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.

 

Feb. 6th Begins Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee

Monday, February 6th begins the 60th Diamond Jubilee year of the ascension to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. On Feb. 6th 1952 her father King George VI succumbed to pneumonia after battling lung cancer for several year at Sandringham House, Nofolk make Princess Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth II, although the coronation would not be held until 1953. Lots of preparations needing to be made. 

Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya with Prince Philip representing the ailing king.  Both my family and my husband's family have always felt that the pneumonia was the result of having gone to the airport to see the Princess Elizabeth off on her journey but refused to wear the hat Queen Elizabeth his wife, the Queen Mum, had urged him to wear on a cold and rainy day. The new queen hurried home.

The Diamond Jubilee having been reached, puts Queen Elizabeth II into the special category of longest reigning monarch along with Queen Victoria who celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.  

I had planned to start my coverage of the Jubilee Year tomorrow, by the Times Online had a marvelous article that I wanted to share with you. The following photos are from the article and are depictions of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

I remember hearing much about the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Vicotoria from my grandmother, Emma Bridgewater nee Rice pictured below:

 My grandmother was 16 and living in Leicester. She had recently had scarlet fever so could take only a small part in the festivities. She watched the preparations from her window as the neighbors hauled tables and chairs into the streets for the block or neighbourhood parties that were occuring all over England. All the houses were decorated with bunting and flags and it was a festive time. 

In the town square the mayor was having a huge celebratory bonfire and roasted oxen prepared and farmers had brought in potatoes by the sack full to roast in the coals, something that was a normal thing for Guy Fawkes' Day bonfires. When the evening arrived, my grandmother was not well enough to attend the bonfire and ox roast but was taken in the family carriage, wrapped in blankets and shawls with a foot warmer box filled with hot coals to at least watch the firework display. She said it was one of her most vivid memories. People sang, cried and cheered and toasted Queen Victoria. A wonderful  occasion!

I will be sharing frequently about various plans for the Diamond Jubilee in the days ahead.

The Jubilee Year of 2012 is actually been truncated to a Jubilee Half Yrae because of the Olympic Summer Games being hosted in London beginning in July 2012. Considering the health of Prince Philip, that's probably a good thing. And the Queen herself is 85. As our families always say..."Our Liz...she's brilliant!"

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.

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.