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Queen Elizabeth Reveals The "Horrible" Journey To Her Coronation

She Knows / Daily Mail

If you heard someone say how hard it is being a royal, your first reaction might be to scoff. I mean, you would think that the most blessed people in the world right now are the members of the British monarchy.

They get to live in a big palace, hang out with famous celebrities, see all sorts of movies for free before anyone else, and generally look stylish.

But you may be surprised to hear that it isn't all fun and games to be at the head of one of the largest superpowers in the world. In fact, when you think about it, there's a lot of responsibility that goes into representing a country of over 50 million people.

Not only that, but all those public engagements include the ones that are hard to get through.

You don't often hear members of the royal family complain about their duties, which is why it was so strange for the Queen to reveal parts of her coronation that she found difficult to deal with.

When Elizabeth was born she was not expected to rise to the throne. Her uncle Edward, the Prince of Wales was young and next in line for the rule of the country. However, when he decided to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, he sparked a constitutional crisis and abdicated the throne in order to bring peace to the government.

Her father, the Duke of York, now King George VI, reigned for just over 15 years until his death. Since he never fathered a son, Elizabeth was his heir presumption, and a year later was sworn in as Queen.

Her childhood involved active studying, as well as working with the army as a driver and mechanic, eventually attaining the rank of junior commander at age 20.

Through the years, Elizabeth learnt how to handle herself in public as a member of the royal family, but also as a normal person.

When the Second World War in Europe ended, Elizabeth and her sister Margaret asked their parents if they could go and celebrate with the crowds of people.

"I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief," said Elizabeth.

But all this experience didn't mean that she was prepared for everything that her coronation would hand to her.

When her father died in 1952 following years of ill health, Princess Elizabeth was taken by grief, but knew that it was now her time to step into the role she had been preparing for her whole life.

The coronation wasn't scheduled until over a year after the death of King George VI, due to the traditional period of mourning and to prepare the young woman for the role of monarch.

A new documentary airing in the UK includes a rare interview with the ruler of the British empire, and she had some details about the coronation that she's never shared before!

As she rewatched the footage of herself arriving in the golden stagecoach at Westminster Abbey, she revealed that the ride through the crowds was "horrible", and that the coach ride itself was difficult to sit through.

"It's only sprung on leather. Not very comfortable," said the Queen.

It may sound a little petty for us to hear, but keep in mind that the carriage was built in 1760, almost two hundred years earlier, and that she rode inside it for two hours across four miles of adoring - and loud - crowds.

If that wasn't bad enough, she had some thoughts on the crowns, because it turns out those massive pieces of metal aren't as cozy ass you may have believed!

"There are some disadvantages to the crowns, but otherwise, they're quite important things," she said.

Even though they are particularly heavy on the head, the Queen has her favourite, the black prince ruby.

The documentary has more information than ever previously released, providing the world with an intimate perspective from the woman who was there that day, sharing her insights to what it was like to really be there.

"It's sort of, I suppose, the beginning of one's life really, as a sovereign," said Elizabeth.

She also remarked upon her unique role in these historical proceedings. "I've seen one coronation and been recipient in the other, which is pretty remarkable."

The full program will air in the UK on Sunday, January 14th, lasting an hour, but you can watch the trailer below to get an idea of how it will feel.

What do you think about the "horrible" details that Elizabeth went through that day? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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