On March 30th 2002, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon passed away at the great age of 101. Known to all as the Queen Mother, she died peacefully in her sleep at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Castle.

She was born on August 4th, 1900 and was the fourth daughter and ninth child of Lord Glamis. She lived through a century of great change and turbulence, and such was her charm that she earned the affectionate title of ‘Queen Mum’. She was a very popular debutante and had many suitors vying for her attention. When she accepted ‘Bertie’s’ proposal, little did she realise that she was, in fact, agreeing to marry a future king. She agreed to marry him in 1923, thus becoming the Duchess of York. They lived in a house that was modest by royal standards and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret.











When Edward VIII abdicated on December 10th 1936, his younger brother was next in line to inherit the throne. Although he neither wanted nor expected it, ‘Bertie’ became George VI. He felt ill-prepared for the role which had been thrust on him – he was a quiet man with poor health and an incapacitating stutter. His young wife was of invaluable aid to him, not least by attending a Harley St. specialist with him every day for two and half months until he could control his stutter.

















During the Second World War, pressure was put on Elizabeth to take her young children to the safety of Canada while the war lasted. Famously, she refused, saying ‘the princesses will not leave without me, I will not leave without the King and the King will never leave’.

















All through the war, she boosted morale by visiting Red Cross Centres, air-raid shelters, hospitals and areas which had been bombed. When Buckingham Palace itself was bombed, she shrugged it off, announcing ‘I am almost glad that we’ve been bombed. Now I feel that I can look the East End in the face’.
















Her husband died in 1952 and his widow, refusing to be known as the Queen Dowager, chose instead her own preferred title of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. As she had helped her husband, she now assisted her daughter in the performance of her duties. Apparently, not a day went by when Queen Elizabeth did not seek her counsel and wisdom- in fact the operators at Clarence House became used to using the expression ‘Your Majesty? I have Her Majesty on the line, Your Majesty’.

Right up to her nineties, she ran a huge schedule of engagements – she did over 40 overseas visits and was president or patron of over 350 British organizations. She believed that if the people were to remain committed to the Crown, the Royal Family must also show their commitment to the people.

She weathered two hip replacements in later years and had a colostomy during the 1960’s. And always, she was known for her charm and ability to engage with people. Her twin passions were horse-racing and trout-fishing and she was also known to enjoy the odd glass of gin. At a reception once, the hostess approached the Queen Mother saying ‘I hear you like gin?’

The Queen Mother, rather than being upset, was charmed. ‘I hadn’t realised I had that reputation, but seeing as I do, could you make it a large one, please?’