As Britain prepares for the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, CHRIS SCICLUNA recalls a diplomatic crisis when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned.

Were it not for the intervention of Winston Churchill – and Queen Elizabeth II herself – Malta may not have celebrated the last coronation of a British monarch 70 years ago.

Malta was a British colony at the time, run by a coalition government that was hanging by a thread, and uncertain of its future. Some wanted self-governing dominion status and eventual independence while others started to point towards outright integration with Britain.

The row erupted when the organisers of the coronation decided that Malta would be grouped with the colonies in the London ceremony, and the blue-bordered Maltese colonial flag would fly at the official celebrations.

Prime Minister George Borg Olivier, in office for just over two years, would have none of it.

He demanded that Malta should be given the same constitutional status as Northern Ireland and Southern Rhodesia – putting it closer to the dominions than the colonies. And he insisted that only the white and red flag with the George Cross should fly for Malta.

But UK ministers were worried that a concession would lead Borg Olivier to ask to attend future meetings of Commonwealth prime ministers and that countries such as Ghana and Jamaica would seek a similar position.

Official boycott declared in parliamentary free vote

The issue came to a head in May 1953 when the Legislative Assembly resolved that there would be no official celebrations for the June 2 coronation, and the prime minister would not go to London for the festivities.

Parliamentary groups granted their members a free vote.

The resolution declared that: “The House deplores the decision of Her Majesty’s Government that the official Maltese red and white flag is not to appear as the only one which distinguishes Malta from countries during the Coronation, a decision which offends the Maltese people who have cherished their flag for centuries.”

The motion added that the House: “deplores the fact that the prime minister of Malta was not given his rightful place alongside other Commonwealth prime ministers (during the Coronation festivities); and because of this insult to the prestige of the Maltese people decides that local official celebrations should not be held.”

The motion attracted wide cross-party support, with Opposition leader Dom Mintoff seconding it.

But Borg Olivier’s coalition partner, health minister (and former prime minister) Paul Boffa was among those who voted against. Her Majesty, he said, was not responsible for the change of policy of the government.

A distinction needed to be made between the Queen and her government he argued.

Boffa too, however, granted a free vote to his MPs.

Shock in London, Churchill intervenes

The decision shocked London and quickly made it to Question Time at the House of Commons, where a flurry of questions was asked to Prime Minister Churchill demanding to know what he was doing about it. He replied:

“Her Majesty’s government and I am sure all Members of the House would be very sorry indeed if Malta were not represented at the coronation, particularly in view of the island’s imperishable war record which the late King recognised by the award of the George Cross. I have therefore sent a message to the Prime Minister of Malta saying how much Her Majesty’s government hopes that he and his wife will be present. I have made certain suggestions to him designed to accord him all dignity and respect as the representative of the George Cross Island.”

Churchill called Borg Olivier and eventually agreed to his demands

Henry Frendo, in his biography of George Borg Olivier, Pat­riott Liberali Malti, says the Queen had told Churchill that she wished Malta to be represented at the Coronation. As a princess she had lived in Malta – the only place outside the UK she ever called home.

Indeed, Churchill called Borg Olivier at his home and eventually agreed to his demands.

The news was received with cheers in both the Commons and the Maltese Assembly.

Borg Olivier made a statement in the House on May 21 and later addressed the nation on cable radio to announce he would participate in the London celebrations.

This, he said, was a splendid recognition of just aspiration.

He confirmed that Malta’s national white and red flag would be the only flag representing Malta and it would be amid the flags of the Commonwealth at Whitehall.

Furthermore, Malta would receive the same treatment as Southern Rhodesia and Northern Ireland in the Abbey seating arrangements and the prime minister would walk with Commonwealth leaders in the processions and in the meetings with the Queen.

The earlier motion to boycott the events was therefore rescinded.

In the Commons, the Minister of State for Colonial Affairs made a brief statement saying he was glad to be able to inform the House that Borg Olivier felt able to accept the invitation.

Speaking for the opposition, James Callaghan, a future prime minister, said: “Everyone in the House associates himself with what the Minister of State has said about the happy conclusion to this unfortunate incident.”

Reuter’s news agency said there was “general rejoicing” in Britain and Malta.

But it was not the end of the story.

No carriage? The Queen will lend you one of hers

By this late hour, the organisers had run out of horse-drawn carriages for the ceremony and none was available for the Maltese prime minister.

Again, the Queen intervened, and Churchill told Borg Olivier she was lending him one of hers.

Cheekily, Borg Olivier requested that at least two members of the cavalry officers escorting the carriage would be Maltese. That request was accepted too, and two policemen of the Malta Mounted Police were given the privilege.

Borg Olivier joined the Commonwealth leaders in meeting the Queen, and like them was interviewed by the BBC.

That too was controversial, and a section of the British media and the Foreign Office raised a storm, accusing Borg Olivier of mixing royalty with politics when, at the very end, he said: “King George VI honoured my island with a very high mark of distinction during the last trial. Maybe God is keeping in store some further recognition of Malta’s devotion to duty in peacetime during the present reign. Long live the Queen.”

Borg Olivier’s visit to London drew rare national unity in Malta, and he was given an enthusiastic welcome when he returned to Malta on June 18.

He was carried shoulder-high to his flower-decorated car by a waiting crowd. In Valletta, a demonstration of several hundred people accompanied him to his office at the Auberge d’Aragon.

Borg Olivier here announced that he had delivered “an important document” to the Colonial Office – a formal quest for Malta to be transferred from the Colonial Office to the Commonwealth Relations Office. But that is another story.