Queen Elizabeth and King George VI

by Grace Sydney

To the British people King George VI and Queen Elizabeth will be forever revered as symbols of their nations' courage and dignity through England's darkest hour. Theirs was a union which survived both war and family scandal, and in the end only death had the power to separate them.

THE EARLY YEARS

The future Queen Mother's love affair with Scotland began at the age of four, when her father, the Earl of Strathmore, inherited Glamis Castle, which was to become her family's summer home. A fearless child, the young Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon loved to hear tales of the spirits rumored to inhabit the abode. During World War I, when Glamis Castle was converted into a convalescence hospital, Elizabeth won the hearts of the soldiers as she played card games with the ailing men and helped them write letters home to their loved ones. Glamis Castle, still owned by the Queen Mother's family, is open to the public, and for more information on this historic landmark, which is said to have inspired Shakespeare as he wrote Macbeth, click here.

WEDDING

Prince Albert, Duke of York, a shy man who felt ill at ease in social situations due to a speech impediment, had difficulty at first in winning the hand of the vivacious Elizabeth, who was the life of every party. She turned down his first proposal of marriage, but as time passed her feelings for the man she affectionately called Bertie deepened, and as they strolled together through the woods of her childhood home, St. Paul's Walden Bury in Hertfordshire, Elizabeth agreed to be his wife. Their wedding took place on April 26, 1923 at Westminster Abbey, and in a gesture which would be emulated by successive royal brides, Elizabeth placed her wedding bouquet of York roses and heather upon the Tomb of The Unknown Warrior, which is located just past the entrance of the Abbey.

KING AND QUEEN

As the second son of the monarch, Albert was never meant to reign as king. Fate intervened, however, when his elder brother, David, renounced the throne in order to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. It was a scandal which could have toppled the monarchy, but Albert, known as King George VI upon his coronation, and Elizabeth held their country together through the crisis. The king and queen were to demonstrate their loyalty to the British people yet again when they refused to leave Buckingham Palace as the bombs fell around them during the second World War. The official London residence of the reigning monarch, sections of Buckingham Palace are open to the public during the months of August and September.

QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER

The king's death in 1952 left a void in Elizabeth's life which she filled with charitable work and family life. Now known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, Clarence House became her London residence, and she vacationed with her family at Windsor and Balmoral. For a private getaway, she bought a 16th century castle as a holiday retreat. The Queen Mother transformed The Castle of Mey into an inviting home, and surrounded herself with a lifetime's collection of mementos and toy souvenirs, such as a stuffed Loch Ness monster, which can be found displayed next to a priceless tapestry. Abiding by the Queen Mother's wishes, the Castle of Mey is now open to the public, and it offers a rare glimpse into the personal life of one of England's most loved figures.

At the age of 101, The Queen Mother passed away, and in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle she has been reunited with her beloved husband.