queen elizabeth the queen mother biography

The Queen Mother: Biography

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon’s parents moved in royal circles and, as a girl, Elizabeth played with the children of British king George V. Eventually Elizabeth's father became the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, bringing the family an official title.

The Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on 4 August 1900. She was the fourth daughter of Lord Glamis, later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Clyde. She was educated at home and by the age of ten was fluent in French.

During WWI, her family home became a hospital for war wounded and while Elizabeth was too young to be a nurse, she assisted with welfare work. In 1915, her brother Fergus was killed at the Battle of Loos.

Read more about Popular Culture

The German kings and queens of England

As a child, she played with the children of King George V and Queen Mary, with Elizabeth being the bridesmaid at Princess Mary's wedding in 1922.

When she was 21, George V's second son, Prince Albert, asked her to marry him, but she turned him down. Elizabeth refused the prince on three further occasions, but in January 1923 she consented. The marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on 23 April that year.

Elizabeth was now the Duchess of York. She and Albert had two daughters, Elizabeth, who was born on 21 April 1926, and Margaret Rose born on 21 August 1930.

George V died in January 1936 and his eldest son ascended the throne as Edward VIII, but shocked the world by abdicating to be with American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Read more about WW2

Prince Philip and the Invasion of Sicily

Suddenly, Elizabeth's husband was thrust into the role of king. He accepted the crown, taking the name George VI, and worked hard to live up to his new responsibilities, but it was never easy for him, and his wife never forgave his brother Edward and Wallis. Their coronation took place on 12 May 1937 and Elizabeth became the first British-born Queen-Consort since Tudor times.

Before WWII broke out, the royal couple made a visit to France in July 1938 and to Canada and the US in May and June 1939.

The king and queen stayed on in London during the Blitz, whilst the girls spent the war years at Windsor Castle, where they were relatively safe. Buckingham Palace was hit by bombs and rockets on nine occasions.

"I'm glad we've been bombed," Queen Elizabeth said. "It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face."

She and the king often visited bomb sites, as well as hospitals, factories and troops.

The king and queen celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in 1948, but the king's health began to deteriorate. Their last public appearance together was at the opening of the Festival of Britain in 1951.

Read more about Kings and Queens

15 historical moments in the life and reign of the Queen

He died of lung cancer in 1952. His eldest daughter became Queen Elizabeth II, and his widow was now known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. She continued with her royal duties, which included over 40 official visits abroad including a trip to Canada in 1989 to mark the 50th anniversary of her first visit there.

She was also the patron of over 350 organisations and worked as the president of the British Red Cross for many years, as well as the commandant-in-chief of the nursing division of the St John's Ambulance Brigade.

The Queen Mother also received honourary degrees from a number of universities and was chancellor of the University of London for 25 years until 1980.

In the summer of 2000, she attended a number of events to mark her 100th birthday, including a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on 11 July. She also received a birthday telegraph from the queen.

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died in March 2002 at the age of 101.

Most Recent

Significant records from UK general elections

The royal journey of Catherine, Princess of Wales

The most dramatic television interviews of all time

10 free episodes you can watch on HISTORY Play in April 2024

More from history.

Recap: 5 most dramatic moments from the final episode of 'Royal Kill List'

Royal Autopsy: Find out how these British kings and queens died

Recap: 5 most dramatic moments from 'Royal Kill List' episode two

Keep reading.

How 1066 changed English forever

Lakshmi Bai and the Indian Rebellion of 1857

Oliver Cromwell: the most hated man in Irish history?

Queen Anne, Britain’s forgotten Queen

You might be interested in.

How a Viking laid the groundwork for the King of England

The Real King Arthur

Four Sisters: The untold story of the doomed Romanov girls

History’s greatest love affair: Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin

Search The Canadian Encyclopedia

Enter your search term

Why sign up?

Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map.

• MLA 8TH EDITION
• Harris, Carolyn. "Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)". The Canadian Encyclopedia , 17 March 2022, Historica Canada . www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth. Accessed 07 April 2024.
• The Canadian Encyclopedia , 17 March 2022, Historica Canada . www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth. Accessed 07 April 2024." href="#" class="js-copy-clipboard b b-md b-invert b-modal-copy">Copy
• APA 6TH EDITION
• Harris, C. (2022). Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). In The Canadian Encyclopedia . Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth
• The Canadian Encyclopedia . Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth" href="#" class="js-copy-clipboard b b-md b-invert b-modal-copy">Copy
• CHICAGO 17TH EDITION
• Harris, Carolyn. "Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)." The Canadian Encyclopedia . Historica Canada. Article published March 13, 2014; Last Edited March 17, 2022.
• The Canadian Encyclopedia . Historica Canada. Article published March 13, 2014; Last Edited March 17, 2022." href="#" class="js-copy-clipboard b b-md b-invert b-modal-copy">Copy
• TURABIAN 8TH EDITION
• The Canadian Encyclopedia , s.v. "Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)," by Carolyn Harris, Accessed April 07, 2024, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth
• The Canadian Encyclopedia , s.v. "Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)," by Carolyn Harris, Accessed April 07, 2024, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/queen-mother-hm-queen-elizabeth" href="#" class="js-copy-clipboard b b-md b-invert b-modal-copy">Copy

Thank you for your submission

Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions.

Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Queen Mother (HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)

Article by Carolyn Harris

Published Online March 17, 2014

Last Edited March 17, 2022

Her Majesty (HM) Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, consort of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II , Queen of Canada, the United Kingdom and 13 other Commonwealth realms (born 4 August 1900 in London, United Kingdom; died 30 March 2002 in Windsor, United Kingdom). In 1939, Queen Elizabeth became the first queen consort to visit Canada with her reigning husband. Her determination to remain in London during the Blitz made her an inspirational figure during the Second World War . Her tours of Canada spanned a 50-year period from 1939 to 1989. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2000.

The Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born 4 August 1900. Her parents were Lord and Lady Glamis: Claude Bowes-Lyon and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. Elizabeth’s birthplace was probably her parents’ London home but she was registered near her family’s country estate, St. Paul’s Walden Bury in Hertfordshire, which was listed as her birthplace in subsequent census records. Elizabeth was the ninth of ten children. She had both English and Scottish royal ancestry: Cecilia was a descendant of the first Tudor King of England, Henry VII, and Claude’s ancestors included the first Stewart King of Scotland, Robert II.

Early Life and Education

When Elizabeth was four, her paternal grandfather died and her father became the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, inheriting Glamis Castle in Scotland. The family divided their time between St. Paul’s Walden Bury, Glamis, and Florence, Italy, where Elizabeth’s maternal grandmother resided. Elizabeth’s childhood was happy, and she enjoyed a close relationship with her parents and siblings. Although all six of Elizabeth’s brothers attended Eton, she was educated by governesses for most of her childhood, briefly attending two successive London day schools. She passed an Oxford Local Examination with distinction at the age of 13 but the outbreak of the First World War disrupted her secondary education.

The First World War

Both Glamis and St. Paul’s Walden Bury became convalescent homes for the wounded after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. At 15, Elizabeth was too young to become a nurse, but she assisted in the homes, running errands, organizing activities and writing letters for convalescing soldiers. Elizabeth’s four surviving elder brothers (Patrick, John, Fergus and Michael) all served in the armed forces. Elizabeth was concerned for their safety and grieved along with the rest of her family when Fergus died at the Battle of Loos in 1915. Michael was declared missing in 1917. When news reached the Bowes-Lyon family that he had been taken prisoner and was alive, Elizabeth wrote to a former governess that she was “Mad with joy!!” The family was reunited when the war ended in 1918.

A Suitable Royal Bride

The circumstances of the First World War changed attitudes toward royal marriage, making Elizabeth a suitable bride for one the King’s sons. Since the accession of the House of Hanover to the British throne in 1714, members of Britain’s royal family married members of Europe’s royal houses almost exclusively, a custom enforced by the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. George V changed this convention in 1917, the same year he changed the name of the royal house from Saxe-Coburg to Windsor, encouraging his children to marry into the British aristocracy. The fall of the German, Austrian and Russian ruling houses during the First World War hastened this transition because there were fewer eligible European princes and princesses.

Courtship and Engagement

In July 1920, Elizabeth was formally presented to King George V and Queen Mary. That same month, the royal couple’s second son, the Duke of York (Prince Albert, the future George VI ) invited Elizabeth to dance at a Royal Air Force ball. Elizabeth made a strong impression on Albert, and he visited Glamis in August, enjoying the warmth and comparative informality of the Bowes-Lyon household. Albert courted Elizabeth for more than two years and proposed three times before they became engaged in January 1923. Elizabeth was reluctant to marry Albert because she feared losing her privacy by becoming a member of the royal family. Despite her misgivings, the marriage was happy, and she immediately became popular with both the royal family and the public.

Elizabeth and Albert were married at Westminster Abbey in London on 26 April 1923. Upon her marriage, Elizabeth was styled Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Duchess of York. Canada’s House of Commons passed a formal motion of congratulations supported by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and Opposition Leader Arthur Meighen . There was tremendous popular interest in the royal wedding and the newly created British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) requested permission to broadcast the ceremony over the radio. Authorization was denied by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who feared that listeners in the pubs would not remove their hats for “God Save The King.” Elizabeth introduced a new royal wedding tradition that has endured to the present day when she placed her bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in memory of her brother Fergus.

Duchess of York

The newly married royal couple lived at Frogmore, near Windsor Castle, until renovations on their new home at White Lodge, Richmond, were complete. Albert and Elizabeth also acquired a London house at 145 Piccadilly Street. Elizabeth supported her husband in an extensive program of public engagements. Her ability to put at ease people from all walks of life contributed to her success with the public. Albert and Elizabeth visited Northern Ireland in 1924, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda in 1924–25, and Australia and New Zealand in 1927. These tours were difficult for Albert, who had developed a stammer in childhood. Elizabeth supported her husband’s work with Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, which gave him the confidence to make speeches in public.

On 21 April 1926, Elizabeth gave birth to the royal couple’s first child, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the future Queen Elizabeth II , at the Bowes-Lyon family’s London home at 17 Bruton Street. A second child, Princess Margaret Rose, was born at Glamis Castle on 21 August 1930. Although Albert and Elizabeth were sometimes separated from their children because of their overseas tours, they were loving parents who enjoyed a close relationship with their daughters. The public admired their family life and compared it favourably with the extended bachelorhood of Albert ’s elder brother, the future King Edward VIII .

Abdication Crisis

Elizabeth’s father-in-law, George V , died on 20 January 1936 and his eldest son succeeded him as Edward VIII . The new King reigned for less than a year, abdicating on 11 December 1936 to marry a twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson. Albert succeeded his brother, assuming the regnal name George VI to symbolize continuity with his father’s reign after the disruption caused by the abdication crisis. Elizabeth became queen consort and the family moved into Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. As his father’s second son, George VI never expected to be King, and Elizabeth supported him in his demanding new role. She was crowned as consort at her husband’s coronation in Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937. George VI appointed his wife honorary Colonel-in-Chief of the Toronto Scottish Regiment that same year.

Royal Tour of Canada in 1939

At the coronation, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King presented the royal couple with an official invitation to visit Canada. In May and June of 1939, George VI and Elizabeth became the first reigning King and Queen to tour Canada. Their coast-to-coast journey by train was the most successful Canadian royal tour in history and saw the first royal walkabout. The first royal walkabout took place in Ottawa when the King and Queen spontaneously joined a group of First World War veterans after the unveiling of the National War Memorial . The walkabout has remained a key feature of royal tours to the present day.

Elizabeth was crucial to the success of the Canadian tour. Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir (John Buchan) stated that she had “perfect genius for the right kind of publicity.” Elizabeth’s letters to her daughters in England reveal how Canadians from all backgrounds demonstrated their enthusiasm. Elizabeth wrote on 23 May, “The French people in Quebec and Ottawa were wonderfully loyal; & [in] Montrea l there must have been 2000000 people, all very enthusiastic.” At the time, French Canadians viewed the Crown as a protector of their rights and George VI and Elizabeth both made speeches in French during the tour. Elizabeth also encountered Scottish Canadians at every stage of the itinerary who viewed her as one of them. Looking back on the tour, Elizabeth concluded, “Canada made us,” a sentiment echoed by her great-grandson, Prince William , in Calgary in 2011.

During the tour, George VI and Elizabeth also visited American President Franklin Roosevelt at his Hyde Park on Hudson residence in upstate New York.

The royal tour was instrumental in cementing a continued Anglo-Canadian alliance immediately prior to the outbreak of the Second World War . The 1931 Statute of Westminster had created legislative equality between the United Kingdom and the self-governing Dominions of the former British Empire, giving Canada control over policy decisions. Elizabeth’s role in the successful 1939 tour therefore helped strengthen the bond between the two countries before the war. ( See 1939 Royal Tour .)

The Second World War

During the Second World War , George VI and Elizabeth reached the height of their popularity because they remained in London during the 1940–41 Blitz. When Elizabeth received advice that her daughters should be evacuated to Canada, she declared, “The children could not go without me, I could not possibly leave the King, and the King would never go.” In September 1940, Buckingham Palace was bombed while the royal couple were in residence and they narrowly avoided injury. Elizabeth famously stated, “I’m glad we’ve been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face.”

Elizabeth spent the war visiting munitions factories, schools, and regiments in addition to bombed areas of London. The royal family observed wartime restrictions including food rationing and heat and water usage limits. Although Elizabeth remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war, she encouraged the Allied war effort around the world. Elizabeth also promoted recognition of women’s contributions to the war effort, stating in a 1943 radio broadcast to the “Women of the Empire,” “…You will see that your work, whatever it may be is just as valuable, just as much ‘war-work’ as that which is done by the bravest soldier, sailor or airman who actually meets the enemy in battle.”

When the Allies achieved victory in Europe on 8 May 1945, hundreds of thousands of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace cheering “We Want the King” and “We Want the Queen” until the royal family appeared on the balcony. Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared, “We could not have had a better King and Queen in Britain’s most perilous hour.”

The Commonwealth

Following the Second World War , the modern Commonwealth replaced the former British Empire. George VI and Elizabeth planned an extensive program of overseas tours. In 1947, they visited South Africa with their daughters and were well-received despite republican sentiment among the Afrikaner population. That same year, Elizabeth’s involvement in the Canadian forces increased when she became Honorary Colonel-in-Chief of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). George VI and Elizabeth were unable to undertake a planned return visit to Canada in 1951 and a tour of East Africa, Australia and New Zealand in 1952 because of the King’s declining health. Instead, Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip represented the King and Queen for overseas engagements in the early 1950s.

Accession of Queen Elizabeth II

George VI died in his sleep from deep-vein thrombosis on 6 February 1952 after years of ill health from lung cancer and arteriosclerosis. Elizabeth’s elder daughter succeeded to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II while visiting Kenya and returned immediately to the United Kingdom. Around 300,000 people lined the streets of London to witness the funeral. At 51, Elizabeth was a widow, and she would outlive her husband by 50 years. In a message thanking people from around the world for their condolences, Elizabeth stated, “My only wish is now that I may be allowed to continue the work we sought to do together.” In contrast to previous widowed queens consort, who reduced their schedule of public engagements, Elizabeth resumed a full program after a period of mourning. Elizabeth disliked the traditional title of “Dowager Queen” and instead became known as “Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.” Elizabeth moved into Clarence House with Margaret when the new Queen and her husband and children moved into Buckingham Palace.

Subsequent Visits to Canada

As Queen Mother, Elizabeth visited Canada 14 times and advised other members of the royal family regarding their Canadian tours. When Margaret visited in 1958, Elizabeth wrote, “I have a feeling that Canada gives one a boost – even with very hard work – do you agree? They are so nice, & so loving and the Mounties are so beautiful & so romantic. It all helps.” Elizabeth’s first solo visit to Canada took place in 1954 when she opened the Bytown Bridges over the mouth of the Rideau River in Ottawa . During the late 1950s, there was speculation that Elizabeth might be appointed Governor General , although this was refuted by Buckingham Palace in 1957. For her 1962 tour, Elizabeth crossed the Atlantic in a Trans-Canada commercial plane during a regularly scheduled flight.

Elizabeth was one of the members of the royal family who visited Canada for the nation’s centennial in 1967, touring the Atlantic provinces and receiving an honorary degree from Dalhousie University . In 1977, she became Colonel-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces Medical Services. In 1989, she visited Canada for the last time, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1939 tour in Toronto , Ottawa and London , Ontario , just weeks before her 89th birthday. She remained closely engaged with her Canadian patronages and military regiments for the rest of her life, serving as Patron of Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and the Ontario Jockey Club. In 2000, Elizabeth was appointed to the Order of Canada at the age of 100.

Canadian Military Regiments

The Queen Mother was honorary Colonel-in-Chief of four Canadian regiments. In 1937, she became Colonel-in-Chief of the Toronto Scottish Regiment, which assumed the name Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Own in honour of her 100th birthday in 2000. In 1947, Elizabeth became the honorary Colonel-in-Chief of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada), the senior Canadian Scottish regiment based in Montreal . From 1953 to 1974, the Queen Mother was honorary Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. She was honorary Colonel-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces Medical Services from 1977 to 2002.

The Queen Mother’s patronage of The Black Watch regiment prompted visits to Quebec in 1962, 1964, 1974 and 1987. The Queen Mother spoke fluent French and connected with people from all walks of life. In 1962, she presented new colours to the regiment at Molson Stadium before a crowd of 22,000 people and visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which was named in her honour. She encountered a small separatist demonstration during this tour.

Her most high-profile visit to Quebec during her widowhood took place in 1987, in honour of the 125th anniversary of The Black Watch regiment in Canada. Royal tours of Quebec had been comparatively understated in the 20 years after Expo 67 because of separatist sentiment. The Queen Mother’s 1987 tour, however, received the full support of Premier Robert Bourassa ; there was a provincial government reception and a Montreal civic reception, in addition to the regimental dinner at The Queen Elizabeth hotel. The success of this visit set precedents for future royal tours of Quebec.

Grandmother and Great-Grandmother

According to Prince Charles , “She was quite simply the most magical grandmother you could possibly have.” Elizabeth enjoyed a close relationship with her six grandchildren and the nine great-grandchildren born during her lifetime. During the extensive Commonwealth tours undertaken by her elder daughter in the 1950s, Elizabeth cared for her two eldest grandchildren, Charles and Anne. Elizabeth developed an especially warm relationship with Charles and was one of his most trusted advisors as an adult.

As she grew older, Elizabeth developed a warm relationship with her growing number of great-grandchildren. William recalled after her death, “She loved to hear about all my friends and all they got up to, and relate it to her own youth. And she loved to hear about how much trouble I got into at school.” When William began university at St. Andrews, Scotland, in 2001, his 101-year-old great-grandmother saw him off, declaring “Any good parties, invite me down!” William later recalled, “I knew full well that if I invited her down, she would dance me under the table.”

Elizabeth died in her sleep at Royal Lodge, Windsor on 30 March 2002 at the age of 101. At the time, she was the longest-lived member of the royal family. Over 200,000 people paid their respects in person as she lay in state at Westminster Hall, London. On the day of the funeral, 9 April, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson issued a proclamation calling on Canadians to honour her memory that day. Elizabeth was laid to rest in St. George’s chapel, Windsor, alongside her husband, George VI , and younger daughter, Margaret.

Interested in the monarchy?

• Royal Family

Further Reading

Arthur Bousfield and Garry Toffoli, Royal Spring: The Royal Tour of 1939 and the Queen Mother in Canada (1989); William Shawcross, Counting One’s Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (2012) and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: The Official Biography (2010); Hugo Vickers, Elizabeth The Queen Mother (2006).

External Links

Royal Spring: The Royal Tour of 1939 and the Queen Mother in Canada Scroll through illustrated excerpts from a book devoted to The Royal Tour of 1939 in Canada. From Google Books.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother 1900-2002: The Queen Mother and Her Century Scroll through illustrated excerpts from a book about the life of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. From Google Books.

HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother View a vintage video of the HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother visiting Ottawa in 1954. See links to related clips on right side of the page. From thecriticalpast.com.

Royal Tours of Canada A listing of Royal Tours of Canada from the Government of Canada website.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother View a brief video of the Queen Mother’s wedding in 1923 from the official website of The British Monarchy.

Royal Family A photograph of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret taken on 15 December 1936. From the Royal Collection Trust.

Flame of Hope A feature about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother lighting the Flame of Hope at London’s Sir Frederick G. Banting Square in 1989. From the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Interesting anecdotes about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s visits to Canada and her affection for this country. From the Canadian Royal Heritage Trust.

Recommended

Queen victoria, queen elizabeth ii, catherine (hrh the princess of wales).

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, sitting on the throne for 71 years. She was succeeded by King Charles III in 2022.

Who Was Queen Elizabeth II?

Quick facts, early life and family tree, ascension to the crown and coronation, husband prince philip, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, family scandals and losses, death and funeral, latest news: one year since her death.

On the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, King Charles shared an unreleased photo of the late queen. “In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us,” he said in a statement. Additionally, Prince William and Princess Kate attended a private church service in Wales to commemorate her life, and Prince Harry visited the chapel at Windsor Castle , where the queen is buried. Planning for a memorial to Elizabeth is underway. The targeted unveiling is 2026, the year she would have turned 100.

Queen Elizabeth II became queen of the United Kingdom on February 6, 1952, at age 25 and was crowned on June 2, 1953. She was the mother of Prince Charles , who ascended to the throne after her death, as well as the grandmother of Princes William and Harry . As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown. Elizabeth died on September 8, 2022, at age 96.

FULL NAME: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary BORN: April 21, 1926 DIED: September 8, 2022 BIRTHPLACE: London, England, United Kingdom PARENTS: King George VI and Queen Mother Elizabeth SPOUSE: Prince Philip CHILDREN: King Charles III , Princess Anne , Prince Andrew , and Prince Edward ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London. Her parents were then known as the Duke and Duchess of York. Prince Albert—later known as King George VI —was the second son of Queen Mary and King George V . Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon .

Elizabeth had ties with most of the monarchs in Europe. Her British ancestors include Queen Victoria (ruled 1837 to 1901) and King George III (ruled 1760 to 1820).

At the time of her birth, most people didn’t realize Elizabeth would someday become the queen of the United Kingdom. Nicknamed Lilibet, she got to enjoy the first decade of her life with all the privileges of being a royal without the pressures of being the heir apparent.

Elizabeth’s father and mother divided their time between a home in London and Royal Lodge, the family’s home on the grounds of Windsor Great Park. Elizabeth and her younger sister, Margaret , were educated at home by tutors. Academic courses included French, mathematics, and history, along with dancing, singing, and art lessons.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Elizabeth and her sister largely stayed out of London, having been relocated to Windsor Castle. From there she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts in 1940, with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and families. The 14-year-old princess, showing her calm and firm personality, told them “that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.”

Elizabeth soon started taking on other public duties. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her first public appearance inspecting the troops in 1942. She also began to accompany her parents on official visits within Britain.

In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort. She trained side-by-side with other British women to be an expert driver and mechanic. While her volunteer work only lasted a few months, it offered Elizabeth a glimpse into a different, non-royal world. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day .

When Elizabeth’s grandfather King George V died in 1936, his eldest son (Elizabeth’s uncle) became King Edward VIII . Edward, however, was in love with American divorcée Wallis Simpson and had to choose between the crown and his heart . In the end, Edward chose Simpson and abdicated the crown.

The event changed the course of Elizabeth’s life, making her the heir presumptive to the British crown. Her father was crowned King George VI in 1937, taking on the name George to emphasize continuity with his father. Her mother became Queen Elizabeth.

Fifteen years later, the monarchy changed hands again when King George died. The younger Elizabeth assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952. At that point, the 25-year-old became Queen Elizabeth II, and her mother became Queen Mother.

Elizabeth was crowned on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 27. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.

Elizabeth married her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten (a surname adopted from his mother’s side) on November 20, 1947, at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Elizabeth first met Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, when she was only 13. She was smitten with him from the start. The two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love.

They made an unusual pair. Elizabeth was quiet and reserved, while Philip was boisterous and outspoken. Her father, King George, was hesitant about the match because, while Mountbatten had ties to both the Danish and Greek royal families, he didn’t possess great wealth and was considered by some to have a rough personality.

At the time of their wedding, Great Britain was still recovering from the ravages of World War II, and Elizabeth collected clothing coupons to get fabric for her gown.

The family took on the name Windsor, a move pushed by her mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill that caused tension with her husband. In 1960, she reversed course, issuing orders that her descendants who didn’t carry royal titles (or needed last names for legal purposes such as weddings) would use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Over the years, Philip inspired numerous public relations headaches with his off-the-cuff, controversial comments and rumors of possible infidelities.

Philip died on April 9, 2021, at age 99. Days later, Prince Andrew told the media Queen Elizabeth described his death “as having left a huge void in her life.” She had previously said he was her “strength and stay.”

Elizabeth and Philip wasted no time in producing an heir: Their son Charles was born in 1948, the year after their wedding, and their daughter, Anne , arrived in 1950. As queen, Elizabeth had two more children—sons Andrew and Edward —in 1960 and 1964, respectively.

King Charles III

In 1969, Elizabeth officially made Charles her successor by granting him the title of Prince of Wales. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to see the ceremony on television.

In 1981, Charles, then 32, wed 19-year-old Diana Spencer, who became known as Princess Diana . The wedding drew enormous crowds in the streets of London, and millions watched the proceedings on television. Public opinion of the monarchy was especially strong at that time. Later, rumors surfaced that he was pressured into the marriage by his family.

Now King Charles III, he is married to Queen Camilla .

Princess Anne

Princess Anne began working as a member of the royal family when she was 18 in 1969 and continues today. She is also heavily involved in charity work. A noted equestrian, Anne competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Her mother opened the Games that year, and the rest of the royal family traveled to support Anne.

Previously married to Captain Mark Phillips, she and her current husband, Timothy Laurence, wed in 1992.

Prince Andrew

Andrew was the first child born to a reigning monarch in more than 100 years. In 1979, he joined the British Royal Navy, became a helicopter pilot, and served during the Falkland War in the early 1980s. He became the Duke of York after marrying Sarah Ferguson , though the couple later divorced. Following scandal, Andrew stepped back from public duties in his royal capacity in 2019, a decision that was made permanent in 2022.

Prince Edward

The queen’s youngest child, Edward, worked in theater and television production for many years, at one point through his own production company. Since 2002, he has worked full-time supporting his mother and now brother. Edward is married to Sophie Rhys-Jones. He became the Duke of Edinburgh—a title previously held by his father—in March 2023.

Queen Elizabeth had eight grandchildren and was great-grandmother to 12 in her lifetime.

Her most well-known grandchildren are Charles and Diana’s sons, Prince William , who became second-in-line to the throne at his birth in 1982, and Prince Harry , born in 1984. Elizabeth emerged as a devoted grandmother to her grandsons. Prince William has said that she offered invaluable support and guidance as he and Kate Middleton planned their 2011 wedding.

In addition to Princes William and Harry, the queen’s other grandchildren are: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, born to Princess Anne; Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, born to Prince Andrew; and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, born to Prince Edward. Peter is Elizabeth’s oldest grandchild; he was born in 1977, four years before his sister and five years before Prince William.

William and Kate have three children, who are Elizabeth’s great-grandchildren. The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed Prince George Alexander Louis in July 2013, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana in May 2015, and Prince Louis Arthur Charles in April 2018. All three are currently in the line of succession directly after their father.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife, Meghan Markle gave the queen two more great-grandchildren with the birth of their son, Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor , and daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor , in May 2019 and June 2021, respectively.

Elizabeth’s other great-grandchildren include Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, August Brooksbank, Lucas Tindall, and Sienna Mozzi.

Elizabeth’s long and mainly peaceful reign was marked by vast changes in her people’s lives, in her country’s power, how Britain is viewed abroad, and how the monarchy is regarded and portrayed. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth didn’t weigh in on political matters, nor did she reveal her political views. However, she conferred regularly with her prime ministers.

When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions, and dependencies. However, during the 1950s and 1960s, many of these countries achieved independence, and the British Empire evolved into the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth II thus made visits to other countries as head of the Commonwealth and a representative of Britain, including a groundbreaking trip to Germany in 1965. She became the first British monarch to make a state visit there in more than five decades.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Elizabeth continued to travel extensively. In 1973, she attended the Commonwealth Conference in Ottawa, Canada and, in 1976, traveled to the United States for the 200 th anniversary celebration of America’s independence from Britain. More than a week later, she was in Montreal to open the Summer Olympics. In 1979, she traveled to Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, which garnered international attention and widespread respect.

In 1982, Elizabeth worried about her second son, Prince Andrew , who served as a helicopter pilot in the British Royal Navy during the Falklands War. Britain went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, a clash that lasted for several weeks. While more than 250 British soldiers died in the conflict, Prince Andrew returned home safe and well, much to his mother’s relief.

In 2011, Elizabeth showed that the crown still had symbolic and diplomatic power when she became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since 1911 (when all of Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom).

As queen, Elizabeth modernized the monarchy, dropping some of its formalities and making certain sites and treasures more accessible to the public. As Britain and other nations struggled financially, Britain abolished the Civil List in 2012, which was a public funding system of the monarchy dating back roughly 250 years. The royal family continues to receive some government support, but the queen cut back on spending.

Also in 2012, Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as queen. As part of the jubilee festivities, a special BBC concert was held on June 4 featuring the likes of Shirley Bassey , Paul McCartney , Tom Jones , Stevie Wonder , and Kylie Minogue. Elizabeth was surrounded by family at this historic event, including her husband Philip, son Charles, and grandsons Harry and William.

On September 9, 2015, she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-ruling monarch, who reigned for 63 years.

Despite the occasional call to step aside for Charles, Elizabeth remained steadfast in her royal obligations as she passed her 90 th birthday in 2016. She continued making more than 400 engagements per year, maintaining her support of hundreds of charitable organizations and programs.

On February 6, 2017, the queen celebrated 65 years on the throne, the only British monarch to ever celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee. The date also marks the anniversary of the death of her father. The queen chose to spend the day quietly at Sandringham, her country estate north of London, where she attended a church service. In London, there were royal gun salutes at Green Park and at the Tower of London to mark the occasion. The Royal Mint also issued eight new commemorative coins in honor of the queen’s Sapphire Jubilee.

Later that year, the monarchy took what was considered a major step toward transitioning to the next generation: On November 12, Charles handled the traditional Remembrance Sunday duty of placing a wreath at the Cenotaph war memorial, as the queen watched from a nearby balcony.

In August 2019, Elizabeth made a rare intrusion into political matters when she agreed to a request by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to suspend Parliament until October 14, less than three weeks before Britain’s planned departure from the European Union.

In 2022, the nation celebrated Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee year. Another milestone for the monarchy, it marked her 70 years on the throne.

Relationship With Prime Ministers

Elizabeth had 15 prime ministers placed into power during her reign, with the queen and PM having a weekly, confidential meeting. (Elizabeth also met about a quarter of all the U.S. presidents in history, most recently receiving Joe Biden for a state visit in June 2021.)

She enjoyed a father-figure relationship with the iconic Winston Churchill and was later able to loosen up a bit and be somewhat informal with Labour leaders Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. In contrast, she and Margaret Thatcher had a very formal, distant relationship, with the PM tending to be a grating lecturer to the queen on a variety of issues.

Tony Blair saw certain concepts around the monarchy as somewhat outdated, though he did appreciate Elizabeth making a public statement after the death of Princess Diana .

Later, Conservative leader David Cameron, who was Elizabeth’s fifth cousin removed, enjoyed a warm rapport with the queen. He apologized in 2014 for revealing in a conversation that she was against the Scottish referendum to seek independence from Great Britain.

Theresa May was described as being tight-lipped about Brexit plans to leave the European Union, with a rumor circulating that Elizabeth was perturbed over not being informed about future exit strategies.

Two days before her death, Elizabeth welcomed her final prime minister, Liz Truss , at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The September 6, 2022, meeting was her final act as monarch.

Threats to Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family

Elizabeth worked tirelessly to protect the image of the monarchy and to prepare for its future. But she saw the monarchy come under attack during her lifetime. The once-revered institution weathered a number of storms, including death threats against the royal family.

In 1979, Elizabeth suffered a significant personal loss when Lord Mountbatten, her husband’s uncle, died in a terrorist bombing. Mountbatten and several members of his family were aboard his boat off the west coast of Ireland when the vessel exploded on August 27. He and three others, including one of his grandsons, were killed. The Irish Republican Army, which opposed British rule in Northern Ireland, took responsibility for the attack.

In June 1981, Elizabeth herself had a dangerous encounter. She was riding in the Trooping the Colour, a special military parade to celebrate her official birthday when a man in the crowd pointed a gun at her. He fired, but fortunately, the gun was loaded with blanks. Other than receiving a good scare, the queen wasn’t hurt.

Elizabeth had an even closer call the following year when an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and confronted her in her bedroom. When the press got wind of the fact that Prince Philip was nowhere to be seen during this incident, they speculated about the state of the royal marriage.

The marriage of Elizabeth’s son Charles to Diana made headlines for years before the couple announced their separation in 1992, followed by their formal divorce in 1996. In the wake of Diana’s death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, Elizabeth experienced intense media scrutiny. Her incredibly popular ex-daughter-in-law had been called the “People’s Princess.”

The queen was at her Balmoral estate in Scotland with Charles and his sons with Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, at the time. For days, Elizabeth remained silent while the country mourned Diana’s passing, and she was sharply criticized for her lack of response.

Stories circulated that the queen didn’t want to give Diana a royal funeral, which only fueled public sentiment against the monarch. Nearly a week after Diana’s death, Elizabeth returned to London and issued a statement on the late princess.

Elizabeth also initially objected to the relationship between her son Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles . Charles and Camilla had dated years before he met his family, but the relationship ended under family pressure, only to resume during Charles and Diana’s marriage. Known to be a stickler for ceremony and tradition, she eventually showed signs of softening her stance over the years. When Charles and Camilla wed in 2005, Elizabeth and Prince Philip didn’t attend the civil ceremony but attended a religious blessing and held a reception in their honor at Windsor Castle.

In 1992, another of Elizabeth’s children, Prince Andrew, ended up in the tabloids after photos emerged of his wife, Sarah Ferguson , and another man engaged in romantic activity. The couple divorced soon after. Along with the dissolution of Charles’ and Andrew’s marriages, Princess Anne divorced her husband Mark Phillips that year. More bad news came when a fire broke out at Windsor Castle in November. The 15-hour blaze destroyed 115 rooms, though it only consumed two pieces of art from the queen’s valuable private collection. The year became known as her “annus horribilis.”

After the start of the 21 st century, Elizabeth experienced two great losses. She said goodbye to both her sister, Margaret, and her mother in 2002, the same year she celebrated her Golden Jubilee that marked her 50 th year on the throne. Margaret, known for being more of an adventurous soul than other royals and who was barred from marrying an early love, died in February after suffering a stroke. Only a few weeks later, Elizabeth’s mother died at Royal Lodge on March 30 at the age of 101.

In November 2017, the media reported the queen had some $13 million invested in offshore accounts. The news came following the leak of the so-called “Paradise Papers” to a German newspaper, which shared the documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The Duchy of Lancaster, which holds assets for the queen, confirmed that some of its investments were overseas accounts but insisted they were all legitimate.

Also in 2017, the former owner of the lingerie company Rigby & Peller, which had serviced Elizabeth for more than 50 years, wrote a tell-all autobiography that included some of her experiences with the royal family. Although the author insisted that “the book doesn’t contain anything naughty,” the queen responded in early 2018 by revoking Rigby & Peller’s royal warrant.

In 2019, Prince Andrew was forced to step down from public duties, following a media firestorm. Andrew had courted years of scandal surrounding his controversial business pursuits and friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ,

Just weeks later, in January 2020, the family again found themselves in the spotlight, following the bombshell decision by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle , the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to step away from their roles as senior royals.

For much of her life, the queen surrounded herself with dogs. She was especially known for her love of corgis, owning more than 30 descendants of the first corgi she received as a teenager, until the death of the final one, Willow, in 2018.

Elizabeth was also a horse enthusiast who bred thoroughbreds and attended racing events for many years.

Not one for the spotlight, Elizabeth liked quiet pastimes. She enjoyed reading mysteries, working on crossword puzzles, and reportedly, even watching wrestling on television.

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, 2022, at 3:10 p.m. local time. She was 96 years old. Her official cause of death was old age, according to her death certificate.

The public was first aware of the queen’s ill health earlier that day when Buckingham Palace issued at statement around 12:30 p.m. that said, “Following further evaluation this morning, the queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.”

Soon, members of the royal family began traveling to see the queen. At the time of her death, Prince Charles and Camilla, as well as Princess Anne were at the castle. William, Harry, Andrew, Edward, and Sophie arrived later in the evening. Kate Middleton didn’t travel to say her final goodbyes, citing the recent start of the school year for her children. Meghan Markle was also absent.

Her death was publicly announced at 6:30 p.m. After, newly minted King Charles issued a statement that said:

The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.

On September 14, Elizabeth’s coffin traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall by horse-drawn carriage and lay in state for four days. The day of her state funeral, September 19, was declared a bank holiday. The funeral was held at Westminster Abbey and ended with two minutes of silence, observed there and throughout the United Kingdom.

President Joe Biden , First Lady Jill Biden , French President Emmanuel Macron , and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among the dozens of world leaders and 2,000 total people in attendance. Millions more watched or listened in; the funeral was broadcast on TV and radio and streamed on YouTube. Elizabeth’s pony and her corgis, Muick and Sandy, watched the procession, as did tens of thousands of people.

A private burial came later that day. Elizabeth was buried with Prince Philip at the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

• I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.
• 1992 is not a year I shall look back on with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an “annus horribilis.”
• When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.
• Discrimination still exists. Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened. Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures. They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat.
• Grief is the price we pay for love.
• I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.
• In remembering the appalling suffering of war on both sides, we recognize how precious is the peace we have built in Europe since 1945.
• We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

Adrienne directs the daily news operation and content production for Biography.com. She joined the staff in October 2022 and most recently worked as an editor for Popular Mechanics , Runner’s World , and Bicycling . Adrienne has served as editor-in-chief of two regional print magazines, and her work has won several awards, including the Best Explanatory Journalism award from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. Her current working theory is that people are the point of life, and she’s fascinated by everyone who (and every system that) creates our societal norms. When she’s not behind the news desk, find her hiking, working on her latest cocktail project, or eating mint chocolate chip ice cream. 

British Royal Family

Kensington Palace Shares an Update on Kate

Prince William

Where in the World Is Kate Middleton?

Princess Kate Is Seen for First Time Since Surgery

Who’s Who in the British Line of Succession

How King Charles Reacted to Prince Harry’s Visit

The True Story of Princess Margaret’s Death

Prince Harry

What We Know About ‘The Crown’ Season 6

Diana and Charles’ Relationship Timeline

Biography Online

Queen Mother Biography

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002) — the widow of George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, popularly known as the Queen Mother was a popular figure throughout Britain for her role in providing an enduring figurehead for the Royal family.

Short Bio – Queen Mother

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on August 4th 1900. She was the daughter of a Scottish Lord – Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore. She was a descendant of the former Scottish King – Robert the Bruce. She was the ninth of ten children.

Her education was limited, she was taught mainly at home, and as was common for her era, had little aspirations beyond marriage.

The onset of the First World War came as a shock to her quiet, conservative upbringing. Her family home was converted into a nursing ward for injured soldiers, and the young Elizabeth became involved in nursing and treating the soldiers – a duty made more poignant by the death of one of her brothers. Through nursing soldiers, Elizabeth gained confidence in talking openly to people from all backgrounds, easily and without condescension. This ease of communication and natural style endeared her to the public throughout her life.

After the end of the war, Elizabeth entered the social circles of society and after rejecting two proposals of marriage accepted a proposal to marry, Prince Albert – the second in line to the throne.

At the time, there was little expectation that Albert would ever be King. Compared to his more charming and vibrant brother Edward, Albert was shy and suffered from a stutter which made public engagements more difficult.

Together they had two daughters – Elizabeth and Margaret in 1926 and 1930 respectively.

In 1936, shortly after the passing of King George V, Britain was thrown into a constitutional crisis as it became obvious that King Edward VIII was determined to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. At the time, to marry a divorcee was considered unacceptable, and there was little sympathy for the American divorcee – that Edward was devoted to. Eventually, Edward decided to abdicate pushing the quiet Prince Albert on to the throne – crowned as George VI. It was quite a shock to the couple – especially Prince Albert. Elizabeth took it in her stride, but, nursed a grievance against Edward and his wife – feeling it should never have happened.

With the onset of war, Elizabeth decided to stay in London with her children. This was perhaps her finest hour, as she became an important figurehead touring bomb sites and helping to boost morale amongst the worst days of the London Blitz. She describes her decision to stay. ‘The princesses would never leave without me, and I would never leave without the King, and the King will never leave.” She herself narrowly avoided death when Buckingham Palace was bombed. This experience enabled her to in her own words. “look the East End in the face. Queen Elizabeth was important for retaining the prestige of the monarchy during a time when Winston Churchill became such a dominant leader of the country through his inspirational leadership. She was even known to practise firing her revolver in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

After the war, she undertook the usual Royal duties, until the untimely death of George VI in 1952. This led to her first daughter Elizabeth I, taking the throne. However, in her position as Queen Mother (wife of a deceased King), her prestige and national respect only continued to grow. She became a symbol of continuity and an emblem of the best traditions of Britain and the Royal Family. Even when she took part in unpopular events (such as unveiling a statue to Bomber Harris, and her less than sympathetic views to Princess Diana) her natural charm and smile meant her popularity never dimmed.

She also became known for her resilience and ability to endure, living through to the age of 101. She died in her sleep just weeks after her daughter – Princess Margaret had died at the age of 71.

T.Pettinger 04/02/2010

Related pages

• Royal Biographies

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: The Official Autobiography by William Shawcross

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: The Official Autobiography

by William Shawcross 1,000pp, Macmillan, £25

For the Queen Mother, writes William Shawcross, as he trudges through the second half of her life, "one decade glided into another, with the basic pattern of her days, weeks, months and years being fairly constant". For much of his biography he is remarkably persuasive on this point. Chapter after chapter of his interminable chronicle glides, or rather drags, repetitively past, allowing the few things that did change to stand out in lurid contrast. One year, for instance, she acquired a stairlift.

But there must have been more to it than that. The Queen Mother was deeply in debt most of the time. And the arrival on the public stage of Prince Charles's mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles, for example, must have caused a temporary wrinkle in the serene old lady's gin, nags'n'picnics routine.

For grandmother and grandson were close. And considering her feelings about Wallis Simpson, who went to her grave unforgiven, and later about Peter Townsend, the Queen Mother must have had some views on the divorcee who saw off Diana. Concerning Wallis, she wrote at the height of the abdication crisis: "If Mrs Simpson is not fit to be Queen, she is not fit to be the King's morganatic wife." What, then, did she make of Charles's ambitious mistress? The woman features here only once, on page 795, identified as the wife of a royal guest, Andrew Parker Bowles: theirs is a joint entry in a 1970s Castle of Mey visitors' book.

The author devotes far more space to the Queen Mother's lunches, to the decorations on her millions of hats, to her horses, to the various inert objects he spots then solemnly itemises, as if in training for the world championships of the tray game. Among the ornaments arranged on a Castle of Mey desk, he doggedly reports, is "a little corgi from the Buckingham Palace gift shop". It sits there now. The Queen Mother's house, Shawcross assures us, "is preserved as it was in her lifetime". He has chosen to do the same thing for her reputation.

If it's hard to respect a biographer capable of an omission on the Camilla scale, it is impossible to trust him. What else has he left out? Shawcross records Princess Margaret's vandal decision to destroy letters from Diana to the Queen Mother because, she said, they were "so private". Given his determination to empathise, at all times, with the royal point of view, his comment on this affair may be read as savagely critical: "It was understandable, although regrettable from a historical viewpoint."

From that perspective, this biographer appears to be at his most usefully unguarded in the first fifth of the Queen's 101 years. Possibly because it was long ago, Shawcross is willing to depict his heroine, during the first world war, as a giddy airhead gripped by her prodigious appetites for food, clubs, clothes, cocktails, dancing, chocs, actors, shopping and men in uniform, including chauffeurs.

The nautical look had a particularly stimulating effect. Elizabeth Bowes Lyon was only 15 when she wrote a characteristically coarse letter to her governess: the Firth of Forth was heaving, she reported, with "simply hundreds of beautiful brown lieutenants, subs, snotties (midshipmen), Admirals and sailors. Oh my! They were all most amorous!" Not that she was unaware there was a war on. "I feel as if I never want to go to a dance again," she wrote in 1918. "One only makes friends and then they are killed."

Long before she would express her thankfulness at having been bombed, so as to look the East End in the face, the ill-educated Elizabeth complained bitterly at having had to travel to the same area, where she failed her school certificate. "What was the use of toiling down to that – er – place Hackney?" she demanded. But no sooner had this droll but frightful-sounding young woman accepted a proposal from the stammering Duke of York (having strung him along for a year or two), than such disagreeable sentiments were never heard again.

Like her personality, the Queen Mother's epistolary style appears to have been transformed, on the instant of betrothal, into everything that is pious and dignified, sympathetic and charming. Unless we have Shawcross to thank for this unblemished characterisation of a boozy actress who more recently, according to the journalist Edward Stourton, said the EU would never work, because of "all those Huns, wops and dagos". In his diaries, her loyal friend the late Woodrow Wyatt recorded, with more tact "She clearly has some reservations about Jews in her old-fashioned way". "I'm not as nice as you think," she used to tell him. Eleanor Roosevelt suspected something of the sort, noting Elizabeth's gift for "turning on graciousness like water".

Shawcross, who is probably more queen motherly than the Queen Mother, will have none of it. "She may have been a brilliant actress," he allows, "but her feelings were genuine." Really? It comes to something when a biographer's partiality is repeatedly exposed by the testimony of his own subject. Why can't poor women live on tea and "some buns", wondered this legendary trencherwoman, during the depression. In another letter, written after a bomb hit Buckingham Palace, we find her moved by a visit to the East End, where 200 people had died under a school. PS, she writes: "Dear old BP is still standing and that is the main thing". So we learned something, after all.

• Queen Mother

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

• Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
• Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
• Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
• A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
• Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
• Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important:  Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Buy new: $15.00 $15.00 FREE delivery: Wednesday, April 24 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon Sold by: THE WINNERS

Return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select the return method

Buy used: $6.18

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Queen Elizabeth: The Official Biography Of The Queen Mother Hardcover – International Edition, October 16, 2009

Purchase options and add-ons.

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes Lyon, the youngest daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, was born on August 4, 1900. It might reasonably have been expected that she would lead a life of ease and privilege, but few could have imagined the profound effect she would have on Britain and its people. Her life spanned the whole of the 20th century, and this official biography tells not only her story but, through it, that of the country she loved so devotedly.

Drawing on her private correspondence and other unpublished material from the Royal Archives, William Shawcross vividly reveals the witty girl who endeared herself to soldiers convalescing at Glamis in the First World War; the assured young Duchess of York; the Queen, at last feeling able to look the east end in the face at the height of the Blitz; and, finally, the Queen Mother, representing the nation at home and abroad throughout her widowhood. It is the definitive portrait of a remarkable woman.

• Print length 1120 pages
• Language English
• Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date October 16, 2009
• Dimensions 6.5 x 2.27 x 9.38 inches
• ISBN-10 000200805X
• ISBN-13 978-0002008051
• See all details

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may deliver to you quickly

Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins Publishers; Third Impression edition (October 16, 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 1120 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 000200805X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0002008051
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.25 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 2.27 x 9.38 inches
• #32,728 in Great Britain History (Books)

About the author

William shawcross.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Start Selling with Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Future Queen of the Netherlands Princess Catharina-Amalia Is Set for a Major Royal First

The heir to the Dutch throne has already worn her first tiara...but she might don another headpiece soon

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

P van Katwijk/Getty

Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands has already sported her first tiara and joined her first royal tour , and there's another major milestone around the corner.

The 20-year-old heir to the Dutch throne is expected to participate in her first state banquet when King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain visit the Netherlands on April 17 and 18, according to RTL Boulevard .

Princess Amalia's parents, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, will host the Spanish royal couple for the grand dinner, which usually takes place at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, and both monarchs traditionally give a speech.

The glamorous evening calls for black ties and evening dresses, so it's likely that Princess Amalia will sport a tiara for the occasion.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty

For her tiara debut in June 2022 at Princess Ingrid Alexandra  of Norway's 18th birthday gala, Princess Catharina-Amalia wore the Dutch Star Tiara. She sported more sparklers for the royal wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan in June 2023 and Prince Christian  of Denmark's 18th birthday celebrations in October 2023.

" I love tiaras ," Princess Amalia  said in her biography , published in 2021 ahead of her 18th birthday. "Show me a tiara, and I'll know where it came from. I can recognize all the tiaras of Europe. I used to put them on from my mother. Then there would be one on her make-up table and I would have it directly on my head."

She continued, "I really liked to be in my mother's jewelry anyway. When I was very little. She was preparing for an important dinner, and she shouted around the house, 'Amalia, where's that ring?' "

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?  Sign up for our free Royals newsletter  to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

She's still a student at the University of Amsterdam, but Princess Amalia has been slowly introduced to more elements of royal life. While some monarchs reign until their deaths, the Dutch royal family has a tradition of abdicating the throne for their heir to take over during their lifetime. However, the young heir hopes she still has some time to learn the ropes.

Princess Amalia told biographer Claudia de Breij that she  didn't feel ready to be queen and would ask her mother to step in should her father, 56, unexpectedly die in the near future.

"I said to my father, 'You just keep on eating healthy and exercising a lot,' " she said.

Related Articles