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

[silverstar]

Queen Mary and a future Queen of England



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Celebheaven • View topic - Princess May of Teck

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

What a great photograph.

 

[snowflower]

Yes, Queen Mary was definitely static in terms of fashion, but I guess it was her way of keeping that dignified persona of the royal family. You can tell how dated her clothes seemed in this photo of her with Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians
Queen_Mary_and_Queen_Elisabeth.jpg (image)

Well I hope that although she remained static in terms of fshion, she at least changed to more comfortable underwear as time passed . Although I guess I should not be surprised if I was told that she never wore another kind of support than corsets in her life

 

[Mark O]

Queen Mary's carpet

Hi, I know Queen Mary handmade a carpet in her later life and it was sold to the USA so it would 'bring dollars to the country', but my question is does Queen Mary's carpet still exist and if so where is it?

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Hi, I know Queen Mary handmade a carpet in her later life and it was sold to the USA so it would 'bring dollars to the country', but my question is does Queen Mary's carpet still exist and if so where is it?

Hi Mark O:

According to this article, it may be hanging in the National Gallery in Ottawa, Canada. The article says the needlepoint creation went on tour of the USA and Canada, but was not sold to anyone in the United States

Sampler Lovers Blog: Queen Mary's Rug

 

[Mark O]

Thank you for your reply Mr Markos, nice to see it's treasured and hopefully available for the public to view, though I can't find any mention of it on the gallery's website, I hope it's not in storage, one of these days I'll make it from England to Ottowa!

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Thank you for your reply Mr Markos, nice to see it's treasured and hopefully available for the public to view, though I can't find any mention of it on the gallery's website, I hope it's not in storage, one of these days I'll make it from England to Ottowa!

You are very welcome. Strange that one is unable to confirm its location. Can anyone out there help us? Canada, represent!

 

[Downey1]

Last Will & Testament of Queen Mary of Teck

I came across this website and was hoping to get some help in my search. I am looking for a copy of the last will and testament of HM Queen Mary of Teck.

I wish to conform some information, that may or may not be entered into her final wishes. If anyone has a copy or know where I can find a copy please feel free to email me.

I have contacted to office whom keeps records of the wills filed in Great Britain, including the office in the area where HM passed, however was told it did not exist and they were unable to find any match by Queen's Name, which I thought was rather odd.

I would appreciate any help anyone can offer, I do thank you for your time and look forward to any assistance I can be offered.

-R

 

[Kataryn]

I came across this website and was hoping to get some help in my search. I am looking for a copy of the last will and testament of HM Queen Mary of Teck.

AFAIK the wills of members of the Royal family are not published and kept secret.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Currently the wills of monarchs and other members of the royal family are sealed, at Queen Mary's request in 1911 as she didn't want details of her brother's will made public.

Recently there was a court case brought by a man, claiming to be Princess Margaret's illegitimate son, wanting both Margaret's and the Queen Mum's wills unsealed but he failed in that request.

This article sets out what has happened.

https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/royal_family/Queen+Latifah-47114.html

The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1556561/Princesss-love-child-loses-will-access-case.html

 

[pgm1952]

Queen Mary is my favorite queen consort and favorite member of the British royal family. She deserves almost all the credit for moulding the current queen into who she became as an adult. She was the last major link in the family from the more Germanic times of Queen Victoria. I believe her death caused a subtle change the family forever. The Queen Mother and the new Queen did not have the gravitas and erect, stern countenance of Queen Mary. They were strong women but Queen Mary was something else. I can't fully explain it but she was just a presence that had a deep impact. I argue that it is still felt by the Queen to this day.

 

[silverstar]

Got to agree with Pam, Queen Mary was something special.... every inch a Queen of Empire and a much loved Grandmother of HRH.
As the present Queen ages, she somehow looks more and more like her dear old gran.

 

[cmkrcwi]

I am also a big admirer of Queen Mary. Considering her devotion to duty, I wonder what she would think of the Royal Family today.

 

[pgm1952]

Has anyone heard a rumor that Queen Mary secretly converted to Catholicism when she was still Princess May ? It was talked about in the Donald Spoto book "The Fall of the House of Windsor". I find it so hard to believe considering her reverence for the British throne (an Anglican/Protestant throne).

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Has anyone heard a rumor that Queen Mary secretly converted to Catholicism when she was still Princess May ? It was talked about in the Donald Spoto book "The Fall of the House of Windsor". I find it so hard to believe considering her reverence for the British throne (an Anglican/Protestant throne).

I never heard about this. What did Spoto write?

 

[pgm1952]

I never heard about this. What did Spoto write?

My memory is sketchy but he definately did not state that she had converted but said it was rumored. He cited the facts that while her family was in exile in Florence she would go to listen to the choir and maybe a mass (still pre Vatican II so in Latin) of a Catholic church (may/may not have been the Duomo) and as Princess of Wales or Queen she made floral or possibly monetary donations to Catholic churches (or one church) in London. She may have paid for a new altar.

But Spoto also seems to dismiss it as a myth citing her devotion to the unquestionably Protestant British monarchy as well as if it came out the rights of succession of her six children would have been jeopardized. She may just have been impressed by the rituals and elegance of Catholicism as opposed to the more austere, Germanic Protestant faith.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

But if Queen Mary had converted, that would not jeopardize the line of succession for her children. I thought the Act of Settlement stipulated that anyone who marries a Roman Catholic renounces his or her right to the throne but not necessarily his or her children depending on how they are raised. For example, Prince Michael of Kent renounced his rights when he married a Roman Catholic but his children are still in the line of succession (I hope I am correct on this). If the child is raised Roman Catholic, he or she loses his or her place in the line of succession.

Furthermore, once one is married, and that spouse converts (like the Duchess of Kent), again, that does not force the renunciation of one's right to take the throne. Am I correct on this? I hope so.

 

[MAfan]

If someone who is in the line of succession marries to a Catholic (i.e. Prince Michael or the Earl of St.Andrews) or choses to convert to Catholicism (i.e. Lord Downpatrick), he/she automatically loses his/her succession rights, but this doesn't affect the succession rights of his/her children (so Frederick and Ella still are in the line of succession).
If the spouse of someone who is in the line of succession converts to Catholicism, this doesn't affect his/her succession rights (so the Duke of Kent still is in the line of succession).

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

My dear MAfan,

Thank you. Then I was correct. So if Queen Mary had converted, this would not have affected the line of succession. That being said, I doubt Queen Mary would have converted--she revered the monarchy and because the monarch is head of the Church of England, this alone would probably dissuade her from converting.

 

[Zonk]

But the issue is, if I am reading the first message correct is that Princess May of Teck (while living in Florence with her family before she married the Duke of York) converted to Catholicism. As such she was a Catholic before she married George, thus making him ineligible to be King, at the death of King Edward VII than Victoria (as eldest daughter of Edward VII should have been Queen).

Members of the British Royal Family who marry Catholics lose their succession rights. That's why it was a big deal when Autumn Kelly converted to Protestant because she was a Roman Catholic. As such, Peter Phillips did not lose his succession rights.

I don't believe that Mary did convert, she could have aprpeciated the religion as a result of her time in Florence and made bequests as a result.

 

[MAfan]

That's exact, had she converted before marrying, George would have been ineligible to succeed to Edward VII, but their chilrdren would, so Edward VII would have been succeeded by David.

 

[Zonk]

You are right, totally forgot about the kids.

Unless of course something had happened to Edward VII before David was born. Can you imagine still ending up with David as King?!

ETA: I think the chances of Mary being Catholic before she married George are slim to none. Her mother, the Duchess of Teck was a granddaughter of George III and she took her religion and her royal status very seriously. If there was a small chance of Albert Victor and than George marrying a Catholic who didnot and would not convert (see Helene and Albert Victor), such a potential marriage would have been squashed like a bug.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Sorry, I completely missed the statement about converting while her family was living in Florence. In that case, although I don't think she would have converted, she could have as I don't believe she imagined herself at the time marrying an heir to the throne. But still, it would have been such a big step, and I think she would have disclosed it if an heir to the throne asked for her hand in marriage.

 

[Zonk]

Indeed, I believe Mary if that was the case would have "confessed." I believe she lived by a fairly strict Victorian code, so I dont think she would have tried to get over.

 

[MAfan]

Would have she lied for nearly 70 years to the whole world about something that, if discovered and made public, would have had major constitutional and political implications (because George V would have been an usurper, if his wife was Catholic since before they married)? I think it is highly unlikely.

 

[Zonk]

Exactly, I need a page number and if Spoto made such a claim, surely he has a source to back up his statement and that should be in the bibliography.

 

[IloveCP]

I understand that she came off as agnorant but,that was how she was raised to be.Like her grandaughter Elizabeth,she was taught to never show emotion in public.
And I highly doubt she was a snob since she accepted Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons(Queen Mother)into the family.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I have never liked Queen Mary, I don't know why and I think some of it might be that when I was younger I saw a picture of her stone cold face and was turned off. But I just do not like the woman or find her at all interesting.

 

[Furienna]

I understand that she came off as agnorant but,that was how she was raised to be.Like her grandaughter Elizabeth,she was taught to never show emotion in public.
And I highly doubt she was a snob since she accepted Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons(Queen Mother)into the family.

Well, I've often seen Queen Elizabeth (II) smile in pictures, but her grandmother, Queen Mary, seems to always have had a stone-cold face, so I understand what XeniaCasaraghi means.

 

[Katrianna]

I've seen many pictures of Queen Mary smiling. She may have come off as cold and arrogant, but she was reserved and shy, Mary, as her Granddaughter, Elizabeth took her royal duties seriously and believed in not showing her emotions. Queen Mary has been in the unfortunate position of being misunderstood.