1900 - August 4th – 2000
Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on August 4th, 1900 as a daughter of Sir Claude George Bowes-Lyon 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1855-1944) and Nina Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck (1862-1938). Six weeks later her father gave notice of the birth of his daughter at the registrar’s office, much too late. The place of birth he gave the registrar’s office was St Paul’s Walden Bury, not far from London, but as he was in Scotland at the time of the birth he didn’t know for sure. Another story tells the little lady Elizabeth was born in an ambulance on the way to a hospital in London.
Elizabeth was the 9th of ten children. Her oldest sister Violet (1882) had already died in 1893. The others were Mary (1883-1961), Patrick (1884-1949), John Herbert (1886-1930) – who’s daughter Anne married secondly in 1950 to Prince George of Denmark – Alexander Francis (1887-1911), Fergus (1889-1915), Rose (1890-1967), Michael (1893-1953) and the benjamin David (1902-1961). The family spent most of the year in St Paul’s Walden Bury, but in the summer they moved to the old family property Glamis Castle, Scotland. For that time the Bowes-Lyon children received a very modern upbringing.
Life became more serious when in 1914 the World War started. In 1915 Elizabeth lost her brother Fergus, who was killed in action. Elizabeth herself helped nursing the wounded soldiers who were brought to Glamis Castle. She wrote letters for them and went shopping to get what they wanted. After the war the young woman started going to parties and enjoyed dancing.
And on a bal at Glamis Castle given by her parents in September 1920 she met the 24-year-old Duke of York, second son of King George V of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Prince Albert (Bertie) fell in love immediately, but it took him almost three years and several proposals before she promised to marry him. They married in Westminster Abbey, London, on April 26th, 1923. They settled down in White Lodge, in the park behind Buckingham Palace. Almost three year later, on April 21th, 1926, their first daughter Elizabeth was born. She was followed on August 21th, 1930, by Margaret.
When on January 20th, 1936, Prince Bertie’s father died, his older brother David ascended the British throne as King Edward VIII. Already on December 10th of the same year Edward abdicated so that he could marry the love of his life, Wallis Warfield, who had been divorced twice already. Totally unexpected Bertie ascended the throne as King George VI and Elizabeth became a Queen. They were crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 12th, 1937.
It was very appreciated by the people that the royal family stayed in Great Britain during World War II. The children were brought to Windsor Castle. The King and Queen spent lots of time in London although even their residence Buckingham Palace was hit by German bombs. Queen Elizabeth said that she would never let the children go without her, she wouldn’t go without the King and of course the King didn’t go. The royal couple often visited bombed areas and sympathized with the people. When the war was finally over, on May 8th, 1945, the whole family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and were cheered by thousands of people.
On February 6th, 1952, King George VI died of cancer. His daughter Elizabeth became the new Queen. Elizabeth then decided she wanted to be called the Queen Mother from that time and that is what she still is after more than 48 years. She has four grandsons (Charles, Andrew, David and Edward) and two granddaughters (Anne and Sarah), who made her great-grandmother of six great-grandsons (Peter, William, Harry, Samuel, Arthur and Charles) and three great-granddaughters (Zara, Beatrice and Eugenie). But for many Britons it feels as if she is their own grandmother too.
On August 4th, 2000, Queen Mother Elizabeth reached an age many people never reach. Like all 100 year old Britons she received a congratulatory telegram from Queen Elizabeth II on the morning of her birthday. About 15 sacks of mail a day were delivered at Buckingham Palace lately, full of letters and birthday-cards for the Queen Mother. Preparations were going on for months and since July some events have taken place to mark the 100th birthday of the Queen Mother.
Already the day before the first royalty fans stood along the route between Clarence House and Buckingham Palace. In the morning the Queen Mother walked to the gates of her present-day residence Clarence House. She took the salute accompanied by her grandson Charles, the Prince of Wales. The band of the Irish Guards played Happy Birthday to You as they joined the march past. Afterwards the Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales drove to Buckingham Palace in an open carriage cheered by ten thousands of people who lined the Mall to see her.
During the arrival at Buckingham Palace The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, started to fire a 41-gun salute in Green Park. During the salute Queen Mother Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, later accompanied by her grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. The doors on the balcony were closed and the royal family finally had lunch.
In the evening the Queen Mother and her daughters Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret attended a performance of the Kirov Ballet dance at the Royal Opera House in London.