RE "I actually remember watching her coronation on TV via what I think was a live cable transmission. Incredibly grainy black & white, and (for an 8-9 year old) boring as all get out."
Back in 1952 there was no such thing as "live cable transmission". As I recall, the various North American news/TV outlets were anxiously waiting to receive the B&W film of the event being flown over as soon as the ceremonies concluded — so at least a half-day's delay for video (which was definitely grainy B&W).
Twenty years later even the wedding of Princess Anne was pretty much available only on audio cassette. The wedding was recorded in November 1972, then sent by courier to Berlin to be manufactured in cassette form (least expensive bid), thence back to the UK for the Christmas market.
(I was likely the first person in North America to have a [pre-distribution] copy, graciously gifted to me by the courier on a flight between Berlin and London, on my promise not to play it to others until after it went on sale in the UK ± worldwide. It starts out with the clippety-cloppety of the wedding carriage approaching Westminster Abbey.)
