Journey to the throne
HER MAJESTY’S PLATINUM JUBILEE:
It was a destiny that was never meant to be theirs, but one that made their bond as father and daughter unbreakable. George VI, who died on this day 70 years ago, became King only after his brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
At the time his overriding concern was the impact this would have on his eldest daughter Elizabeth – then only 10 years old – who one day would become Queen.
Though he need not have worried. His beloved Lilibet, as he called her, is now our longest ruling monarch, preparing to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in June.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was welcomed into the world on April 21, 1926, by her parents Prince Albert, the Duke of York, and Elizabeth the Duchess of York.
Four years later the Duchess gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Margaret, and the family led a relatively quiet existence, splitting their time between two royal homes, one in London and one in the grounds of Windsor Great Park.
The Duke’s father King George V had been a disciplinarian, which made him all the more determined that his own children’s lives would be filled with love not fear.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams says: “One of the joys of having parents who were so devoted is that the Queen had an idyllic childhood. She and Margaret were very close and they had so much love from their parents.”
They were educated at home and it was clear that they had very different personalities.
Elizabeth was well-behaved and conscientious in her studies, while Margaret was more playful and determined, leading the Duke to describe Elizabeth as his “pride” and Margaret as his “joy”.
In her spare time Elizabeth loved nothing more than spending time with the family’s dogs and horses, even once declaring that she would one day like to marry a farmer so she could have lots of “cows, horses and dogs”.
But life had much greater plans for her.
After the death of
King George V in January 1936, who young Elizabeth fondly called “Grandpa England”, her uncle Edward became King.
But it soon became clear that his relationship with married socialite Mrs Simpson was more important to him than the monarchy. In late October she filed for divorce from her second husband to make way for her marriage to Edward, making his position as monarch untenable.
Mr Fitzwilliams says: “There is no doubt at all that Edward VIII was irresponsible, a playboy and regarded the job of what he called “princeing” in a derogatory way.
“There is no doubt it would have been a catastrophe had he not abdicated.”
On December 10 Elizabeth was
about to write up her notes from her swimming lesson when she heard chants of “God Save the King” outside. She asked a footman what had happened and he told her that her uncle had abdicated and her father was King.
She ran to tell her sister the news. “Does that mean you will have to be the next Queen?” asked Margaret. “Yes, some day,” replied Elizabeth. “Poor you,” said Margaret.
From that day on life for young Elizabeth changed for ever.
The family moved into Buckingham Palace and their parents’ new roles made them more absent as their time was filled with various royal engagements.
“Elizabeth had the same sense of responsibility and seriousness as her father. The very last thing her father had wanted was to become King,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
“But he had a devotion to duty which Elizabeth could see. It was such a tremendous difficulty for a King who had a stammer – it made public speaking so difficult for him, and he was in poor health after seeing action in the Navy.
“The sacrifices he made set a great example for his daughter.”
His official coronation was on May 12, 1937, and with his daughter’s future destiny as Queen in mind, he asked her to write her own account so that she might feel more prepared for her own.
Elizabeth wrote that her Papa looked “very beautiful” and that Westminster Abbey was covered in a “haze of wonder”.
As George settled into his new role, he also began preparing his daughter for hers.
One of the greatest signs of trust was when Elizabeth turned 18. Her father was away on a tour of Italian battlefields and named her a Counsellor of State, which allowed her to represent the country.
By this time Elizabeth had already met future husband Philip but it was to be a long and distant courtship with him away in the Navy.
Westminster Abbey was covered in a haze of wonder
They married in November 1947 and in an emotional letter to his daughter, the King wrote: “I was so proud and thrilled at having you so close to me on our long walk in Westminster Abbey. But when I handed your hand to the Archbishop, I felt I had lost something very precious.”
His health started to deteriorate the following year and the Princess and the Duke of Edinburgh regularly had to stand in for her ailing father.
The Princess and her husband were staying at Treetops safari lodge on a Commonwealth tour of Kenya when news of her father’s death came through on February 6, 1952.
Despite grieving for the father she loved so dearly, her country needed her and at the age of just 25 Elizabeth was now Queen.
The first monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne, her coronation date of June 2 this year will mark the start of a four-day bank holiday.
Families will throw street parties, while the palace will host a huge concert. And more than 1,500 beacons will be lit across the UK and Commonwealth countries in her honour.
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The sacrifices he made set a great example for his daughter