THE UNSEEN QUEEN
Her OWN magical album Four-page picture special
No peal of bells from an empty Westminster Abbey. No thunderous gun salutes from Hyde Park, the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle or anywhere else.
The only outward hints that it was the Queen’s birthday yesterday were the supersized Royal Standard (special occasions only) flying from the Round Tower at Windsor Castle – plus the National Anthem on Radio 4 at 7am.
Not since the Second World War has the Queen had such a low-key birthday – and even then, she could at least celebrate with the rest of the family.
Yesterday the Queen turned 94 with just Prince Philip for company. The rest of the family could communicate only via videolinks and telephone. Yet, it was precisely because of these subdued circumstances that the royal birthday took on such a special significance.
Instead of the usual hoopla, Buckingham Palace issued an enchanting selection of the Queen’s early years from the family film archive, while ITV released details from tonight’s documentary on the Queen’s wartime childhood at Windsor Castle.
The results were an instant hit across the internet and social media, as a Covid-weary country enjoyed a reminder of the early years of a monarch who now, more than ever, is an anchor in times of trouble. With our Prime Minister incapacitated and the Government reeling from one setback after another, who could not enjoy the sight of our indefatigable head of state as a baby or as a toddler struggling with a toy pram?
Is there not something endearing about the sight of the longest- serving, longestlived sovereign in British history as a small child clambering on to a pony or posing as a shy 15-year-old amid the syringa in the gardens of Windsor Castle?
one of the most uplifting moments of this entire coronavirus crisis has been the Queen’s address to the nation. In it, she recalled that it was 80 years since her first
broadcast in 1940 when, with Princess Margaret at her side, she talked to child evacuees at the height of the Blitz.
The strength of that sisterly bond comes shining through so many of these scenes of the two princesses, whether playing ‘peekaboo’ in the gardens of Royal Lodge or riding together at Balmoral or going through some lessthan-serious dance routines on board the royal yacht Victoria & Albert III.
Some of these moments, released by the Royal Collection Trust, have seldom been seen. Though many depict
an enchanting, carefree childhood, tonight’s documentary serves as a reminder of the central role the Royal Family played in boosting morale during the gravest national crisis of modern times.
For much of the war, the princesses enjoyed a different sort of isolation, confined to Windsor for their safety. By way of entertainment, they were enthusiastic participants in Christmas pantomimes, produced in the castle’s Waterloo Chamber each year, like the 1943 charity production of Aladdin.
Staged over three nights, it was directed by a local schoolmaster and included local children and even the duty garrison, with proceeds going to the national Wool Fund.
But Princess Elizabeth was keen to join up and do her bit as soon as she could. In February 1945, she was granted a commission with the honorary rank of second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
Commuting to a training depot in Camberley, Surrey, she learned how to drive and strip down the engine of a four-ton truck. It is extraordinary to think that all these years later, that same shy, dutiful public servant has once again been celebrating her birthday behind those same walls in a time of crisis.
Many of us will also find it rather reassuring that, at the apex of our national life, we have someone who has been here before.
■ Our Queen At War is on ITV tonight at 9pm.
BLIGHTED by pandemic, there is very little about which Britain can be joyful.
But the Queen marking her 94th birthday is wonderful news we can all celebrate.
Not only does the sovereign embody selfless public service and fortitude, it is remarkable how she divines the mood of the nation. For the first time in her reign, there were no gun salutes or Union Flags fluttering. It would, she made clear, be inappropriate when coronavirus is ruining so many lives. Through national catastrophes and triumphs, she has been a beacon of inspiration (some younger royals take note). Long may she reign.