Queen Mary, consort of George V (1867-1953)

[Tsaritsa]

I think it's more likely a combination of a finger wave with naturally curly hair. In pictures of her when she's younger she had very curly hair that she piled on the top of her head. In pictures of her when she's older it looks like there's a continuation of this style but with shorter hair. I doubt it's a wig.

The front of her hair in later life was a "piece" made by the same process employed to make judges wigs and called "frizzeur force." My friend's mother, who worked for a leading London hairdresser, was responsible for making these pieces. It is unlikely that the style ever changed as Mary was not considered to be a leader of fashion. She was forbidden by George to adopt the new length of skirt.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House


Queen Mary

 

[Furienna]

Wow... And I never even got an ordinary doll's house!

 

[Valerie Rose]

I just watched the video "A Tribute to Queen Mary, Consort of King George V" - thanks for posting that, Warren.
What a gracious and dignified lady - a worthy consort for the monarch.

Recently I was watching a documentary about King George V and Queen Mary and one of the people being interviewed said that Mary had quite a strong German accent. Would this have been correct? As Mary grew up in England and her mother was English I would have thought she would have had an English accent.

- if that was Her Majesty speaking at the launching of the ship "Queen Mary", in the video, she seems to have had a clipped and very correct (for her era) English pronunciation, that's all.

 

[Baroness of Books]

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House


Queen Mary

I thought I was looking at the usual lavish, palatial room one would find in a palace, not a doll's house! Sure beats the plastic dollhouses manufactured today.

 

[Osipi]

I thought I was looking at the usual lavish, palatial room one would find in a palace, not a doll's house! Sure beats the plastic dollhouses manufactured today.

Its all about Barbie and Kens and beach houses in Malibu eh? I loved looking at that doll house and also thought it was a photo perhaps of an elegant "pile"

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Holy cow!! I never had a doll house even close to that. I have to say that is a beauty and the detail is unreal. The guy that put this together was a genius and quite an artist. Oh to be a doll residing in that house.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Mary was close to her aunt, Princess Augusta, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Did Mary visit her Aunt Augusta on a frequent basis? Did the Grand Duchess Augusta visit Mary quite often?

If you read Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor by Anne Edwards, how did you like the book?

Prince Andrew (Andrea) and Princess Alice of Greece took Prince Philip to tea at Buckingham Palace with Queen Mary.
Queen Mary remembered Prince Philip as "a nice little boy with very blue eyes".​

Duchessmary, thank you for your recommendation. I like the part of Mary of Teck's brothers. One of her brothers, Prince Alexander, married Princess Alice, the daughter of Prince Leopold, the Duke of Albany.

I'm not sure if Queen Alexandra was ever referred to as Queen Mother in any way,

In The Freelance History Writer, a post about Queen Alexandra, written by Jayne Smith, mentioned:

Edward died in 1910 and she (Alexandra) settled into the role of queen mother which was the title she used for herself.

​

 

[Countessmeout]

Queen Mary was close to her aunt, Princess Augusta, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Did Mary visit her Aunt Augusta on a frequent basis? Did the Grand Duchess Augusta visit Mary quite often?

I don't know how often they met, as much of her childhood, her aunt lived in Germany. It is said that they wrote back and forth once a week, and during WWI, Princess Margrat of Connaught, at that time CP of Sweden, helped to get letters through the Swedish embassy, between them as her Aunt. Her Aunt did visit Mary's grandmother in London every year though, and when the Duchess of Cambridge died, Augusta took ownership of her London home and spent time there every year until she got too old. She unfortunately was too sick to attend her niece's coronation, as she lived in Germany full time by then.

 

[Duchessmary]

I've read "Matriarch". It's a bit dry, but definitely worth a read if you're a fan of the British royals.

 

[Ish]

Cyril, I've read and thoroughly enjoyed Matriarch. If I remember correctly (it was a couple years ago), I found it to be a well balanced depiction of Mary, showing both her negatives and positives.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Death of H.M.Queen Mary

Queen Mary Dies (1953) - YouTube

Queen Mary's Funeral

Selected Originals - The Nation's Homage Aka Queen Mary's Funeral (1953) - YouTube

 

[Roderick]

In my opinion `Matriarch` is not a Queen Mary biography I would recommend. It is riddled with errors. Pope-Hennessy`s book is far superior and better researched. There is no comparison between them.

 

[Tiggersk8]

Death of H.M.Queen Mary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmlssY8rdlg

While watching these, I also stumbled across her Lying in State footage. I was confused over the standard, as there were crowned Tudor Roses on the one half I'd assume was the Teck part of her Heraldry, but that doesn't seem to fit w/German Royals/Nobles. Anyone got an answer to this?

 

[Ish]

While watching these, I also stumbled across her Lying in State footage. I was confused over the standard, as there were crowned Tudor Roses on the one half I'd assume was the Teck part of her Heraldry, but that doesn't seem to fit w/German Royals/Nobles. Anyone got an answer to this?

I've not been able to find any images of QM's lying in state that will load on my phone, but I did find a forum that claimed that the standard that draped her coffin at her lying in state was the royal standard.

The one draping her coffin during her funeral was QM's personal standard; the royal standard impaled with the arms of her father, Prince Francis, Duke of Teck, and her paternal grandfather, Prince Adulphus, Duke of Cambridge.

Wikipedia has an image of her standard, with a description explaining the parts below here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Mary_of_Teck_Standard.svg

Without seeing an image of the standard you're talking about (assuming it's a different one), I can't comment on it - but I'll look again when I'm not on my phone.

 

[Tiggersk8]

That's the Standard that was on the coffin for the Funeral and should have been the same for the Lying in State as well, as was the case for The Queen Mum nearly 15 yrs ago. I clearly remember the late QEQM's Personal Standard being draped on her coffin at all times I saw anything to do w/her passing and respective Ceremonies/Processions leading up to the Funeral. In fact, I remember explaining to my Mom why her "flag looked like it was two flags sewn together".

Now I'm really confused, because that Standard sure hasn't got any crowned Tudor Roses anywhere on it, as I expected w/the late Queen Mary having been a German Princess, so...To quote The Swedish Chef...

Vat der hey!?!

(I was watching old Muppet Show vids on YouTube earlier today, so that's where that came from. . )

 

[Ish]

Do you have a link to the footage you were watching?

Still can't find any video or photos from QM's lying in state, but I did find a shot of Queen Victoria's lying in state (http://www.historic-uk.com/assets/Images/queenvictoriafuneral.jpg?1390900015) that looks like her coffin may have been draped with a standard that featured something that could have been crowned tudor roses. Perhaps what you saw was a misidentified picture of Victoria's standard?

 

[Warren]

Skeletons from the royal closet, a new book from the Royal Archives gives a fascinating insight into 700 years of regal life | Mail Online

A Softer Side of Queen Mary

The Royal Archives at Windsor has produced a new book "Treasures From the Royal Archives" to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the founding of a permanent home for the Royal Archives in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle. Various items from the archives are now being published for the first time.

The following is an extract from the MailOnline article (link above)

We're also given a different perspective on the character of Queen Mary, who comes across as an emotionally rather chilly character in biographies. For example when, after her death in 1953, her eldest son the Duke of Windsor wrote to his wife, 'I'm afraid the fluids in her veins have always been as icy cold as they are now in death.' The archives, however, show a soft side to her.

For each of her six children she faithfully kept a baby book in which she recorded their first steps, first words, even their first outing in the royal pram as well as their signatures from the age of eight to 21, locks of their hair and dozens of photographs.

↓ The Baby Book created for Prince Albert ("Bertie", later King George VI) by Queen Mary
© Crown Copyright, reproduced for promotional purposes

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

There are many errors in this article.

The women behind the Crown: Influential Queen Mothers – Queen Mary

In my opinion, Queen Mary is by far and away the most influential Queen Mother that this country, in all its long history, has ever seen.

I don't agree. In my opinion, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother was much more influential.

She was never known as ‘Queen Mary, the Queen Mother’ during her time as Queen Mother. Rather, she was always referred to as Her Majesty, Queen Mary – further enhancing her role as the power behind the throne.

The same can be said of Queen Alexandra, she was never known as Queen Mother. Queen Elizabeth began to be styled as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother because the normal style for the widow of a king, "Queen Elizabeth", would have been too similar to the style of her elder daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II.

When King George VI died in 1952, Mary became the Queen Dowager.

No, she became Queen Dowager in 1936 when King George V died.

 

[Furienna]

Interesting article! Queen Mary seems to have been a much more admirable person that I thought.

 

[Osipi]

Interesting article! Queen Mary seems to have been a much more admirable person that I thought.

I definitely agree with you. Queen Mary truly defines the word matriarch.

 

[An Ard Ri]

While watching these, I also stumbled across her Lying in State footage. I was confused over the standard, as there were crowned Tudor Roses on the one half I'd assume was the Teck part of her Heraldry, but that doesn't seem to fit w/German Royals/Nobles. Anyone got an answer to this?

Royal Standard of Mary of Teck, Queen Consort of George V

Coat of Arms of Mary of Teck, QueenConsort of the United Kingdom and Empress of India

Duke of Teck Coat of Arms

 

[Ish]

There are many errors in this article.

The women behind the Crown: Influential Queen Mothers – Queen Mary

I wouldn't say there are "many errors" so much as there are points that are open to interpretation.

Quote:
In my opinion, Queen Mary is by far and away the most influential Queen Mother that this country, in all its long history, has ever seen.
I don't agree. In my opinion, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother was much more influential.

That's an opinion - it doesn't mean that the author of the article is wrong. Personally, I agree with the author; QEQM was an amazing Queen Consort and Dowager Queen, but I think a good chunk of what she did was a continuation of efforts initiated under Queen Mary. Or even things initiated by Queen Alexandra, which in turn were continued by Queen Mary.

Quote:
She was never known as ‘Queen Mary, the Queen Mother’ during her time as Queen Mother. Rather, she was always referred to as Her Majesty, Queen Mary – further enhancing her role as the power behind the throne.
The same can be said of Queen Alexandra, she was never known as Queen Mother. Queen Elizabeth began to be styled as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother because the normal style for the widow of a king, "Queen Elizabeth", would have been too similar to the style of her elder daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II.

That the same could be said about Queen Alexandra doesn't mean that it's inaccurate to say about Queen Mary. I'm not sure if Queen Alexandra was ever referred to as Queen Mother in any way, but Queen Mary pointedly asked to not be referred to as the Queen Mother officially, since she felt it made her sound old. She instead was referred to in the CC simply as "Queen Mary" during her sons' reigns, and "Queen Mary, the Queen Dowager" during her granddaughter's reign.

Quote:
When King George VI died in 1952, Mary became the Queen Dowager.
No, she became Queen Dowager in 1936 when King George V died.

This isn't inaccurate so much as worded poorly. Queen Mary held the position of dowager queen the moment her husband died. However, she didn't use it as an official style until 1952, when her granddaughter's reign began. Then she became, in title/style the Queen Dowager.

 

[Curryong]

Regarding Queen Mary's Royal Standard, it was the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, impaled with the arms of her father, the Duke of Teck, and, (symbolising Mary's descent through her mother from the 'old' pre-Queen Victoria and Albert Royal Family), the arms of her grandfather, Prince Adolphus of Cambridge. This is the quarter that has the 'white Horse' of Hanover and hearts.

 

[Ish]

Regarding Queen Mary's Royal Standard, it was the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, impaled with the arms of her father, the Duke of Teck, and, (symbolising Mary's descent through her mother from the 'old' pre-Queen Victoria and Albert Royal Family), the arms of her grandfather, Prince Adolphus of Cambridge. This is the quarter that has the 'white Horse' of Hanover and hearts.

Queen Mary's standards and arms are my favourite of the recent British consorts (Queen Alexandra is a close second).

Mary's do a beautiful job of telling her ancestry. On the one side, you have her husband's arms, with the lions of England, the lion of Scotland, and the harp of Ireland. On the other side you have the arms of her maternal grandfather, himself a British prince, quartered with those of her father. As such you get the symbols of the UK again, as well as the lions of Brunswick, the lion of Lunenburg, and the horse of Westfalen (which together symbolize Hanover) marked by the hearts and cross that represent her grandfather personally, and the shield of Teck over the standard of Württemberg (which itself represents Württemberg and Hohenzollern, and was the arms of QM's paternal grandfather).

 

[Skippyboo]

I wonder where the Stag supporter came from. The royal arms of the UK has a unicorn on that side.

Interesting the Queen Mum and Camilla have a different left supporter also. Kate is the unicorn which is the same as William's.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Ish]

The stag supporter comes from the arms for the Duchy of Württemberg - the Tecks were of the House of Württemberg.

The boar that is supporting Camilla's arms come from her father's arms (there is a boar in them). I would guess that the lion that supports the Queen Mother's arms also comes from her father's arms (the colouring is different, but there is a lion on the Bowes-Lyon arms). Queen Alexandra also had her own supporter, a naked man from the Royal Arms of Denmark. I would assume that Kate used the unicorn because, unlike QM and QA, her family's arms don't have a supporter of their own, and unlike QEQM or Camilla, her family's arms don't have an animal in them (you can't really have an acorn act as a supporter). It does kind of make me wonder if Sarah's arms, when she was married, were supported by a unicorn or a very large honeybee....

 

[Curryong]

No the honeybee remained uncomfortably on the thistle on Sarah's coat of arms, (her father Major Ron's, which were impaled with the royal standard.) She had the unicorn as her supporter, like Kate.

 

[Tiggersk8]

I wonder where the Stag supporter came from. The royal arms of the UK has a unicorn on that side.

Interesting the Queen Mum and Camilla have a different left supporter also. Kate is the unicorn which is the same as William's.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

Sophie also has a different left supporter on her Coat of Arms. Looks a bit like a blue dragon of some sort.


Sent from my iPad using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[Ish]

Sophie's supporter is a wyvern, which is a creature with the head and wings of a dragon, a reptilian body, 2 legs, and a barbed tail. I'm not why she has a wyvern as a supporter, as her family's arms have a lion on them.