At her Coronation in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II wore a white satin dress, made by the couturier Norman Hartnell, encrusted with seed pearls and crystals to create a lattice-work effect. It had short sleeves, a fitted bodice and a full skirt flaring out. The neckline, cut square over the shoulder, curved into a gentle heart shape in the centre. Three embroidered, jewel-encrusted bands, depicting the emblems of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth ran like garlands horizontally across the skirt. These bands were repeated round the hem of the skirt, and formed a border for the bodice and the sleeves.
The Tudor rose for England, the Welsh leek, the Scots thistle and the shamrock of Ireland were complemented by the maple leaf of Canada, the wattle flower of Australia, the New Zealand fern, South Africa's protea, two different lotus flowers symbolising Ceylon and India, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton and jute. The motifes were embroidered in pastel coloured silks, pearls, diamonds, pale amethysts, golden crystals, gold and silver bullion and sequins, to create a shimmering effect. The all white bouuet echoed the symbolic theme of unity with its orchids and lily of the valley from England, more orchids from Wales, stephanotis from Scotland, and carnations from Scotland and the Isle of Man.
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