Queen Mum's Birthday, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Windsor

photo Dailyexpress.co.uk

August 4, 1900 was the birthdate of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, wife of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II and affectionately known as the Queen Mum

 

This photo was apparently taken in the 1970s of the Queen Mum with her 2 daughters Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose

 

 

 The Queen Mother died at Windsor at age 102 in 2002

Brought back to a new generation by the movie The King's Speech, Elizabeth's role in the monarchy was an important one. 

Born in Hitchin to the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, she apparently refused Albert, the Duke of York and the future George VI, 3 times, not wanting to be in court life.

 

 But they were married in 1923, and had the 2 princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret

 In 1937, after Albert's elder brother King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee' Wallis Simpson, Albert became King George VI and she, Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth was a tireless supporter of her husband and the GBP or Great British Public, during World War II earning her the heart of the people.

She refused to move from Buckingham Palace, made frequent tours of goodwill and support to bombed areas and quipped about Buckingham Palace being bombed as well. There were also the famous black lines in the Buckingham Palace bathtubs because water rationing was in force elsewhere in London.

On her husband's untimely death on February 6, 1952, she was became the supporter of her daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II. She was affectionately nicknamed The Queen Mum...both my family and my husband's always referred to her as that, and we grew up with that....

Her legacy lives on now...Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge was recently seen wearing the Papyrus or Lotus Tiara...

The piece was produced by royal jewellers Garrard & Co in 1923 at the request of the Queen Mother using the diamonds and pearls from a wedding gift. The pearls were from her mother in law Queen Mary.

A wonderful legacy and a wonderful personality.

 

Queen Elizabeth Photo - First As Queen, Never Seen

I had to post this! This was the first photo taken after the Princess Elizabeth became queen at 25 after her father, King George VI's death in 1952. The sitting was commissioned by the queen from photographer Kenneth Clayton, a BBC photographer. He has just released some of the photo shoot in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  Wonderful photos and a letter from the Queen.
The article in The Mail Online can be seen at this link.

 Revealed for the first time in 60 years: First pictures of Elizabeth as Queen unveiled among family portraits taken after the death of her father King George

Queen Mum, Glamis Castle, Mey Castle, Teacup Thursday

Hello! I am joining Teacup Thursday with Miss Spenser's and the other wonderful blogs who are participating. I am actually sharing a mug today, because I don't have a teacup to share with the theme I chose.

 This is a loving cup made by Royal Doulton to commemorate the Queen Mum's 80th birthday in 1980, which is my "teacup" for today. This is what prompted my choice:

I would like to show you a portrait of the dowager Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI and mother of the current Queen Elizabeth II who was known as the Queen Mum until her death in 2002 at the age of 102, that I found recently.

"The Duchess of York" by Philip de László, 1925 detail.

 

This is quite the best I have seen. It was in the current issue of  Britain magazine.

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as a young girl

As a young queen Elizabeth with her husband George VI on my tea caddy always front and center on my kitchen counter that made for the coronation in 1937.

Elizabeth was born at Glamis Castle which is situated in Scotland, 12 miles from Dundee and is reported to be the most haunted castle in Scotland. The castle apparently was the basis of Shakespear's Macbeth.

The Queen Mum's favorite castle was Mey Castle in Caithness, Scotland which she gifted to the nation..

Here is a menu from the Castle of Mey tea room which I found quite fun:

Hot Soups served 10.00 to 4.00pm
with Cheese Scone, Oatcake or Bread and Butter.

• Cullen Skink
• Broccoli and Stilton

Sandwiches

• Aberdeen Angus Roast Beef and Horseradish
• Honey-baked Ham with Mustard
• Caithness Egg Mayonnaise

Salads

• Poached Salmon with Lemon
• Caithness Cheese Ploughman's

Hot Dish of the Day 12.00 to 3.00 pm.

• Mey Selection Aberdeen Angus Beef Cottage Pie
  with Vegetables and Potatoes

Hot Baked Potatoes

• Chilli Con Carne
• Coleslaw and Cheese

Puddings

• Castle Garden Rhubarb Cranachan
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Lemon Meringue Pie

Considered the nation's Queen Mum for her outstanding character as a wife, mother, Christian and for her bravery during the war she is to many, the favorite royal and was sincerely mourned.

Have a wonderful time visiting the teacups being shared. For more info on the Queen Mum 80th birthday loving cup at Time Was Antiques, click on the photos.

Auction items from Wallis Simpson, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton

With all the hoopla from The King's Speech, about the difficulties faced by Albert, younger son of King George V of England who became King George VI when his elder brother, Edward VIII abdicated the throne, it's no wonder an auction of items owned by Wallis Simpson will attract a large crowd. But when you also add in the names of Princess Diana and soon to be royal Kate Middleton, it's big news.


The upcoming auction at Kerry Taylor Auctions reported the upcoming auction is to be held on March 17th and include items formerly owned by Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor as well as the see through dress Kate Middleton wore that attracted Prince William.  Also included are gowns worn by Princess Diana at various times.


An interesting thing reported in a Yahoo article about the auction, is a film is in the works at the moment about Wallis Simpson called WE for Wallis and Edward directed by Madonna. There are also several movies on tap about Prince William and Kate Middleton.  

King George V and Queen Mary, parents of Edward VIII and George VI

Eldest son of King George V, David or Edward VIII who abdicated

George VI, youngest son of George V who became king when older brother abdicated and is the main character of The King's Speech, here with Queen Elizabeth who was later lovingly known as The Queen Mum, and was the mother of Queen Elizabeth II.


So...there is a bit of a royal time line. So the royal items auction should do well.


For more information on any of the items pictured here which are in stock at Time Was Antiques,  just click on the photo.

Mug King George V & Queen Alexandra Boer War Peace 1902

I love British Royal Memorabilia....as does everyone at the moment with the wedding date of April 2011 announced for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. 
   But this is a rare and unusual commemorative mug made in 1902 for the proclamation of peace at the end of the Boer War in South Africa. The front features King George V and Queen Alexandra. The back is a great graphic that is a lecture in itself....Britannia with the lion and the soldiers, flags etc. I just love it!

Here is the back:

With Thanksgiving, the holiday, behind us (hopefully NEVER the sentiment left behind) it's full speed ahead for the holidays! We are enjoying plays, cantatas, craft fairs and unusually cold weather...it's so seasonal!! I bet there are lots of things in your community to do. It's my favorite time of year!

I belong to a group online at Yahoo called Afternoon Tea Across America (or ATAA) and we have such fun discussing visits to tea rooms, recipes etc. If you are interested, visit: Afternoon Tea Across America  

We are having a FREE shipping at Time Was Antiques and Antiques And Teacups for the holidays with special shipping upgrades for our non US customers. Come visit!

English Royalty Thimble Year Of 3 Kings

This is the coolest British Royal memorabilia thimble that I just acquired with a collection of royalty thimbles on our last English buying trip.

Made in 1986-1987, the bone china thimble by Fisbury commemorates a special year in English royal history. Between June of 1036 and June of 1937, there were 3 men annointed king.

King George V was on the throne at the start of 1936 but died in June. On his death, his oldest son was declared Edward VIII and everyone that all was well. However, before the coronation could take place, Edward VIII abdicated the throne so that he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Hence the 3rd king, George VI, Edward's younger brother inherited the throne and was crownded in June 1937. Actually, I think he was a MUCH better king than his playboy, Nazi sympathizing brother would ever had been.

So...there's a history lesson for the day. Cool, huh!

For more innformation click this link to the item:

3 English Kings Thimble

For other great British Royal Commemorative items, visit our home page and look for the English Royal Commemoratives category with sub categories for each of the royal family starting with Queen Victoria.

Today is the 1st real spring day for a bit. It was beautiful! My DH was out trimming bushes and I took a walk to look at the budding trees and spring bulbs. On the end of our street I could see all the way across the Strait Of San Juan De Fuca to Victoris, British Columbia Canada. A great view for a lovely day. Hope yours was a nice!

We had the best PBS British Royalty program on last night here in Washington state called The Windsors...the king who saved the monarchy. It was really good. The king referred to was King George VI who, with his wife Elizabeth (the subject of the biography at left) who was affectionately known as the Queen Mum. George VI was crowned king of England in 1937 after the abdication of his older brother, Edward VIII, who refused the crown to marry twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.

The biography just added, called The Duchess Of York, was written before her husband became king and goes from her childhood at Glamis Castle in Scotland, through her wedding to the future King George VI and the birth of then the birth of their first child who is now Queen Elizabeth II. It is really a chatty biography written by a lady in waiting and included lots of details of clothes, wedding gifts, travels, royal duties, etc. A wonderful piece of royal memorabilia. I was thrilled when I found it in England last trip.

You can see more details and photos at:
Time Was Antiques

The PBS program continues next week, and I am looking forward to it.