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Today in History, June 2nd

On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Plus the Indian Citizenship Act and Babe Ruth's retirement.

By Today in History Updated November 10, 2026 3 min read Sources checked

Published June 2, 2026 · Last updated November 10, 2026

June 2 is best known for 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony that many people watched on live television. The date also saw Congress enact the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 and Babe Ruth retire in 1935.

The big story: Elizabeth II is crowned (1953)

Elizabeth had been queen for 16 months before she got the crown. Her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952, while she and Prince Philip were on a tour in Kenya, and she was proclaimed monarch right away. The coronation itself waited until June 2, 1953. About 1,000 dignitaries and guests packed Westminster Abbey to watch the 27-year-old take her oath. Outside, millions of spectators stood in the rain along a procession route of roughly five miles, cheering a gilded horse-drawn carriage and marching troops from across the Commonwealth. Hundreds of millions more followed along on radio, and for the first time, many people watched a coronation live on television. The day ended with the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony as Royal Air Force jets flew over the Mall. As a bonus for British morale, news that a British expedition had put the first climbers on top of Mount Everest broke worldwide the same day.

More events on June 2

Year	What happened
1774	Parliament renewed and expanded the Quartering Act, completing the Coercive Acts meant to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party.
1886	Grover Cleveland married 21-year-old Frances Folsom, becoming the first sitting president to marry in the White House.
1924	Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, granting U.S. citizenship to Native Americans born in the country. Many states still kept them from voting.
1935	Babe Ruth retired after 22 major league seasons and 714 home runs. He finished his career with the Boston Braves.
1985	UEFA banned English soccer clubs from European competition after 39 people died at the European Cup final at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium.
1997	Timothy McVeigh was convicted of murder and conspiracy for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people.
2015	FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced he would step down, days after winning a fifth term and amid U.S. corruption charges against FIFA officials.
2015	President Barack Obama awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor to Private Henry Johnson of the “Harlem Hellfighters” for fighting off a German raid in 1918.

Born on June 2

1731: Martha Washington, the first U.S. first lady, born in New Kent County, Virginia.
1840: Thomas Hardy, novelist and poet of Far from the Madding Crowd, born in Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, England.
1857: Edward Elgar, composer whose orchestral works sparked a revival of English music, born in Broadheath, Worcestershire, England.