HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900-2002)

[Erin9]

...Bertie was next. He could do..Or he could also have stepped down.
Its as plain and simple as that...

I really think that is an over-simplification of the situation. David stepping down was a HUGE deal. I can't even imagine the scandal if Bertie had said, "I don't want it either....next." I think it might have ended the monarchy. We'll never know, but David's abdication was no small matter, and Bertie refusing the throne would not have been either. There was nothing simple about the situation at all- not the ramifications of it anyway.

Bertie didn't "have" to do it, but he knew what his duty was and what was expected of him. He didn't have much of a choice imo. He was next in line, simple as that. Someone had to step up. He accepted the responsibility, like an adult.

In the long haul, I think it was best for the country that David abdicated, but it doesn't make me think highly of him either.

 

[casualfan]

My .02 - the QM and George VI also had to deal with the huge embarrassment of seeing David and Wallis parade to Germany and even do the Hitler salute like a pair of idiots.

Sorry, but it's hard to feel sorry for a couple of Nazis that their sister-in-law stayed angry at them.

 

[vkrish]

I really think that is an over-simplification of the situation. David stepping down was a HUGE deal...

I know that is over-simplification amd even I dont think highly of Edward. But the QM's PR camp potrays Wallis into a villain, like someone "who plotted to put QM and her family and life to torment and cause her husband's death" and that "she sacrificed her entire life because of Wallis". I dont agree with this. You must have understood by now.. So he abdicated and you have taken up, so you do it..whykeep that hatred alive..

 

[vkrish]

I never said I wasn't speculating. But you write speculation as fact. I don't.

You still say this even after I have given you the scientific basis behind my reasong, then I cant help.

You can't really forget or forgive Wallis, William and Henry are old enough to accept that divorce happens and people find love again. I'm not sure how to two relate really.

Oh come on, you are back to square one. Both the QM and you should be old enough to accept that they fell in love and he left the throne for her. If he had no problem leaving his birth-duty, then what can Wallis do? Should she go underground? Hide in some bunker?

You make your own destiny, you make your own fate. If you let some higher power control your life be prepared to watch it crumble beneath you. You get one shot in life, use it wisely I say.

Oh come on, I told you already, these inspirational quotes are good for you and me, not royalty. Bertie could not make his fate..Fate saw him born to a king, next to a king, and then made him the King. Monarchy is all fate and destiny..YOU CANNOT DENY THIS. You cannot blame others. YOU CANNOT BLAME WALLIS

 

[casualfan]

But the QM's PR camp potrays Wallis into a villain...

Wallis Simpson upset generations - nearly millennia - of tradition in the BRF by helping to get Edward to abandon his duty as heir to the throne. It's not only the personal sacrifices that the QM and her husband made, it was the disappointment they felt that Edward would abandon his position for a woman who obviously, through her actions, demonstrated a complete and utter lack of regard for it.

 

[Dman]

I think the late King George VI & Queen Elizabeth did the best they could do as King & Queen. No doubt The King should've taken better care of himself beacuse the job as King is already very stressful but I really don't think his passing was the fault of Wallis. She didn't make Edward give up the throne. All he wanted to do was marry the woman he clearly loved and do his duty as King with his wife by his side. I know how people views were in those old days about divorcee's but I really don't think the world would've exploded if Edward was allowed to marry Wallis and stay on the throne too.

Then again, I think everything worked out the way it did due to destiny. Now we have Elizabeth II on the throne for nearly 61 successful years and this most likely wouldn't have happened if it werent for those turn of events in the 1930's.

 

[Osipi]

.At least when you talk about monarchy have some respect for fate and destiny...

In the game of life, free will trumps over everything else be it fate, destiny, higher powers or what your mother tells you to do. No exceptions. Its what makes us unique individuals.

Speaking from experience as a severely hearing impaired person with a speech impediment, I can understand how Bertie would have been under quite a bit more stress than a non handicapped person would be and that's in normal situations. As a smoker, I do find myself smoking more when under stress than I normally do too. Put in the situation of being King of a huge realm and I would wager to say that the stress was immense for Bertie. With his wife strongly supporting him, he stepped up to the plate and did a very remarkable job during a very hard period of history for his people.

The whole abdication crisis cannot be put solely on Wallis' shoulders. From what I've gathered over the years, she wasn't aiming to marry David nor be Queen. Wallis had no control over David's obsession with her and I think things backfired to a point where Wallis was painted into a corner with no way out. Of course everyone and their grandmother's pet poodle wished Wallis had never left her side of the pond. Bertie was family. Bertie was loved by his family and country and when Wallis appeared on the scene, horrific gasps of concern were heard. Elizabeth and Wallis did not like each other I think from the start. That happens in families. I do not care for my brother's SO and she doesn't care for me either so we stay well out of range of each other and it works. I don't believe that the QM "hated" Wallis and kept it alive fanning the flames but more so hated the consequences that arose from that romance.

Life is full of twists and turns and bumps in the road and full of surprises both positive and negative. We deal with what comes along when it does.

 

[NGalitzine]

QEQM didn't cease all contact with David after the abdication. When the Windsors Paris home was being renovated to become a museum one of the things found in the Dukes bathroom was a packet of Christmas cards from the Queen Mother which she had sent him each year. He obviously valued them enough to keep them all.

 

[AdmirerUS]

Osipi, even I have read positive things only about QM. You just cannot expect anything negative about her, that too from her neice's book.

I think the Queen Mum and Hubby raised a perfect child. That would be Elizabeth.
I think Margaret was more willful - as second children are, and got her way more often. That influenced her adulthood.
I also think the Queen Mum was a spectacular Granny. But then, that is an easier and more enjoyable job than parenting, for anyone who has been through it.

Just saying.

 

[CarolynHarris]

My review of Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother

Such a great read!

Counting One’s Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother edited by William Shawcross (Review) | Carolyn Harris: Royal Historian

 

[Dman]

Queen Mother may get blue plaque tribute:
Queen Mother may get blue plaque tribute - Telegraph

 

[Iluvbertie]

Public appearances such as the Trooping the Colour and even balcony appearances are recorded in the CC.

The 4th August 2000 - the Queen Mother's 100th birthday was noted in the CC as follows:

Today is the one hundredth Anniversary of the Birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
This morning Her Majesty took the Salute at Clarence House as The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery marched past, followed by The Queen's Guard found by Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards with the Band of the Irish Guards.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, accompanied by The Prince of Wales, left Clarence House for Buckingham Palace in a Carriage Procession with a Travelling Escort found by the Blues and Royals.

and

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, accompanied by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and other Members of the Royal Family, appeared on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace today to acknowledge the good wishes of the crowd gathered to celebrate the One Hundredth Birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
Her Majesty and the other Members of the Royal Family remained for Lunch afterwards.

That would mean these were official engagements for the Queen Mother on that day.

Princess Alice's 100th birthday in the CC wasn't recorded in the CC - possibly due to it also being Christmas Day.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

I don't know if this has ever been posted here but I wanted to share it: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-108494/Grandma-did-impression-Ali-G.html

This Article is from 2002 After The Queen Mother's death. Prince William and Harry Remember their Great Grandmother:

'Grandma did an impression of Ali G'

Excerpts

"In an extraordinary interview [William and Harry] affectionately recalled memories of their great-grandmother...she reduced the Royal Family to fits of laughter after one Christmas lunch...standing in the dining room at Sandringham, she turned to the Queen, snapped her fingers Ali G style and said: 'Respec!"

"Anything that was meant to be formal and went wrong, she enjoyed...She would have a good giggle. She had such a young sense of humour. Every single thing that went wrong or was funny for any reason, she laughed herself stupid about it - it kept us all sane...She loved a good laugh, even if the joke was about her...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."

"[About his father] William said: 'They were very close. She gave him a lot of advice and help.' Harry added 'They always joked about everything. They both had the same sense of humour.'"

William on his great-grandmother: "I remember her as being a huge inspiration to me, someone to really look up to and admire. She was a historic link. I looked up to her because of what an achievement it was to live to 101. It was a pleasure to sit next to her at lunch. She always had some great war stories and, to hear them from her, it really brought it all to life, something that happened long before we were born."

William's fondest memory: "Being with her on her 101st birthday was great. Standing at the gates with your great-grandmother who is 101 years old as her troops go by was quite something...My first memory of her was turning up at Birkhall and, as I was getting out of the car, I tripped and fell flat on my face, right in front of her. I must have been about six or seven, She helped me up again. It was so funny because she was so old, and there was me being hauled off the ground by her.'"

"My favourite photograph of us together was a picture of me aged about nine or ten helping her up the steps at Windsor Castle. I remember the moment because she said to me, "Keep doing that for people and you will go a long way in life.""

"She loved seeing what we got for Christmas and asking what was the latest, trendy thing."

"As she said goodbye [as William set off for St Andrews}, she said, "Any good parties, invite me down" William recalled. 'I said yes, but there was no way. I knew full well that if I invited her down, she would dance me under the table.'"

 

[cepe]

She wasn't perfect. She failed to educate her eldest daughter and it is down to Queen Mary that HMQ gained real understanding of her role; she failed to control Margaret and spoilt her so much that it impacted on her life forever, including never preparing her for her secondary role to her sister; she was extravagant nd cost her daughter, literally, millions.

She was also kind, funny, supportive, and loving.

That all makes her human, not perfect, not a saint.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

You are right she was not perfect or not a Saint. That does made her Human! That why she one of my favorites all Time Royals.

I always heard she had a Influence on her Daughter Elizabeth. True Mary spent more time preparing her for her new role but The Queen Mother still had a Influence on her Daughter. I have also read the same being said about Charles, The Queen Mother spent more time preparing Charles for his new Role after Her daughter came to the throne. When Charles (And Anne) was Growing up he was with His Grandmother a lot when when his mother was Gone, The Queen mother also had influence on Charles. If you watch Elizabeth Coronation Video you will se The Queen Mother Whispering to Charles a few times.

Kind if like Elizabeth and Margaret with Mary.

 

[vkrish]

She wasn't perfect. She failed to educate her eldest daughter and it is down to Queen Mary that HMQ gained real understanding of her role; she failed to control Margaret and spoilt her so much that it impacted on her life forever, including never preparing her for her secondary role to her sister; she was extravagant nd cost her daughter, literally, millions.

This is so true. I was previously ripped apart for saying something like this..

 

[BritishRoyalist]

This is so true. I was previously ripped apart for saying something like this..

Why would you be ripped a part? No one is Perfect... Not even The Queen herself. I have said on here before that Diana was not at all perfect or a not saint and no one that got offended, rip me apart or criticizes me for saying that.

 

[Skippyboo]

To be fair, the that time most young girls of the upper classes were brought up to marry rich upper class boys and raise a family. The boys of the upper class would learn to run the family estate, sent into the military or the clergy. The queen had a tutor from Eton teach her British history while she was at Windsor during the war. I would think the best way to learn how to be a royal is to learn from older royals.

 

[scooter]

She wasn't perfect. She failed to educate her eldest daughter and it is down to Queen Mary that HMQ gained real understanding of her role; she failed to control Margaret and spoilt her so much that it impacted on her life forever, including never preparing her for her secondary role to her sister; she was extravagant nd cost her daughter, literally, millions.

She was also kind, funny, supportive, and loving.

That all makes her human, not perfect, not a saint.

She also spoiled Charles disgracefully, which left a permanent mark on him and his character.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

She also spoiled Charles disgracefully, which left a permanent mark on him and his character.

Yes I did see Diana complained about that in the Andrew Morton Book, All Grandparents spoil their Grandchildren's. And so what if he asked his Mother And Grandmother if they wanted anything to drink and ask her last... No big deal in my opinion. It Normal.

 

[scooter]

That would be fine. Raising a child to think they can have/do anything they want with whomever they want without there being repercussions, however, is Not Normal.

 

[Dman]

Yes I did see Diana complained about that in the Andrew Morton Book, All Grandparents spoil their Grandchildren's. And so what if he asked his Mother And Grandmother if they wanted anything to drink and ask her last... No big deal in my opinion. It Normal.

Where I come from, a wife/girlfriend would rip her husband/boyfriend a new one if her didn't offer her drink first.

Very true, grandmothers very often spoil their grandchildren. I know my grandmother did. Charles was allowed to get away with a lot though. Being the future King, you would think they wouldn't tolerated some of the things he did in his personal life.

I think Charles is very lucky he didn't have to deal with his late great-grandfather. George V was something else.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

That would be fine. Raising a child to think they can have/do anything they want with whomever they want without there being repercussions, however, is Not Normal.

Okay I see what you are saying. Good Point,

 

[Iluvbertie]

Where I come from, a wife/girlfriend would rip her husband/boyfriend a new one if her didn't offer her drink first.

Your wife/girlfriend though doesn't have a mother who is HM The Queen and a grandmother who is HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother -two ladies he bowed to the first time he saw them every day.

My brother always offered a drink to his mother and sister before his wife by the way - still does - she thinks that is normal - his mother, her mother, his sister, her sisters, her sisters-in-law and even his daughters ALL come before her in her opinion.

That is simply good manners where I come from and a wife who expected anything else would be criticised for having bad manners and no idea of correct behaviour.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Where I come from, a wife/girlfriend would rip her husband/boyfriend a new one if her didn't offer her drink first.

See i'd be the exact opposite, in a situation like that I would rightly expect the son to ask the mother or grandmother first, if frankly i'm not the one asking. Like if they came round for dinner, for instance.

I think Charles did right, all about the interpretation perhaps.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

Your wife/girlfriend though doesn't have a mother who is HM The Queen and a grandmother who is HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother -two ladies he bowed to the first time he saw them every day.

My brother always offered a drink to his mother and sister before his wife by the way - still does - she thinks that is normal - his mother, her mother, his sister, her sisters, her sisters-in-law and even his daughters ALL come before her in her opinion.

That is simply good manners where I come from and a wife who expected anything else would be criticised for having bad manners and no idea of correct behaviour.

I agree with everything what you said. By the way I always ask my Grandma if she want anything then I ask my mom and Aunt last. I don't see it as bad manners.

I got the 'it all about me' vibe from Diana when she said that.. Some might see it different but I don't see it as bad in my opinion. Especially when asking your Elders first can be a sign of respect.

 

[Dman]

I think it's respectable to assist your mother and grandmother and then the wife but not everyone would like that. I think Diana understood what Charles was doing but I think some of the problems in their marriage may have caused her to look at things differently.

 

[Osipi]

See i'd be the exact opposite, in a situation like that I would rightly expect the son to ask the mother or grandmother first, if frankly i'm not the one asking. Like if they came round for dinner, for instance.

I think Charles did right, all about the interpretation perhaps.

I have to agree with you on this one. If the situation was that it was John Smith (just an off the way situation) that was offering the drinks, I would be assuming that John was playing the role of the host while his wife was hostess.

Good manners suggest that guests always are looked after and offered food and drink to first before the host/ess.

 

[padams2359]

Definately a "What about me?" moment in my book.

 

[NGalitzine]

Your wife/girlfriend though doesn't have a mother who is HM The Queen and a grandmother who is HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother -two ladies he bowed to the first time he saw them every day.

My brother always offered a drink to his mother and sister before his wife by the way - still does - she thinks that is normal - his mother, her mother, his sister, her sisters, her sisters-in-law and even his daughters ALL come before her in her opinion.

That is simply good manners where I come from and a wife who expected anything else would be criticised for having bad manners and no idea of correct behaviour.

It was the same in our household. Grandmother and my mother were always served before any of us and certainly before sisters in law and no one ever objected as far as I know. It was just considered good manners.