The coronation of King George VI in photos

George VI and his wife Elizabeth – parents of the late Queen Elizabeth II – were crowned king and queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth at London's Westminster Abbey in 1937.

The coronation wasn't without scandal, coming after the abdication of the new king's older brother, Edward VIII.

Here, 9Honey looks back on the historic day.

King George VI, formerly Prince Albert, ascended the throne upon the abdication of Edward VIII on December 11, 1936.

Edward's coronation was supposed to take on May 12, 1937.

Following his abdication, George VI and the palace officials decided to keep the ceremony on the same day.

The drama surrounding Edward's abdication and his younger brother's subsequent coronation has been documented on Netflix's hit series The Crown.

The ceremony was attended by Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II) and her sister Princess Margaret and Queen Mary, the King's mother, as well as the extended royal family.

King Edward forfeited his right to the crown because he wanted to marry a woman who had been married twice – American socialite Wallis Simpson.

As King he would become the Head of the Church of England, and the Church did not support divorce at the time.

Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Lang crowned the new King and Queen consort.

King George VI, wearing the Imperial State Crown, is seen here on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where he acknowledged the crowds that had gathered to greet the newly-crowned Sovereign following his coronation.

With him are Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.