Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Mother of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Consort to the late King George VI, the late Queen Mother is remembered for her moral support during the Second World War --- and for her longevity as she lived to be 101 years of age!
The Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on 4th August, 1900, the fourth daughter to Lord and Lady Glamis. Like most young ladies of the time, Elizabeth was 'schooled' at home by governesses and learnt to speak French fluently by the age of 10. She passed the Oxford Local Examination with distinction at the age of 13.
When World War One broke out, her home, Glamis Castle, was used as a hospital and, although she was too young to be a nurse, Elizabeth did her best to keep 'Morale up', running errands for the wounded soldiers, going to the local shops for cigarettes, tobacco and chocolates.
Having grown up with the children of King George V, Bertie fell in love with Elizabeth. She loved him too but was very nervous about losing her freedom if she joined the Royal family, saying that she was: "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to." After three proposals, Elizabeth finally accepted Bertie and the young couple married at Westminster Abbey on 26th April, 1923. It was this Elizabeth who laid her wedding bouquet on the Tomb of the "Unknown Warrior."
Elizabeth toured, with her new husband, East Africa, visiting Aden, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. Now came the two little Princesses, Princess Elizabeth was born in 1926, and her sister Margaret was born in 1930.
Her husband became King George VI and Elizabeth became his Queen Consort on 11th December, 1936. At the beginning of World War Two, it was mentioned to Elizabeth to leave London for North America or Canada for safety, but Elizabeth said: "The children won't go without me. I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave." When Buckingham Palace was bombed in 1940, she said: "I'm glad we've been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face." Supporting her husband, Elizabeth would visit hospitals, the troops, factories and those areas that had been targeted. She seemed fearless in her support for her King and country!
After the War, Elizabeth joined her husband on a tour of South Africa (1947), but then the King became ill with lung cancer and the eldest daughter took over most of the Royal Duties. Elizabeth was tireless is looking after her husband when he was ill and when he finally passed away, she withdrew from public duties for a while, heartbroken, just like the late Queen Victoria.
However, her sense of duty was stronger and Elizabeth, now called the Queen Mother, became as busy as ever with Royal Duties, going to the Coronation of her eldest daughter, our Queen today, Elizabeth II.
During her later years, the Queen Mother enjoyed overseeing the restoration of the remote Castle of Mey, which she used as a 'get away from everything' for 3 weeks in August and 10 days in October.
She loved horse-racing, owning several winners.
The Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep on 30th March, 2002 and was laid to rest beside her husband, the late King George VI, at Windsor Castle.
At her own request, the funeral wreath was placed on the "Tomb of the Unknown Warrior", even as her wedding bouquet had been.
