed Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Pall Mall, Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Regent Street, Haymarket, and The Mall. Royal well-wishers camped overnight on the streets or secured seating in specially constructed viewing stands. Evidently Mrs. R. Hopkins was one of the fortunate few to view it from the comfort of a hotel suite or lounge.

We have never seen an entrance ticket like this one. Other Elizabeth II coronation procession entrance tickets granting access to public viewing stands in Piccadilly, Parliament Square, Hyde Park, or The Mall can be found in circulation, but not anything relating to the Ritz Hotel.

We are proud to include items consigned by the Manuscript Society in this auction. These items come from the estate of well-known manuscript dealers Forest G. & Forest H. Sweet and Julia Sweet Newman. Forest G. Sweet was an early leader of the Manuscript Society as well as a rare book scholar. The proceeds from your purchase of these items will benefit the work of the Manuscript Society. You can learn more about them, and become a member of the Manuscript Society, at www.manuscript.org.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4.375" x 3"
  • Medium: Ticket/Invitation

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April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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