Ex-king advised against coronation

In the months leading up to the historic event, Churchill and his ministers discussed all aspects of the spectacle - from seating arrangements and gifts for school children to the problem of black market tickets being sold for the route.

But the Prime Minister also told cabinet colleagues about his correspondence with Edward, who dramatically abdicated as King in 1936, choosing his love for American divorcee Wallis Simpson over royal duty.

The Duke was told to tell the press a former monarch could not attend the coronation of a new sovereign.

Details of the discussions from minutes taken during cabinet meetings, from 1951-1954, by cabinet secretary Sir Norman Brook, have now been made available at the National Archives at Kew, west London.

The minutes had not been released under the 30-year rule because sections contained information that could harm national security or undermine the principle of collective ministerial responsibility.

The Prime Minister told the cabinet in November 1952 he had been in contact with the Duke, who was by then living in France.

Sir Norman noted, in an abbreviated longhand style, that Churchill said: "Advised him not to come to coronation. He will say to press that it would not be consistent with usage for coronation to be attended by any or former ruler."

It is not clear if the Prime Minister was asking the Duke to follow some form of royal protocol or if Churchill was speaking from personal opinion. But the Duke appeared to follow the advice and did not attend.

In his biography of the Queen, Ben Pimlott writing about the same issue says: "When the Queen discussed with the Archbishop of Canterbury the possibility of the former King taking part, both agreed that, even if he wanted to come, he should not be invited."