In what year did the Queen ascend to the throne?

Queen Elizabeth II's reign began in 1952, a pivotal year marking the start of a new Elizabethan era. Her father, King George VI, passed away in February of that year while she was in Kenya on a Commonwealth tour. Upon his death, she immediately became Queen, though her formal coronation took place later, in 1953. It's easy to remember 1952 because it was a year of significant change on both sides of the Atlantic; not only did Britain gain a new monarch, but the United States also elected Dwight D. Eisenhower as president. While 1953 is memorable as the year of the coronation, the actual moment she became Queen was in 1952. The other options, 1950 and 1951, predate King George VI's death, making them incorrect. So, while the coronation is a grand event, the Queen's reign officially began the moment her father passed away in 1952.