biography of the queen mother

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A life of legend, duty and devotion

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother , who has died at the age of 101, was the Mother Earth and Mother Courage of her family during almost 80 years of public life. She was queen for fewer than 15 years, during a period which is now beginning to pass out of living memory. Yet her personal popularity continued through half a century of widowhood, unimpaired by changing public reactions to her children and grandchildren, and their mostly broken marriages.

Her contribution to the popularity of the royal family for much of the last century was immeasurable. Her death will be - for all those who (as the death of Diana, Princess of Wales indicated) still read the clock of their own lives partly by royal events - one of the greatest breaches in continuity since the death of Queen Victoria, during whose reign she was born.

In her later years, with her family's reputation in flux, she came to be a less central figure, more of a survivor on the sidelines jauntily weathering falls and illnesses. With her eldest daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, she was, however, always a talisman of the family's good name. Her deliberately small-scale 100th birthday celebration in Horse Guards' Parade, London, on July 19 2000, a parade which recapitulated most of the events of her century, was seen by 7m viewers, just under 50% of all people watching television that night.

When she married the Duke of York (later King George VI) on April 23 1923, her impact on the crowds was comparable to that of Diana's 58 years later. She had been reluctant to marry royalty - "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to". But having accepted the life, she threw herself into it, and carried her husband through the trauma of the 1936 abdication, which brought him to the throne. She matured into the steadfast support of a shy, stammering, but equally steadfast man, who led his country through the second world war and became, in his time, a widely loved monarch. She herself became better at the bland rituals of public duty than any other member of the royal family.

History will probably honour her best for her reply in 1940 - after Buckingham Palace had been bombed while the family was at home - to advice that she should follow other wealthy people in sending her daughters to Canada until the end of the war. She said: "The children will not leave unless I do. I shall not leave unless their father does; and the king will not leave the country in any circumstances." She also said of the bombing: "Now at last I can look the East End in the face."

Yet what those who saw her in later life on television, or in the flesh, may find it hardest and saddest to forget is her compulsive informality, her knack of giving the most pretentious function the air of a jumble sale, in the midst of which she would stand, beaming toothily and talking, nineteen to the dozen, with legs placed comfortably apart, and one hand in the air to emphasise a point. At times, she could be uncannily like her pet television character, Ena Sharples of Coronation Street, in a good mood; and at times, as a pop newspaper put it, like "a Gainsborough lady with a hint of a pearly queen".

If one of her favourite texts came from the mysticism of Julian of Norwich ("All shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well"), another was a long- preserved press cutting which, amid a wilderness of misplaced pronouns, described her launching a battleship. "On the dais," it said, "stood the Queen, chatting to the bishop, and waving to the crowd. Suddenly - silently - she was in the sea, surrounded by a mass of broken wreckage and the comments of dockyard workers."

Virtually the most serious criticism made of her was unpunctuality, about which she was mostly unrepentant: "They are never ready for one," she would say. The worst gossip spread about her was that she was timorous in dealing with family disputes, mean about paying bills and over-partial to whisky and soda, or gin and tonic in later life. Guests at a Clarence House party shortly before the 1996 opening of parliament were impressed with her relish for martinis.

The story that, when kept waiting for her evening cocktail, she once phoned down to her Clarence House footmen - "I don't know what you two old queens are doing down there, but this old queen is dying of thirst" - is in character. She was partial to the company of homosexuals, such as the playwright Noël Coward, and liked having them on her staff. In return, she was treated as something of a gay icon.

In her last years, her frailty was unconcealable by willpower or make-up. But, if her reserves of energy were running out, her reserves of public regard and respect continued to run deep. Her legend stood undented during the royalty-knocking journalism of the 1990s.

She became a spectre which haunted republicans. In 1993, the novelist Ian McEwan forecast, to a mostly anti-royal conference convened by the Times during a near-collapse in the family's esteem after the disclosure of Charles' and Diana's adulteries: "The outpouring of grief when the Queen Mother dies will be great and there could be a great renewal in the monarchy." The author A N Wilson said: "When one considers the charmlessness and tastelessness of the family into which she married, there can be no doubt who the miracle-worker was."

Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born at St Paul's Waldenbury, the Hertfordshire house of her parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She was the ninth child, of 10, in an ancient and gregarious Scots family. The Strathmores' seat was the old royal hunting lodge of Glamis Castle, near Forfar, in the Scottish lowlands (Macbeth was not a direct ancestor). The dynasty was founded when Robert II of Scotland married his daughter to his secretary, Sir John Lyon, in the late 14th century.

The family, once the richest in Scotland, spent its fortune in the civil war. During the 18th century, it recovered by intermarrying with a wealthy Durham family, the Bowes. By the time of Elizabeth's father, the 14th earl, the family was not counted wealthy. It was referred to as "impoverished" and lived a socially unambitious, if comfortable, life. Her father worked in the grounds wearing an old coat tied with string. "We did all the usual country-life things together," said Elizabeth's younger brother David. "We looked after our gardens and our bantams, played indifferent tennis and in London went to the theatre."

Elizabeth was taught by a governess, mainly in domestic science, painting, dancing, the piano and French and German (as queen, she broadcast in French to occupied France). She grew up addicted to charades and mimicry, a good ballroom dancer in a group of girl partygoers nicknamed the "Mad Hatters". She was carefree and notably easy in manner, "bird-happy", as the novelist Evelyn Waugh wrote of one of her contemporaries. But it was not an unshadowed upbringing. One brother, Fergus, was killed at Loos in 1915. "It must be splendid to die like that," a friend wrote to her. Two others were wounded in the first world war, and one taken prisoner. Four of her brothers and sisters died before reaching adulthood.

The words "duty", "character" and "endurance" recur through her sayings, as they do through the lives of many less privileged members of her generation. Although she shrank from illness, injury and bad news in general, she made her first reputation as an effective welfare worker when Glamis was turned into a war hospital for five years during her adolescence.

She was never one of the promiscuous debutante set which tried to scintillate around the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, after the first world war was over. Her father had been put off by gossip about Edward's philandering with married women, and by the gambling and drinking of his group. "If there is one thing I have determined for my children, it is that they shall never have any sort of post about the court," he said. Her future mother-in-law, Queen Mary, said of the adolescent Elizabeth: "She is not one of those modern girls, thank goodness."

According to one convincing theory, Queen Mary had singled Elizabeth out from youth as a potential bride for the younger prince, Albert, Duke of York, known as "Bertie", and later George VI. The couple met as children; he was a close friend of her elder brothers, a visitor to a house which was a liberating contrast to his own home. His mother was so shy that she barely spoke in public during 25 years as queen. His father, George V, ran the monarchy like clockwork, but was so inhibited that Mary once complained that he was incapable of saying to her in person what he wrote in formal love letters on her birthdays.

A friend called Prince Albert, in his mid-20s, "the least self-pleased person in the world". He had inherited his father's perfectionism; but he was introspective, highly strung and entirely overshadowed by his elder brother, Prince Edward. The more earnest and hard-working of the two, he had proved himself in the navy during the first world war. In peacetime, he founded and fostered a chain of industrial boys' clubs. Yet he was "greatly cut off" by a stammer which proved impervious to therapy. He was beginning to develop the despair of the chronic stammerer - the fear that the defect might be mental in origin and incurable.

In theory, he was the second most eligible bachelor in the country. In practice, his father had to warn him that Elizabeth might never accept him. When she did so at the third time of asking, when she was 22 and he 27, he cabled pathetically to his parents from Hertfordshire: "It's all right." She was to say later: "I felt it my duty to marry Bertie, and fell in love with him afterwards."

He was the first prince of the royal blood since Richard II to become engaged to a commoner. For his parents, this was an advantage. The obsessive 19th-century intermarriage of British and European royalty had done nothing to prevent the worst war in history; all it had meant was that one's relatives kept popping up, embarrassingly, on the other side.

Elizabeth was unknown to press and public, but her popularity was established at speed. She was a great novelty - a member of the royal family who smiled in public. The wedding, on April 26 1923, was the first marriage of a king's son since 1382 to be held outside a royal chapel. It drew extraordinary (for the time) crowds to Westminster Abbey. That night, a guest at the Bowes-Lyon clan's wedding party was one of the few people to pay any attention to the bridegroom. "Thank God she has married a good man," he said. In mid-honeymoon, Elizabeth caught whooping cough.

Her personality won her concessions made to no previous guest of George V. The biographer Sir John Wheeler-Bennett wrote: "To no one else would the king have said - as he did when his son and daughter-in-law arrived two minutes late for dinner and she apologised, 'You are not late, my dear. I think we must have sat down two minutes too early.'" When the old king died, Elizabeth said in a letter to his doctor: "Unlike his own children, I was never afraid of him."

Soon after the marriage, Albert embarked on a new speech therapy, which meant long sessions of daily practice for them both. He ventured to take on more public speaking duties, with his wife always sitting nearby, her lips moving in time with his. His speech improved to the point where, in 1927, George V decided to risk sending the couple on their first major assignment, the opening of the Australian federal parliament. The Australian prime minister, Stanley Bruce, was openly disgusted at the king's choice. He and his public had wanted the Prince of Wales, who had made a wildly successful tour seven years earlier.

The Yorks' visit meant that the duke and duchess missed seven of the first 14 months in the life of their first child, the present Queen Elizabeth. Early on, it seemed to be the young duchess who was drawing the crowds. Albert once drove through the streets without her, and went unrecognised. It seemed to confirm his lifelong pessimism about himself. "They don't want to see me," he said.

Then his wife went down with tonsilitis. After initially wanting to cancel the tour, he continued alone. He got overwhelmingly good receptions and delivered the opening speech in parliament at Canberra - under film lights - with scarcely a falter. An Australian reporter following the trip found that, almost everywhere, people liked Albert better than his brother. "This fellow's trying to do his job better than the other," was one remark. The birth of the duke's self-confidence is dated from that time; gradually, as they were given more public duties, and Elizabeth had another daughter, their friends felt that it was she who was beginning to lean on him for support.

Nevertheless, during the abdication crisis nine years later, serious consideration was given to passing on the throne to his younger brother, the Duke of Kent. Neither Albert's elder brother, then Edward VIII, nor the king's advisers, nor the government, believed that he could cope with - as Edward put it - the public strain and private drudgery of a constitutional monarch's work. According to one account, it was Elizabeth's popularity that tipped the scales.

On December 11 1936, Albert came to the throne, taking the name George VI, with Elizabeth as Queen Consort and last Empress of India. "I'm afraid there are going to be great changes in our lives, Crawfie," she told the children's nanny. The Independent Labour MP, James Maxton, tabled a Commons motion to replace the monarchy with a republic; it was defeated by 403 votes to 5.

They were crowned on May 12 1937, with three Indian maharajahs riding as honorary aides-de-camp ahead of a golden coach. Elizabeth's throne at Westminster Abbey was placed level with the king's. She was the first queen consort to be appointed a counsellor of state, one of the tiny group authorised to sign royal papers as a deputy to the monarch, and the first queen since Victoria to hold investitures. Economics and Latin were added to the tutorial curriculum of the young Elizabeth as heir to the throne. The princesses got used to having parents who worked office hours over black boxes. David Bowes-Lyon said: "Nothing in the abdication cut so deep as the changed future for their children."

In his farewell broadcast, the abdicated King Edward had said of his brother: "He has one matchless blessing, enjoyed by so many of you and not bestowed on me, a happy home with his wife and children." But Elizabeth refused to meet or to forgive Edward or his American divorcee wife, the Duchess of Windsor, for years afterwards.

It was from the start an earnest monarchy, if not as informal as the Dutch royal family. Elizabeth made housing a special interest; she paid a series of unofficial visits to poorer parts of London. When they opened the 1938 Empire Exhibition in Glasgow, the couple were at the function for only four hours and spent two days touring unemployment relief schemes in Scotland. Soon after their successful 1939 tour of north America - Elizabeth said "it made us"- they were inspecting gas masks and barrage balloons. As she left London by train to launch the liner Queen Elizabeth, she saw the first children being evacuated from the capital.

Among their private concerns after the war was their daughter Elizabeth's engagement to Prince Philip of Greece, which immediately followed a family tour of South Africa in the last year - 1947 - when it could be treated as a respectable member of the Commonwealth. A return visit to Australia was planned for 1949, but it had to be cancelled because of the king's illnesses. As early as May 1940, a 50-year-old working-class woman who kept diaries for Mass Observation, the forerunner of opinion polls, reported hearing "on every side pitying remarks about the worn and tired looks of the king. He looks far from being a strong man and it must be weary to be a king."

Crowds looking through the windows of George VI's car, as he toured during the late 1940s, saw a greying, spent man with cadaverous cheeks. In middle age, he was already being referred to as "the old king". In 1949, Elizabeth took over his public duties, asking "to be granted not a lighter load but a stronger back". He died on February 6 1952, the long struggle for achievement over. The cause was lung cancer.

Mass Observation's collated accounts found an intensity of public regret probably not equalled since the death of Queen Victoria. Elizabeth said in her public message three days after the funeral: "He loved you all, every one of you, most truly. Now I am left alone to do what I can to honour that pledge without him." The Times said that no monarch in history had owed more to his wife.

With her eldest daughter prematurely on the throne, Elizabeth was expected to fade into the future of a Clarence House dowager widow, like Queen Mary - a future of embroidery and the occasional unstressful public appearance. She did go through a period of depression and loneliness. She bought and renovated the tiny Castle of Mey, on the Caithness coast, as a retirement retreat. In 1954, however, she was asked to go alone to the US to receive the proceeds of an educational fund collected in honour of her husband. The visit was a success, with cab and truck drivers in New York and Washington shouting her name out in the street. Wartime gratitude had lasted. She was still in demand.

In the first decade of widowhood, Elizabeth toured - thanks to the advent of jet travel - 22 countries, far more than in her 28 years of marriage. She became the family's trouper and globetrotter. She was the first royal to fly by Comet; and 20 years later the first to go by Concorde. She was the Mambo Kazi (big mother) to Rhodesian chiefs in 1957, the "queen of mothers" to the Canadian government in 1958, a rainmaker to some of the Masai in Kenya in 1959 and (briefly) a hula-hula dancer in Honolulu in 1966.

In 1966 she underwent a serious operation for an abdominal obstruction. Thereafter her overseas travel was restricted. But in a representative later year, 1970, she carried out 211 public engagements in Britain and was an often active president or patron of over 300 organisations ranging from Dr Barnardo's to the Salmon and Trout Association.

In early widowhood, she managed, through her industry, to take over some of the workload during her elder daughter Elizabeth's family-forming years. When this was impossible, she looked after the children. It was to her that the young Prince Charles turned in bewilderment amid the flash bulbs when his mother, the new Queen, came home from an overseas tour to a London station in the early 1950s, just as it had been to Queen Mary, rather than the Duchess of York, that the infant Elizabeth had turned when her parents returned from the Australian tour in 1927; a sad echo down the years.

As Queen Mother, Elizabeth was involved in two family crises of public dimensions. The first - with some echoes of the abdication - was from 1952-55, over whether her younger daughter Margaret should marry the Comptroller of Elizabeth's household, Group Captain Peter Townsend, an innocent party in a divorce. The advice of the Queen Mother and the present Queen was that she should not; and she did not. The second crisis was from 1975-78, over the breakdown of Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon, in which the reformed divorce laws said there could be no innocent or guilty parties. This time Elizabeth was the first to appear in public with Margaret and to offer hospitality to Snowdon. Few were surprised. In May 1972, she had placed her hand on the arm of the ailing Duchess of Windsor at the funeral in St George's Chapel, Windsor, of the Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, whose abdication she felt had shortened George VI's life. In 1986 Elizabeth attended the duchess's funeral in the same chapel, marking the close of an old feud.

For her 80th birthday, she was woken at dawn by bagpipes and the sound of hundreds of sightseers singing "Happy birthday to you" outside Clarence House. News film taken at the time epitomises the zest of her old age. It shows a woman in a flowerpot hat peering gleefully through the windows, like a child. At a celebratory service in St Paul's, Dr Coggan - the sixth of the eight Archbishops of Canterbury she knew - said that, in wartime and postwar stress, she and George VI "taught us afresh what duty means". Prince Charles said in an interview: "For me, she has always been one of those extraordinarily rare people whose touch can turn everything to gold ... the most wonderful example of fun, laughter, warmth, infinite security."

Willie Hamilton, the former Labour MP who was, for 20 years, a parliamentary arch-scourge of royalty, said: "My hatchet is buried, my venom dissipated. I am glad to salute a remarkable old lady. Long may she live to be the pride of her family. And may God understand and forgive me if I have been ensnared and corrupted - if only briefly - by this superb old trouper."

In 1982, the Queen Mother made 63 official visits in Britain, attended 29 receptions, presided over two privy council meetings, gave 15 audiences to diplomats and visited two overseas countries. An opinion poll found her still rated the best member of the royal family for public duties. And even by her 90th birthday, the tempo of her engagements had "slowed down not at all", according to the palace.

In 1992, at Princess Margaret's suggestion, she had hundreds of private documents destroyed, after it was realised that piles of them were strewn around her sitting room. "I am disappointed but not surprised," said royal biographer Philip Ziegler. "The Queen Mother has always managed to keep her private life private." She refused innumerable appeals to leave even an official spoken record of her life and momentous times.

In November 1993, a Sky News reporter mistakenly triggered reports throughout Australia of her death. A member of her staff said: "She has a subtle sense of humour and had a quiet smile." Just before Christmas 1994, another rumour that she was on the brink of death swept the media. It evaporated when she was heard talking hectically in a private dining room at the House of Commons.

Five years later, in January 1998, having already had two hip replacement operations, the Queen Mother broke a hip in a fall, but hobbled out of hospital on crutches 23 days later. Within less than a month, she watched racing at Sandown Park - What A Truly Amazing Woman, said the Daily Express headline. Later that year, the columnist Woodrow Wyatt's posthumously published diaries claimed she had regularly toasted Margaret Thatcher as prime minister. "She adores Mrs Thatcher and thinks she is very brave and has done tremendous things," Wyatt wrote. A friend was quoted as saying, "She will feel utterly betrayed."

Even this late in life, eating-in and dining-out on an Edwardian scale was still among her passions. The Castle of Mey was kept going so that she could use it for a few summer weeks. In 1999, she reportedly had a £4m overdraft at Coutts bank, more than six times her £643,000 annual civil list income. Her staff included three chauffeurs, two pages, five housemaids and three secretaries - "Going it a bit," said the Sun.

In her 100th year, reports about her fitness and ability to take an interest in life differed. One indication came in the members' report of the London Library, whose library committee chairman, Nicolas Barker, wrote: "Her visits to the library have been memorable occasions and her practical interest in our affairs has never diminished. We sought leave to present a birthday tribute and asked whether it should be a formal address or something more practical." Back came the prompt reply that nothing would please her more than an up-to-date bird book. A copy of the two-volume Birds Of The Western Palearctic (OUP, 1998) was inscribed "with thanks to Her Majesty for nearly half a century of keenly interested patronage".

One penalty of longevity was to outlive her daughter Margaret; on February 15 2002, Elizabeth insisted on being at the funeral, 50 years to the day after that of her own husband.

Elizabeth once said that what most helped her to get back into harness after George VI's loss was a quotation from William Blake that she discovered in an annual report of one of her 300 organisations, the North Islington infant welfare centre: "Labour well the minute particulars, attend to the little ones/ And those who are in misery cannot remain so, long."

She would have seen as her own most important message the advice she gave to students as chancellor of London University, and on innumerable other public platforms: "Do not, in today's tumult, lose sight of the ancient virtues of service, truth and vision." But what she taught best was herself. As her biographer Dorothy Laird said, she managed to bring private affections into public life.

· Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Windsor, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, born Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, August 4 1900; died March 30 2002

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Queen Mother Biography

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002) — the widow of George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, popularly known as the Queen Mother was a popular figure throughout Britain for her role in providing an enduring figurehead for the Royal family.

Short Bio – Queen Mother

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on August 4th 1900. She was the daughter of a Scottish Lord – Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore. She was a descendant of the former Scottish King – Robert the Bruce. She was the ninth of ten children.

Her education was limited, she was taught mainly at home, and as was common for her era, had little aspirations beyond marriage.

The onset of the First World War came as a shock to her quiet, conservative upbringing. Her family home was converted into a nursing ward for injured soldiers, and the young Elizabeth became involved in nursing and treating the soldiers – a duty made more poignant by the death of one of her brothers. Through nursing soldiers, Elizabeth gained confidence in talking openly to people from all backgrounds, easily and without condescension. This ease of communication and natural style endeared her to the public throughout her life.

After the end of the war, Elizabeth entered the social circles of society and after rejecting two proposals of marriage accepted a proposal to marry, Prince Albert – the second in line to the throne.

At the time, there was little expectation that Albert would ever be King. Compared to his more charming and vibrant brother Edward, Albert was shy and suffered from a stutter which made public engagements more difficult.

Together they had two daughters – Elizabeth and Margaret in 1926 and 1930 respectively.

In 1936, shortly after the passing of King George V, Britain was thrown into a constitutional crisis as it became obvious that King Edward VIII was determined to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. At the time, to marry a divorcee was considered unacceptable, and there was little sympathy for the American divorcee – that Edward was devoted to. Eventually, Edward decided to abdicate pushing the quiet Prince Albert on to the throne – crowned as George VI. It was quite a shock to the couple – especially Prince Albert. Elizabeth took it in her stride, but, nursed a grievance against Edward and his wife – feeling it should never have happened.

With the onset of war, Elizabeth decided to stay in London with her children. This was perhaps her finest hour, as she became an important figurehead touring bomb sites and helping to boost morale amongst the worst days of the London Blitz. She describes her decision to stay. ‘The princesses would never leave without me, and I would never leave without the King, and the King will never leave.” She herself narrowly avoided death when Buckingham Palace was bombed. This experience enabled her to in her own words. “look the East End in the face. Queen Elizabeth was important for retaining the prestige of the monarchy during a time when Winston Churchill became such a dominant leader of the country through his inspirational leadership. She was even known to practise firing her revolver in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

After the war, she undertook the usual Royal duties, until the untimely death of George VI in 1952. This led to her first daughter Elizabeth I, taking the throne. However, in her position as Queen Mother (wife of a deceased King), her prestige and national respect only continued to grow. She became a symbol of continuity and an emblem of the best traditions of Britain and the Royal Family. Even when she took part in unpopular events (such as unveiling a statue to Bomber Harris, and her less than sympathetic views to Princess Diana) her natural charm and smile meant her popularity never dimmed.

She also became known for her resilience and ability to endure, living through to the age of 101. She died in her sleep just weeks after her daughter – Princess Margaret had died at the age of 71.

T.Pettinger 04/02/2010

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Queen Elizabeth: Who was the Queen mother?

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On the 30 March, 2022, it marked 20 years since one of the most important figures in Her Majesty ’s life – her mother – passed away at the age of 101.

Throughout most of her century-plus life, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother – or just simply the Queen Mother – was regarded affectionately as the matriarch of the British Royal Family .

Her death came less than two months after Her Majesty’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, died on 9 February, 2002, at 71. These back-to-back losses preceded that year’s Golden Jubilee, making 2002 both a terrible year and a happy one for the Queen.

What was the Queen Mother’s childhood like?

According to the royal family’s website , the Queen Mother was born the Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon on 4 August, 1900, and spent her early childhood years at St. Paul’s Waldenbury in Hertfordshire, the country home of her parents. When her father inherited his Earldom in 1904, she became Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The Bowes-Lyon family is descended from the Royal House of Scotland.

Tragedy struck her life early – during World War I, one of her brothers, Fergus, was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1915. To do her part in the war effort, Lady Elizabeth assisted with welfare work with patients at Glamis Castle – which belonged to her family – as it had been turned into a hospital during the war.

Growing up, Lady Elizabeth and her older sisters had been friendly with the children of King George V and Queen Mary, and, on occasion, members of the royal family stayed at Glamis Castle. Relations were so friendly between the families that, in 1922, Lady Elizabeth served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Princess Mary, who would become her sister-in-law. The next year, in January 1923, Lady Elizabeth’s engagement to HRH The Duke of York, King George V and Queen Mary’s second son, was announced. The Duke of York had proposed on multiple occasions prior to Lady Elizabeth accepting this proposal; she was the only woman his heart longed for.

The Queen Mother’s marriage to King George VI

The Duke of York married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on 26 April, 1923, in Westminster Abbey. In a touching moment that is now repeated by all royal brides, she laid her wedding bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in memory of her brother, Fergus, killed in combat eight years prior.

Nearly three years to the day later, their first child, Princess Elizabeth, was born on 21 April, 1926; Princess Margaret followed on 21 August, 1930.

The foursome was incredibly close, a tight-knit unit whose world was rocked in 1936. King George V died that January, and, by the end of the year, The Duke of York’s older brother King Edward VIII abdicated the throne on 11 December, making his brother Albert, Duke of York, King George VI. The Duchess of York became Queen Elizabeth, the first British-born Queen consort since Tudor times.

The Queen Mother as Queen

From 1936 to 1952, the Queen visited many Commonwealth nations and overseas countries, making two important visits between her husband’s coronation and the outbreak of World War II in 1939 – a visit to France in July 1938 and to Canada and the United States in June 1939.

The outbreak of war, naturally, changed the monarchy’s priorities. When it was suggested to the Queen that she and her young daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, should evacuate to North America or Canada, the Queen famously said: “The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave the King. And the King will never leave.”

So, throughout World War II, the foursome stuck together; the Queen was in Buckingham Palace when it was bombed in September 1940. Following the bombings, the Queen said: “I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face.”

In 1948, upon their silver wedding anniversary, King George VI spoke movingly in a broadcast to the nation of the inspiration he had received from his marriage. As his health declined, the last public appearance that he and the Queen attended together was in May 1951. King George VI died peacefully on 6 February, 1952, leaving the Queen a widow at just 51 years old.

“She suffered terribly when she lost her husband,” royal correspondent Victoria Arbiter told The Independent . “She said ‘You never get over grief, you just get better at it.’”

On becoming the Queen Mother

After her husband’s death and the accession of her daughter, also named Elizabeth, to the throne, she began to be known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, so as not to confuse.

The Queen Mother continued public duties after her husband’s death, both in the UK and overseas, including over 40 official visits abroad. Her Majesty was patron of around 350 organisations and, for many years, was President of the British Red Cross Society.

After King George VI died, the Queen Mother moved out of Buckingham Palace and into Clarence House in St. James’s Palace. In 1953 she purchased the Castle of Mey in northeast Scotland and spent time there every August and October.

“She removed herself from royal life for quite some time and went to Scotland to grieve and figure out what her role was moving forward,” Arbiter said. “There was not a defined role for a mother of the sovereign, and she carved out a fantastic position for herself as the nation’s favorite twinkly-eyed granny. She set the tone for the rest of the royal family.”

The Queen Mother was appointed a Lady of the Garter on 14 December, 1936, and, upon her husband’s coronation, was named the first Lady of the Thistle. The Queen Mother was the recipient of a number of orders, declarations, and medals, both in the UK and overseas.

“The Queen Mother was a remarkable woman,” Arbiter added. “It speaks to her strength of character that she conducted her last public engagement at 101 in November 2001. As Christmas approached, she attended the staff party for the most loyal staffers and got up out of her wheelchair to speak to them. She’s from the wartime era, where you didn’t complain, and you helped your neighbor and sacrificed yourself for the benefit of others. She was a real stickler for the tradition of the monarchy.”

She loved the countryside, sport, and horseracing, and was an expert fisherwoman. But perhaps one of her most important roles was as mother to Queen Elizabeth II, with whom she shared a deep connection.

“The Queen Mother shared a very close bond with both of her daughters,” Arbiter said. “She ruled with an iron fist, but in a loving fashion.”

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The Queen Mother: The Official Biography Paperback – November 16, 2010

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Born in 1946, William Shawcross is an internationally renowned writer and broadcaster who appears regularly on television and radio. His articles have appeared in leading newspapers and journals throughout the world. www.williamshawcross.com.

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Queen Elizabeth: The Official Biography Of The Queen Mother Hardcover – Oct. 6 2009

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Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes Lyon, the youngest daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, was born on August 4, 1900. It might reasonably have been expected that she would lead a life of ease and privilege, but few could have imagined the profound effect she would have on Britain and its people. Her life spanned the whole of the 20th century, and this official biography tells not only her story but, through it, that of the country she loved so devotedly.

Drawing on her private correspondence and other unpublished material from the Royal Archives, William Shawcross vividly reveals the witty girl who endeared herself to soldiers convalescing at Glamis in the First World War; the assured young Duchess of York; the Queen, at last feeling able to look the east end in the face at the height of the Blitz; and, finally, the Queen Mother, representing the nation at home and abroad throughout her widowhood. It is the definitive portrait of a remarkable woman.

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Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother's Life in Photos

There's so much you probably don't know about the Queen's late mum.

1902: Born to Be a Lady

Like many Queen Consorts, the Queen Mother was from an aristocratic family. Born the Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon on August 4, 1900, she was one of 10 children and the fourth daughter of her parents.

1907: A Scottish Upbringing

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon spent her earliest years living in her parent's country home , St Paul's Walden Bury, in Hertfordshire. When she was 4 years old, her father inherited his family's title , which was descended from the Scottish royal family. She became Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and moved into Glamis Castle in Angus, Scotland.

1909: Friends of the Royal Family

Throughout her childhood, Elizabeth and her siblings played with the royal children, like Princess Mary and Prince Albert. It was not uncommon when she was young for members of the royal family to stay at Glamis Castle .

1916: Home During World War I

Lady Elizabeth's family home, Glamis Castle, was converted into a hospital during World War I —not unlike how the castle in Downton Abbey was depicted . As a young lady, she worked with patients who were staying on the estate.

1918: Life After War

Glamis Castle was returned to a private family residence after the war ended. Lady Elizabeth was 18 at the time and lost her older brother, Fergus, in combat during the Battle of Loos in 1915.

1922: A Royal Bridesmaid

Due to her close association with the royal family—it's believed she was already being courted by Prince Albert at this time—Lady Elizabeth was called on to serve as a bridesmaid in Princess Mary's wedding in 1922. She was one of eight members of the bridal party .

1923: A Royal Engagement

Prince Albert, the King's second eldest son, announced his engagement to Lady Elizabeth in 1923. Here, the couple poses together for the announcement in January 1923 .

1923: The Ring

Prince Albert proposed with a sapphire center stone ring that was flanked by diamonds. However, the future Queen Consort eventually switched her engagement ring for one featuring a pearl and diamond cluster.

1923: A Duchess-to-Be

While planning their upcoming wedding, Lady Elizabeth and Prince Albert visited the factory that would be baking their royal wedding cake—much to the factory workers' delight.

1923: Becoming the Duchess of York

Prince Albert became the Duke of York in 1920 . Not long after receiving the title, he began his courtship with his future wife, who became the Duchess of York on their wedding day.

1923: The Wedding Day

On her wedding day, photographers crowded around Elizabeth's family residence in London to catch a glimpse of the bride. She opted for a very 1920s-inspired bridal gown, featuring a drop waist and crystal embroidered bodice, custom made by Queen Mary's dressmaker .

1926: Princess Elizabeth Is Born

In 1926, the Duke and Duchess of York welcomed their first child, Princess Elizabeth. The Duchess gave birth in her family's London residence on Bruton Street on April 21, 1926. Here, she leaves the home a few days post-partum with a baby nurse and her newborn in tow.

1930: Welcoming Princess Margaret

Four years later, the couple welcomed their second child, Princess Margaret Rose. The Princess was born at Glamis Castle on August 21, 1930.

1936: The Death of King George V

The death of King George V meant Prince Edward took the throne and became King Edward VIII. The Queen Mother's eldest daughter, Elizabeth, also became third in line . Outside of royal tours and appearances, the Duke and Duchess of York prepared for a quiet life out of the public eye with their children.

1936: A New Royal Family

The royal family was thrown into chaos when King Edward VIII announced he was abdicating the throne on December 10, 1936. The decision threw the monarchy into a constitutional crisis, which resulted in the Duke of York ascending the throne.

1937: Becoming Queen Consort

The abdication meant that the Duchess of York become the UK's next Queen Consort. She became the first British-born Queen Consort since the Tudor era. Here, she poses for an official portrait during the coronation festivities.

1937: The Coronation

Elizabeth dropped her HRH title of the Duchess of York and was coronated as King George VI's Queen Consort on May 12, 1937 at Westminster Abbey. During her coronation, her husband appointed her as a Lady of the Garter, as well as the first Lady of the Thistle .

1938: Life at Buckingham Palace

Queen Elizabeth and her family moved into Buckingham Palace shortly after the abdication. While her husband was hesitant to take over the throne , the royal couple wasted no time jumping into their duties. In 1938, they embarked on their first royal tour as King and Queen, visiting France . A tour of the United States and Canada soon followed in 1939.

1940: Staying in Buckingham Palace

With the start of World War II, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were relocated to Windsor Castle for safety from the aerial bombings in London. The Queen, however, remained in Buckingham Palace with King George VI—even after a bomb nearly killed them inside the gates.

1941: Helping the War Effort

Queen Elizabeth visited the survivors of Dunkirk, a historic battle fought in 1940. The visit likely brought back memories from World War I, when her family home was turned into a hospital.

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Revisit the Queen Mother’s fascinating life in pictures on the 22nd anniversary of her death

By Hope Coke

The Queen Mother, the beloved grandmother of King Charles III , died 22 years ago today.

Born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on 4 August 1900, the Queen Mother grew up as part of a sprawling aristocratic family – the ninth of 10 children. Her parents were Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (who went on to become the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland), and his wife, Cecilia (née Cavendish-Bentinck), and Elizabeth spent much of her childhood at St Paul’s Walden in Hertfordshire and Glamis Castle in Scotland.

After marrying the then Prince Albert, second son of King George V, in 1923, few could have predicted the turn Elizabeth’s life would take – catapulted from the Duchess of York to Queen Consort after her brother-in-law, King Edward VIII, abdicated in order to marry an American divorcée, Wallis Simpson.

On the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, 1995

Elizabeth went on to serve alongside her husband, King George VI, from 1936 to 1952 (as well as being the last Empress of India from 1936 until 1947, when the country gained its independence). On the death of her husband in 1952, she was styled as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She continued to play a prominent role in public life, as a beloved Royal Family member and a continuing support to her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II .

This week in 1959, Princess Dorothea of Hesse was married to Prince Friedrich of Windisch-Graetz in a German royal wedding

By Natasha Leake

The Queen Mother died on 30 March 2002 at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Great Park estate, with Queen Elizabeth II at her side. The tragic loss came just a month after the death of Princess Margaret aged 71. At the time of her death at the grand age of 101 years and 238 days, the Queen Mother was the longest-living member of the British Royal Family in history. Her record has since been exceeded, however, by her late sister-in-law, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, who died in 2004 aged 102.

Here, to commemorate the anniversary of her death, Tatler revisits her life in pictures…

A young Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1907

Leaving the Bowes-Lyon residence on Bruton Street in London on her wedding day to Prince Albert, 1923

The new Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day with the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, King George V and Queen Mary, 1923

Taking a walk with the Duke of York on their honeymoon, 1923

Arriving at Glamis station in eastern Scotland with her husband the Duke of York, 1925

With her eldest daughter, Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II), 1926

With her daughters Princess Elizabeth (left) and Princess Margaret, 1930

With Princess Elizabeth (right) and Princess Margaret and their dogs at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, 1936

By Isaac Bickerstaff

King George VI with his wife Queen Elizabeth and their daughters Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at the coronation, 1937

Walking around central London with King George VI during the Blitz, 1940

With her daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, at Windsor Castle, 1941

During a photocall with Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on the announcement of their engagement, 1947. Princess Margaret is also pictured

On the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh after their wedding at Westminster Abbey, 1947

At the christening of her granddaughter, Princess Anne, at Buckingham Palace, 1950. Pictured left to right: Princess Elizabeth with Anne in her arms, the then Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Queen Mary and Prince Philip standing behind

With Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret during their journey between Sandringham Castle and Buckingham Palace to attend the funeral of King George VI, 1952

With a bored-looking Prince Charles and Princess Margaret at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, 1953

In the Greville Tiara for a formal portrait, 1957

With Princess Margaret and Princess Anne at Prince Charles’s investiture as the Prince of Wales in Caernarvon, 1969

At the Badminton Horse Trials with the Queen and Princess Margaret, 1973

With her grandchildren, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and Viscount Linley, 1980

On the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Prince Charles and Princess Diana following their wedding in 1981

Walking on a beach in Norfolk with her Corgi, 1982

During a photocall with members of the Royal Family after the christening of Prince William, 1982. Pictured left to right: Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Princess Diana with Prince William, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother

With the Duke and Duchess of York on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding at Westminster Abbey, 1986

With members of the Royal Family during Trooping The Colour celebrations, 1991

With Prince William and other members of the Royal Family on her 94th birthday outside Clarence House, 1994

Attending Princess Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, 1997

Attending her 99th Birthday Celebrations at Clarence House, 1999

With members of the Royal Family during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday, 2001

By Rebecca Cope

By Dora Davies-Evitt

By Annabelle Spranklen

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, sitting on the throne for 71 years. She was succeeded by King Charles III in 2022.

Who Was Queen Elizabeth II?

Quick facts, early life and family tree, ascension to the crown and coronation, husband prince philip, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, family scandals and losses, death and funeral, latest news: one year since her death.

On the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, King Charles shared an unreleased photo of the late queen. “In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us,” he said in a statement. Additionally, Prince William and Princess Kate attended a private church service in Wales to commemorate her life, and Prince Harry visited the chapel at Windsor Castle , where the queen is buried. Planning for a memorial to Elizabeth is underway. The targeted unveiling is 2026, the year she would have turned 100.

Queen Elizabeth II became queen of the United Kingdom on February 6, 1952, at age 25 and was crowned on June 2, 1953. She was the mother of Prince Charles , who ascended to the throne after her death, as well as the grandmother of Princes William and Harry . As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown. Elizabeth died on September 8, 2022, at age 96.

FULL NAME: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary BORN: April 21, 1926 DIED: September 8, 2022 BIRTHPLACE: London, England, United Kingdom PARENTS: King George VI and Queen Mother Elizabeth SPOUSE: Prince Philip CHILDREN: King Charles III , Princess Anne , Prince Andrew , and Prince Edward ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London. Her parents were then known as the Duke and Duchess of York. Prince Albert—later known as King George VI —was the second son of Queen Mary and King George V . Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon .

Elizabeth had ties with most of the monarchs in Europe. Her British ancestors include Queen Victoria (ruled 1837 to 1901) and King George III (ruled 1760 to 1820).

At the time of her birth, most people didn’t realize Elizabeth would someday become the queen of the United Kingdom. Nicknamed Lilibet, she got to enjoy the first decade of her life with all the privileges of being a royal without the pressures of being the heir apparent.

Elizabeth’s father and mother divided their time between a home in London and Royal Lodge, the family’s home on the grounds of Windsor Great Park. Elizabeth and her younger sister, Margaret , were educated at home by tutors. Academic courses included French, mathematics, and history, along with dancing, singing, and art lessons.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Elizabeth and her sister largely stayed out of London, having been relocated to Windsor Castle. From there she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts in 1940, with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and families. The 14-year-old princess, showing her calm and firm personality, told them “that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.”

Elizabeth soon started taking on other public duties. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her first public appearance inspecting the troops in 1942. She also began to accompany her parents on official visits within Britain.

In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort. She trained side-by-side with other British women to be an expert driver and mechanic. While her volunteer work only lasted a few months, it offered Elizabeth a glimpse into a different, non-royal world. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day .

When Elizabeth’s grandfather King George V died in 1936, his eldest son (Elizabeth’s uncle) became King Edward VIII . Edward, however, was in love with American divorcée Wallis Simpson and had to choose between the crown and his heart . In the end, Edward chose Simpson and abdicated the crown.

The event changed the course of Elizabeth’s life, making her the heir presumptive to the British crown. Her father was crowned King George VI in 1937, taking on the name George to emphasize continuity with his father. Her mother became Queen Elizabeth.

Fifteen years later, the monarchy changed hands again when King George died. The younger Elizabeth assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952. At that point, the 25-year-old became Queen Elizabeth II, and her mother became Queen Mother.

Elizabeth was crowned on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 27. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.

Elizabeth married her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten (a surname adopted from his mother’s side) on November 20, 1947, at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Elizabeth first met Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, when she was only 13. She was smitten with him from the start. The two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love.

They made an unusual pair. Elizabeth was quiet and reserved, while Philip was boisterous and outspoken. Her father, King George, was hesitant about the match because, while Mountbatten had ties to both the Danish and Greek royal families, he didn’t possess great wealth and was considered by some to have a rough personality.

At the time of their wedding, Great Britain was still recovering from the ravages of World War II, and Elizabeth collected clothing coupons to get fabric for her gown.

The family took on the name Windsor, a move pushed by her mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill that caused tension with her husband. In 1960, she reversed course, issuing orders that her descendants who didn’t carry royal titles (or needed last names for legal purposes such as weddings) would use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Over the years, Philip inspired numerous public relations headaches with his off-the-cuff, controversial comments and rumors of possible infidelities.

Philip died on April 9, 2021, at age 99. Days later, Prince Andrew told the media Queen Elizabeth described his death “as having left a huge void in her life.” She had previously said he was her “strength and stay.”

Elizabeth and Philip wasted no time in producing an heir: Their son Charles was born in 1948, the year after their wedding, and their daughter, Anne , arrived in 1950. As queen, Elizabeth had two more children—sons Andrew and Edward —in 1960 and 1964, respectively.

King Charles III

In 1969, Elizabeth officially made Charles her successor by granting him the title of Prince of Wales. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to see the ceremony on television.

In 1981, Charles, then 32, wed 19-year-old Diana Spencer, who became known as Princess Diana . The wedding drew enormous crowds in the streets of London, and millions watched the proceedings on television. Public opinion of the monarchy was especially strong at that time. Later, rumors surfaced that he was pressured into the marriage by his family.

Now King Charles III, he is married to Queen Camilla .

Princess Anne

Princess Anne began working as a member of the royal family when she was 18 in 1969 and continues today. She is also heavily involved in charity work. A noted equestrian, Anne competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Her mother opened the Games that year, and the rest of the royal family traveled to support Anne.

Previously married to Captain Mark Phillips, she and her current husband, Timothy Laurence, wed in 1992.

Prince Andrew

Andrew was the first child born to a reigning monarch in more than 100 years. In 1979, he joined the British Royal Navy, became a helicopter pilot, and served during the Falkland War in the early 1980s. He became the Duke of York after marrying Sarah Ferguson , though the couple later divorced. Following scandal, Andrew stepped back from public duties in his royal capacity in 2019, a decision that was made permanent in 2022.

Prince Edward

The queen’s youngest child, Edward, worked in theater and television production for many years, at one point through his own production company. Since 2002, he has worked full-time supporting his mother and now brother. Edward is married to Sophie Rhys-Jones. He became the Duke of Edinburgh—a title previously held by his father—in March 2023.

Queen Elizabeth had eight grandchildren and was great-grandmother to 12 in her lifetime.

Her most well-known grandchildren are Charles and Diana’s sons, Prince William , who became second-in-line to the throne at his birth in 1982, and Prince Harry , born in 1984. Elizabeth emerged as a devoted grandmother to her grandsons. Prince William has said that she offered invaluable support and guidance as he and Kate Middleton planned their 2011 wedding.

In addition to Princes William and Harry, the queen’s other grandchildren are: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, born to Princess Anne; Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, born to Prince Andrew; and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, born to Prince Edward. Peter is Elizabeth’s oldest grandchild; he was born in 1977, four years before his sister and five years before Prince William.

William and Kate have three children, who are Elizabeth’s great-grandchildren. The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed Prince George Alexander Louis in July 2013, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana in May 2015, and Prince Louis Arthur Charles in April 2018. All three are currently in the line of succession directly after their father.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife, Meghan Markle gave the queen two more great-grandchildren with the birth of their son, Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor , and daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor , in May 2019 and June 2021, respectively.

Elizabeth’s other great-grandchildren include Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, August Brooksbank, Lucas Tindall, and Sienna Mozzi.

Elizabeth’s long and mainly peaceful reign was marked by vast changes in her people’s lives, in her country’s power, how Britain is viewed abroad, and how the monarchy is regarded and portrayed. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth didn’t weigh in on political matters, nor did she reveal her political views. However, she conferred regularly with her prime ministers.

When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions, and dependencies. However, during the 1950s and 1960s, many of these countries achieved independence, and the British Empire evolved into the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth II thus made visits to other countries as head of the Commonwealth and a representative of Britain, including a groundbreaking trip to Germany in 1965. She became the first British monarch to make a state visit there in more than five decades.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Elizabeth continued to travel extensively. In 1973, she attended the Commonwealth Conference in Ottawa, Canada and, in 1976, traveled to the United States for the 200 th anniversary celebration of America’s independence from Britain. More than a week later, she was in Montreal to open the Summer Olympics. In 1979, she traveled to Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, which garnered international attention and widespread respect.

In 1982, Elizabeth worried about her second son, Prince Andrew , who served as a helicopter pilot in the British Royal Navy during the Falklands War. Britain went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, a clash that lasted for several weeks. While more than 250 British soldiers died in the conflict, Prince Andrew returned home safe and well, much to his mother’s relief.

In 2011, Elizabeth showed that the crown still had symbolic and diplomatic power when she became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since 1911 (when all of Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom).

As queen, Elizabeth modernized the monarchy, dropping some of its formalities and making certain sites and treasures more accessible to the public. As Britain and other nations struggled financially, Britain abolished the Civil List in 2012, which was a public funding system of the monarchy dating back roughly 250 years. The royal family continues to receive some government support, but the queen cut back on spending.

Also in 2012, Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as queen. As part of the jubilee festivities, a special BBC concert was held on June 4 featuring the likes of Shirley Bassey , Paul McCartney , Tom Jones , Stevie Wonder , and Kylie Minogue. Elizabeth was surrounded by family at this historic event, including her husband Philip, son Charles, and grandsons Harry and William.

On September 9, 2015, she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-ruling monarch, who reigned for 63 years.

Despite the occasional call to step aside for Charles, Elizabeth remained steadfast in her royal obligations as she passed her 90 th birthday in 2016. She continued making more than 400 engagements per year, maintaining her support of hundreds of charitable organizations and programs.

On February 6, 2017, the queen celebrated 65 years on the throne, the only British monarch to ever celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee. The date also marks the anniversary of the death of her father. The queen chose to spend the day quietly at Sandringham, her country estate north of London, where she attended a church service. In London, there were royal gun salutes at Green Park and at the Tower of London to mark the occasion. The Royal Mint also issued eight new commemorative coins in honor of the queen’s Sapphire Jubilee.

Later that year, the monarchy took what was considered a major step toward transitioning to the next generation: On November 12, Charles handled the traditional Remembrance Sunday duty of placing a wreath at the Cenotaph war memorial, as the queen watched from a nearby balcony.

In August 2019, Elizabeth made a rare intrusion into political matters when she agreed to a request by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to suspend Parliament until October 14, less than three weeks before Britain’s planned departure from the European Union.

In 2022, the nation celebrated Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee year. Another milestone for the monarchy, it marked her 70 years on the throne.

Relationship With Prime Ministers

Elizabeth had 15 prime ministers placed into power during her reign, with the queen and PM having a weekly, confidential meeting. (Elizabeth also met about a quarter of all the U.S. presidents in history, most recently receiving Joe Biden for a state visit in June 2021.)

She enjoyed a father-figure relationship with the iconic Winston Churchill and was later able to loosen up a bit and be somewhat informal with Labour leaders Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. In contrast, she and Margaret Thatcher had a very formal, distant relationship, with the PM tending to be a grating lecturer to the queen on a variety of issues.

Tony Blair saw certain concepts around the monarchy as somewhat outdated, though he did appreciate Elizabeth making a public statement after the death of Princess Diana .

Later, Conservative leader David Cameron, who was Elizabeth’s fifth cousin removed, enjoyed a warm rapport with the queen. He apologized in 2014 for revealing in a conversation that she was against the Scottish referendum to seek independence from Great Britain.

Theresa May was described as being tight-lipped about Brexit plans to leave the European Union, with a rumor circulating that Elizabeth was perturbed over not being informed about future exit strategies.

Two days before her death, Elizabeth welcomed her final prime minister, Liz Truss , at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The September 6, 2022, meeting was her final act as monarch.

Threats to Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family

Elizabeth worked tirelessly to protect the image of the monarchy and to prepare for its future. But she saw the monarchy come under attack during her lifetime. The once-revered institution weathered a number of storms, including death threats against the royal family.

In 1979, Elizabeth suffered a significant personal loss when Lord Mountbatten, her husband’s uncle, died in a terrorist bombing. Mountbatten and several members of his family were aboard his boat off the west coast of Ireland when the vessel exploded on August 27. He and three others, including one of his grandsons, were killed. The Irish Republican Army, which opposed British rule in Northern Ireland, took responsibility for the attack.

In June 1981, Elizabeth herself had a dangerous encounter. She was riding in the Trooping the Colour, a special military parade to celebrate her official birthday when a man in the crowd pointed a gun at her. He fired, but fortunately, the gun was loaded with blanks. Other than receiving a good scare, the queen wasn’t hurt.

Elizabeth had an even closer call the following year when an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and confronted her in her bedroom. When the press got wind of the fact that Prince Philip was nowhere to be seen during this incident, they speculated about the state of the royal marriage.

The marriage of Elizabeth’s son Charles to Diana made headlines for years before the couple announced their separation in 1992, followed by their formal divorce in 1996. In the wake of Diana’s death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, Elizabeth experienced intense media scrutiny. Her incredibly popular ex-daughter-in-law had been called the “People’s Princess.”

The queen was at her Balmoral estate in Scotland with Charles and his sons with Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, at the time. For days, Elizabeth remained silent while the country mourned Diana’s passing, and she was sharply criticized for her lack of response.

Stories circulated that the queen didn’t want to give Diana a royal funeral, which only fueled public sentiment against the monarch. Nearly a week after Diana’s death, Elizabeth returned to London and issued a statement on the late princess.

Elizabeth also initially objected to the relationship between her son Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles . Charles and Camilla had dated years before he met his family, but the relationship ended under family pressure, only to resume during Charles and Diana’s marriage. Known to be a stickler for ceremony and tradition, she eventually showed signs of softening her stance over the years. When Charles and Camilla wed in 2005, Elizabeth and Prince Philip didn’t attend the civil ceremony but attended a religious blessing and held a reception in their honor at Windsor Castle.

In 1992, another of Elizabeth’s children, Prince Andrew, ended up in the tabloids after photos emerged of his wife, Sarah Ferguson , and another man engaged in romantic activity. The couple divorced soon after. Along with the dissolution of Charles’ and Andrew’s marriages, Princess Anne divorced her husband Mark Phillips that year. More bad news came when a fire broke out at Windsor Castle in November. The 15-hour blaze destroyed 115 rooms, though it only consumed two pieces of art from the queen’s valuable private collection. The year became known as her “annus horribilis.”

After the start of the 21 st century, Elizabeth experienced two great losses. She said goodbye to both her sister, Margaret, and her mother in 2002, the same year she celebrated her Golden Jubilee that marked her 50 th year on the throne. Margaret, known for being more of an adventurous soul than other royals and who was barred from marrying an early love, died in February after suffering a stroke. Only a few weeks later, Elizabeth’s mother died at Royal Lodge on March 30 at the age of 101.

In November 2017, the media reported the queen had some $13 million invested in offshore accounts. The news came following the leak of the so-called “Paradise Papers” to a German newspaper, which shared the documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The Duchy of Lancaster, which holds assets for the queen, confirmed that some of its investments were overseas accounts but insisted they were all legitimate.

Also in 2017, the former owner of the lingerie company Rigby & Peller, which had serviced Elizabeth for more than 50 years, wrote a tell-all autobiography that included some of her experiences with the royal family. Although the author insisted that “the book doesn’t contain anything naughty,” the queen responded in early 2018 by revoking Rigby & Peller’s royal warrant.

In 2019, Prince Andrew was forced to step down from public duties, following a media firestorm. Andrew had courted years of scandal surrounding his controversial business pursuits and friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ,

Just weeks later, in January 2020, the family again found themselves in the spotlight, following the bombshell decision by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle , the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to step away from their roles as senior royals.

For much of her life, the queen surrounded herself with dogs. She was especially known for her love of corgis, owning more than 30 descendants of the first corgi she received as a teenager, until the death of the final one, Willow, in 2018.

Elizabeth was also a horse enthusiast who bred thoroughbreds and attended racing events for many years.

Not one for the spotlight, Elizabeth liked quiet pastimes. She enjoyed reading mysteries, working on crossword puzzles, and reportedly, even watching wrestling on television.

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, 2022, at 3:10 p.m. local time. She was 96 years old. Her official cause of death was old age, according to her death certificate.

The public was first aware of the queen’s ill health earlier that day when Buckingham Palace issued at statement around 12:30 p.m. that said, “Following further evaluation this morning, the queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.”

Soon, members of the royal family began traveling to see the queen. At the time of her death, Prince Charles and Camilla, as well as Princess Anne were at the castle. William, Harry, Andrew, Edward, and Sophie arrived later in the evening. Kate Middleton didn’t travel to say her final goodbyes, citing the recent start of the school year for her children. Meghan Markle was also absent.

Her death was publicly announced at 6:30 p.m. After, newly minted King Charles issued a statement that said:

The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.

On September 14, Elizabeth’s coffin traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall by horse-drawn carriage and lay in state for four days. The day of her state funeral, September 19, was declared a bank holiday. The funeral was held at Westminster Abbey and ended with two minutes of silence, observed there and throughout the United Kingdom.

President Joe Biden , First Lady Jill Biden , French President Emmanuel Macron , and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among the dozens of world leaders and 2,000 total people in attendance. Millions more watched or listened in; the funeral was broadcast on TV and radio and streamed on YouTube. Elizabeth’s pony and her corgis, Muick and Sandy, watched the procession, as did tens of thousands of people.

A private burial came later that day. Elizabeth was buried with Prince Philip at the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

• I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.
• 1992 is not a year I shall look back on with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an “annus horribilis.”
• When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.
• Discrimination still exists. Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened. Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures. They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat.
• Grief is the price we pay for love.
• I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.
• In remembering the appalling suffering of war on both sides, we recognize how precious is the peace we have built in Europe since 1945.
• We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

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Adrienne directs the daily news operation and content production for Biography.com. She joined the staff in October 2022 and most recently worked as an editor for Popular Mechanics , Runner’s World , and Bicycling . Adrienne has served as editor-in-chief of two regional print magazines, and her work has won several awards, including the Best Explanatory Journalism award from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. Her current working theory is that people are the point of life, and she’s fascinated by everyone who (and every system that) creates our societal norms. When she’s not behind the news desk, find her hiking, working on her latest cocktail project, or eating mint chocolate chip ice cream. 

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Sarah Ferguson Leads Tributes to Queen Elizabeth on Monarch’s Second Posthumous Birthday

The Duchess of York marked the posthumous birthday of the history-making monarch, who died in September 2022

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Sarah Ferguson  is among many honoring  Queen Elizabeth on what would have been her 98th birthday.

The Duchess of York, 64 — who was previously married to the Queen's son, Prince Andrew , with whom she shares two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie , 34, — posted her tribute alongside a photograph of the Queen at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 .

"Today we are remembering Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II" she began her message, before noting that it would have been the late monarch's birthday.

"Thank you for all that you have taught us, for being a steadfast leader and dear friend. You are sorely missed," she concluded the post's caption.

Fergie's tribute to the Queen came amid many organizations honoring the late monarch on her birthday, including the official Instagram account for London's Westminster Abbey — where the many significant moments in the Queen's life, including her coronation in 1952, were held, as well as being the location of her state funeral in 2022 . "Remembering Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was born #onthisday in 1926. 'The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,' " the Abbey wrote alongside an image of the Queen in attendance at the royal church.

Ascot Racecourse, where Royal Ascot is famously held each year, shared footage on X (formerly Twitter) of the Queen's horse Estimate famously winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013, an event which marked the first time a reigning monarch had won the race.

"Today, in honour of what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's birthday, we look back with delight on Estimate's captivating Gold Cup win at #RoyalAscot. Pure jubilation," the post read.

Queen Elizabeth  died on Sept. 8, 2022 , at age 96. Her cause of death was listed as old age , according to a document published by the National Records of Scotland.

To mark the history-making monarch's first posthumous birthday last year, Prince William and   Kate Middleton shared a never-before-seen photo of the Queen surrounded by some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Prince and Princess of Wales' three children — Prince George ,  Princess Charlotte and  Prince Louis — appeared in the image along with Zara and Mike Tindall's three children — Mia, Lena and Lucas. Meanwhile, Peter Phillips' two daughters, Savannah and Isla, smiled for the portrait.

Two of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren were also pictured.  Prince Edward  and his wife  Sophie 's son,  James , and daughter,  Lady Louise Windsor , stood at the back of the picture.

The image of Queen Elizabeth was taken by Princess Kate during a family trip to Balmoral in 2022, the royal residence in Scotland where the monarch traditionally spent her summer months and where she died.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?  Sign up for our free Royals newsletter  to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The British royal family's official social media accounts also marked Queen Elizabeth's birthday last year by sharing a photo of the monarch .

"Today, we remember the incredible life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 97th birthday," they captioned the post . "When Her Majesty was born in April 1926, Princess Elizabeth and her family did not expect that she would one day become Queen. Following the abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII in 1936, her father acceded to the throne."

They continued, "When King George VI died in February 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II when she was just 25. Her Majesty went on to be Britain’s longest reigning Monarch - the only one in history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee."

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Jeremiah 29:1-12

Jeremiah 29:1-12 nlt.

Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said: This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the LORD. This is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.

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58 Best Mother's Day Gifts

In our ultimate Mother's Day guide, you'll find ideas for every mom.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We all know, actions speak louder than words, so show mom just how much you love her this Mother's Day with a great gift. While it might seem like the "perfect present" doesn't exist, we're here to let you know our shopping experts have found the best Mother's Day gifts for all the special women in your life.

Our top Mother's Day gift picks of 2024:

• The Mother’s Day Quencher , $45 at Stanley
• Corduroy Bag , $18 at Amazon
• Glass Cup With Bamboo Lid , $17 at Amazon
• Azalea Bonsai Tree , $25 at Amazon
• Le Creuset Stoneware Vase , $32 at Amazon

Regardless of your budget, we've included a bunch of sweet gifts that won't break the bank, and we've got a few luxury finds along with Mother's Day presents under $50 that only look expensive. Just don't forget to pair your gift with a touching Mother's Day card !

And if you're looking for even more great gift ideas for her, check out our top gift guides :

The Best Gift Ideas for Women | The Best Gift Ideas for Mom | The Best Gift Ideas for Mothers on Amazon

Customized Mama Sweatshirt

The sweatshirt can be embroidered with all her kids' names, so she can basically wear her heart on her sleeve. It's not only sweet, but it's super cozy.

Royal Pet Portrait

You know the truth: Your family's dog is obviously mom's favorite. Upload a picture of Fido, and you'll get sent back a hilarious customized portrait of her pup that she can frame and hang.

I Wrote a Book About You — A fun, fill-in-the-blank book.

Cue the happy tears! This fill-in-the-blank book is one of the top sentimental picks our gift experts discovered. It comes with 64 pages of prompts to tell her story and has over 14,000 5-star reviews on Amazon to boot.

Stanley The Mother’s Day Quencher

Stanley's most beautiful collection to date features limited-edition Quenchers in three pretty floral designs for Mother's Day. You can also get your hands on seasonal new colors, like soft rain mist.

Don't Forget: The Best Stanley Cup Accessories to Personalize Your Tumbler

Cloud Slippers

Cloud slides have been making a splash since they were released and show no signs of slowing down. If comfort is her priority, these slides will make her feel like she's walking on clouds.

Heart-Shaped Snapshot Mix

This heart-shaped collage commemorates the best moments of her life, from birthday celebrations to candid laughs. Select the framed option, since you know mom will want to hang it up right away.

Le Creuset Stoneware Vase

It's really hard to find a reasonably-priced Le Creuset, but we did it. This gorgeous vase comes in four different colors, and will instantly become an heirloom. Bonus points if you pick up a bouquet to go with it.

Azalea Bonsai Tree

The live plant will look stunning on her coffee table, office desk or in the kitchen. Known to bring good luck, as long as she tends to it, it can thrive for years and years.

Travel Backpack for Women

To the gym. To the airport. To work. There's really no where she can be headed to that this backpack won't work. It's ideal for traveling on a plane because of all the compartments, but thanks to the detachable front case, it's also great to use every day.

Portable Hand Warmer

There's an ongoing joke about how she's always cold, so help warm her up with this top-rated hand warmer. It can last up to four hours when it's fully charged, and it's compact enough to store anywhere.

Short Sleeve Cardigan

The warm weather is here, and this lightweight, floral cardigan is perfect for it. Available in so many different patterns and sizes XS-5XL, you're bound to find the right one for her.

Criss Cross Chair

Make her feel like the true queen that she is by getting her a throne. Okay, it's not a throne, but it is one of the comfiest chairs we've tried. Available in so many colors, she can use it as a desk chair, in the living or anywhere really.

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Hair Dryer with Diffuser

Amazon reviewers call this inexpensive hair dryer an "impressive Dyson dupe." It's fast, lightweight and comes with magnetic accessories. And guess what? There's an additional 20% off if you clip the coupon.

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Women's Luxe Sleep Shirt

Warm weather calls for sleep shirts, and no one does them better than Posh Peanut. The fabric is so soft and breathable, she'll never want to take it off. And guess what? There are even matching styles for kids !

Heating Pad for Neck and Shoulders

A mom's life comes with lots of stress, so soothe her sore neck and shoulders with this heating pad, which has six different heat settings. Amazon reviewers are saying that it's gives great relief and will relax those hard-to-reach spots.

Harlem Candle Co. Josephine Luxury Scented Candle

Everyone should experience the beauty that is a Harlem Candle Co. candle at least once. We're fans of the Josephine, which honors the one and only Josephine Baker, with notes of jasmine and rose.

T-Shirt Dress

If she's the type that, comes summer, lives in dresses, you need to get her this t-shirt dress. A fan-favorite on Amazon, it comes in different colors, and has thousands of 5-star reviews calling it comfortable and flattering.

Solar Bird Feeder

She'll be impressed by how pretty this feeder and how easy it is to refill and hang up. At night, it gives off a soft warm glow.

Glass Cup With Bamboo Lid

Let her know she's simply the best with this adorable glass cup with a bamboo lid. It'll hold up to 16 ounces of liquid and is great for iced coffee, juice or even a cocktail.

Tie Dye Pajamas

Available in so many colors, you can upgrade Mom's summer sleep game for less than $25. The set is lightweight since it's made from ultra-soft jersey fabric.

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Mother's Day Ideas 2024

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The Story Of Anne Of Cleves, Henry VIII's Reject Queen

Posted: January 5, 2024 | Last updated: January 5, 2024

1. She Was A Born Rebel

Henry VIII's future wife Anne of Cleves came from stubborn stock. Her father John, Duke of Cleves, was one of the bad boys of the Protestant Revolution, and openly ticked off the Pope and other Catholic monarchs left, right, and center. Accordingly, he raised Anne and her sisters and brother to think deeply and to think for themselves. But Anne had one more secret weapon on her road to Henry VIII. 

2. She Was Perfect For Henry In One Way

See, while Anne's family was scandalous among a certain set, she was  exactly what Henry VIII was looking for. Ever since he had divorced his first wife, Catherine of Aragon , Henry also despised Catholicism and the Pope. So when Anne started to become a marriageable age, Henry's eye fell right on her. Only, he didn't get the response he was hoping for.

3. Her Mother Disliked Her Suitor

Anne was extremely close with her mother, Maria of Julich-Berg, and their woman-heavy household—Anne did, after all, have two other sisters—was something of a haven for the young girl. Indeed, when Henry first began courting Anne, the matron of the family tried to prevent the union, saying she was  "loath to suffer her to depart her". But that wasn't even the worst part.

4. Her Husband Was A Creep

We all know that Henry VIII was mega lecherous during his day, but most people don't understand just how bad it was for poor Anne of Cleves. While the 24-year-old Anne was relatively mature for a royal bride, Henry VIII was still practically double her age and almost 50 years old when he was sniffing at her skirts. Oh, and there's more.

5. Henry Wanted To Marry Her Sister

Though Anne's tragic tale with King Henry has gone down in history, few  people know the whole disturbing story of their courtship. For one, Henry didn't just court Anne as his bride—he  also considered her younger sister Amalia as his potential Wife #4. Maybe if he'd actually chosen Amalia, the disaster that was his fourth marriage never would have happened.

But then again, the beginning of their official courtship wasn't any better...

6. Her Future Husband Was Shallow

In the late 1530s, Henry sent his court painter Hans Holbein on a creepy mission. Still deciding between the two sisters, he told him to go paint both Anne and Amalia so he could decide which one he liked best. He also gave Holbein a very specific instruction: Paint the girls accurately and don't flatter them, because he needed a beautiful queen. Well, this is where it all started to go wrong.

7. She Tried To Hide Herself

When it came time to do portraits of the Cleves sisters, Hans Holbein ran into one big difficulty.  Both Anne and Amalia kept their faces covered with veils, as per the modest German customs of the time. The painter had to wheedle his way in and gain their trust before Anne and her sister finally revealed their faces and let themselves be painted. Spoiler: This was a big mistake.

8. She Beat Out Her Sister

After Holbein returned and Henry saw both portraits of the women, he obviously went with Anne over Amalia—but his motives were very far from romantic. Many historians agree that the choice probably had less to do with looks, and more because as the elder daughter, Anne had more hereditary rights than her sister. Aw, true love. Maybe THAT's why it unraveled so fast.

9. She Got Lost In Translation

Henry's "don't flatter" directive to Holbein goes against the common story that the painter deceived the king and painted a beautified portrait of the actually homely Anne. Even so, as any online dater can tell you, you can't tell everything from a picture—especially not chemistry. And let's just say, when Anne walked into the room, Henry was not pleased...

10. She Had A Meet-Ugly

Almost as soon as he met her, Henry's reaction to his bride was chilling. He pretty much immediately complained about her looks, and blamed not only Holbein for supposedly glowing her up too much, but also his chief Minister Thomas Cromwell, who urged him to marry Anne and kept talking up her beauty. And since this is King Henry we're talking about, he did  not hold back.

11. Henry Dealt Her A Cruel Insult

Henry's exact response after actually seeing Anne has gone down infamy. He apparently grumbled, "She is nothing so fair as she hath been reported". Still other sources claim he called her a "Flanders Mare," an infamous nickname that has stuck with poor Anne ever since, though as we'll see, that  little moniker has another origin entirely. Yet despite King Henry's horrible reaction, the royal wedding was already in the works. There was no backing out now.

12. She Became A Queen Of England

On January 6, 1540, Anne of Cleves married King Henry VIII at the Royal Palace of Placentia, despite all his protests and misgivings. On the day of the wedding, Henry gave his new queen a ring that he had inscribed with her new motto: "God send me well to keep". It could have been a fairy tale day, but Anne's nightmare was just beginning. 

13. She Made A Horrible Second Impression

Once the unhappy couple finally married, there was still the dreaded wedding night...and alhough it was a chance for Anne to rise in Henry's estimation, it went horribly. On the morning after the wedding, the king reportedly complained, "I liked her before not well, but now I like her much worse". So what actually happened? Well...

14. She Was A Total Novice In The Bedroom

When her ladies questioned Anne about her night with the king, Anne's reply was revealing in all the wrong ways.  She told them, "When he comes to bed he kisseth me, and he taketh me by the hand, and biddeth me 'Good night, sweetheart'; and in the morning kisseth me and biddeth 'Farewell, darling.'" So...just kisses then. Did poor and sheltered Anne even know how to consummate her marriage?

There is a fair chance that Anne believed these smooches were all it took to seal the deal. Henry, meanwhile, had more embarrassing complaints.

15. She Had "Evil Smells"

It wasn’t just about Anne's inexperience in the bedroom. After all, Henry VIII liked his wives innocent and pliable.  Instead, Henry accused Anne of even worse sins.  He claimed that in addition to how little he was attracted to her, she also had "very evil smells about her" that he caught a whiff of at the most inopportune times. Then he really took it up a notch.

16. Henry Claimed She Was A "Loose" Woman

Henry also threw Anne's virginity into question, which was a serious allegation during a time when a woman's worth was all about her "purity". Henry's evidence for this? "The looseness of her...tokens". As you might tell from his way with words, Henry was a poet and songwriter in his youth. Whatever the truth, though, Anne was in for her biggest humiliation yet.

17. She Had A Previous Lover

After their disappointing meeting and wedding night, Henry was desperate to get rid of Anne, s o he came up with an ingenious plot. In 1527, an 11-year-old Anne had been briefly betrothed to another man, Francis of Lorraine. Though her parents quickly canceled the match, it would bite her in the well-clothed back in January 1540, when Henry struck out HARD.

18. Her Husband Tried To Slander Her

Henry and his councilors, looking for a way to weasel their king out of his ill-fated match, tried to use Anne’s childhood pre-contract to Francis of Lorraine as "proof" that she was not free to marry. Um, guys, we've all had exes. And maybe even this accusation wasn't enough, because they soon took the divorce proceedings to a disgusting climax.

19. She Was In A Courtroom Drama

Henry held a full-blown trial for his annulment from Anne, and it was an absolute three-ring circus. You see, the king wanted to cut off the marriage on the grounds that they had never consummated the union. Easy enough, right? Well, wrong. Because while Henry wanted to claim he hadn't slept with Anne, he didn't want anyone to think he was impotent. To prove his vigor, he resorted to an incredibly crude claim.

20. Her Name Got Dragged Through The Mud

Get this: Henry hired a doctor to come in and defend his, er, male desires. According to the medic, His Majesty experienced an entire two "nocturnal pollutions" (i.e. wet dreams), even as he slept with Anne for days  without consummating the marriage. In other words, the king was not impotent, it was only  the marriage itself that was bad. He just needed you to know that. Worst of all, it worked...

21. She Had An Infamous Divorce

In the end, Henry VIII got what he wanted yet again, and they officially annulled their short and ugly union on July 9th, 1540 after just six months—the briefest of his many marital adventures. I'm betting Anne was pretty relieved to leave the marriage with her head still squarely attached to her shoulders. Yet in reality, this was just the start of Anne and Henry's sordid history. 

22. She Gave Henry A Tragic Gift

After the annulment was official, Henry and Anne had to go through the very awkward stage of giving their possessions back to each other. Anne’s wedding ring was one of the very first items to go...and she returned with a stroke of genius. When Anne sent it back, she told Henry to break it apart, since it was of little worth. Do I detect some shade? If she wasn't angry yet, though, Henry's next move must have incensed her.

23. Henry Double-Crossed Her

Even as he was married to Anne of Cleves,  Henry committed a cold-hearted betrayal. Certain that Anne wasn't The One, Henry started immediately casting about for his next wife. He quickly honed in on the young Catherine Howard , and married the new girl within a few weeks of his annulment from Anne. Yep, sounds like Henry. Only, Anne must have learned a thing or two, because her reaction to this was as Machiavellian as they come.

24. She Played The Game Of Thrones

In public, Anne held no hard feelings about Catherine Howard replacing her on the throne and in the royal marriage bed. For the New Year in 1541, Anne even gifted her ex-husband and his new wife two fine horses, and also joined the couple for dancing. Smart girl, Anne—but as we'll see, eventually even Anne couldn't play nice. For now, though, she had a bigger scandal to deal with.

25. People Thought She Had A Secret Lovechild

Just because Anne was free of Henry doesn't mean she was free of controversy, and soon a dark rumor started going around the castle. In November 1541, people started whispering that Anne of Cleves had given birth to a secret child. Just to thicken the plot, some sources even said it was King Henry VIII's own son. This had disturbing consequences.

26. Henry Opened An Inquest On Her

Though the baby scandal was almost definitely a rumor gone wrong, the crown still took chilling action. Henry launched a serious investigation into the whispers and even detained two people for alleging that Anne was Henry’s true wife after all, and they had consummated the union. Then, soon enough, Anne was in deep trouble again.

27. She Was Friends With Benefits

In 1542, Anne found herself in hot water with King Henry VIII once moe. By then, the king believed Queen Catherine Howard had been unfaithful to him, and the poor girl was awaiting execution for treason, just like Anne Boleyn before her. Not content to suffer through yet another of his breakups on his own, Henry lashed out at Anne of Cleves in a cruel way.

28. Henry Sent Her An Enraged Letter

Since they were still on friendly terms, mostly thanks to Anne's desire to keep her head, Henry thought he could use Anne whichever way he pleased. The hurting Henry sent Anne a terse letter, ordering his ex-wife to return a royal ring that Catherine Howard had given to her as a gift. Way to strike at two exes in one swoop. But the mess was just getting started...

29. She Tried To Become Queen Again

History has tended to paint Anne as a humble and shy woman, but the truth is much different. When Henry finally executed his fifth queen Catherine Howard in 1542 for adultery,  it was Anne who harbored a dark secret . She may have viewed the execution as less of a tragedy and more of an opportunity. After all, the spot of "Queen" was now open for business again, and Anne jumped at the chance.

30. She Made A Doomed Power Play

There are more than a few hints that after Catherine Howard's violent demise, Anne of Cleves held some hope of re-marrying Henry and convincing him she could be just as good of a wife as she had been a friend these past years. For one thing, Anne's brother even tried to pressure Henry into taking her back. Instead, it all blew up in Anne's face.

31. Henry Replaced Her

Just when Anne thought her time had finally come as the permanent Queen of England, Henry went and chose Catherine Parr as his sixth wife instead. But it got even more mortifying than that for Anne . Parr was an English widow who was actually a few years older than our girl. Ouch, that's one's gotta hurt...and Anne did not take the news well.

32. She Sniped At Henry's New Wife

We don’t know how exactly Anne reacted to Catherine Howard's execution, but she reportedly detested the idea of the upstart Parr as her "replacement". Anne did think of herself as the more attractive option, and she also remarked, "Miss Parr is taking a great burden on herself," somehow insulting both Parr and Henry in the same comment. Masterful, Anne.

33. She Was Uneducated

Anne had a perfectly functional education for a European princess, and she was even innately clever enough to become fluent in English within a very short time.  Except there was one huge thing missing. Unfortunately, growing up, her conservative family discouraged Anne from frivolities such as music, singing, and dancing. This was actually more of a problem than you might think.

34. She And Henry Were Fundamentally Incompatible

Although Anne was accomplished in her own right, Henry was a lifelong geek of the arts—including all the things Mommy and Daddy Cleves forbid Anne from taking part in. So even if Anne could speak to the king in English, the pair probably had very little to actually talk about. Reminder, guys: emotional chemistry is just as important as physical chemistry. Still, Anne knew how to make up for her deficiencies...

35. She Made Friends In High Places

Like the cunning woman she truly was, Anne got along with all of Henry’s kids. She even sent gifts to the king’s heir, the future Edward VI , was close with the future Queen Mary I , and also made an impression on the future Elizabeth I , to whom she left part of her jewelry collection when she passed. After all, Anne clearly knew where power flowed from...and it paid off.

36. She Earned Her Retirement

Anne's later life was the picture of idyllic living in many ways. Leveraging her friendship with Henry's children, she enjoyed good favor in court under his daughter Queen Mary I, and eventually retired to a quiet life away from the city. According to one source, the middle-aged Anne was "courteous, gentle, a good housekeeper" and generous to all her servants. That's more than Anne Boleyn could ever say.

37. Henry Forced Her To Convert

Despite her notorious reputation, Anne made surviving King Henry VIII look easy. But, well, it wasn't. In order to marry him in the first place, she had to agree to more than a few trade-offs. Besides going to live far away from her beloved mother, Henry also insisted she convert to Anglicanism when she married him. Anne, without any other option, obediently agreed. But  the minute she could, Anne asserted her dominance.

38. She Did Exactly What She Wanted

In the end, Anne's attention to Henry's children didn't just provide her with a comfortable old age, they also allowed her to do what she darn well pleased after Henry passed. Anne was so close to Queen Mary, she likely even attended the young queen's coronation at Westminster Abbey, and she converted back to Roman Catholicism for the Catholic queen. Take that, Henry.

39. She Got A Strange Severance Package

Henry proved to be a generous ex-husband to Anne of Cleves, even though most of his ex-wives couldn't say the same. After she agreed to the annulment, Henry hooked Anne up with a severance package that included great manors, estates, and a sexy royal income. Not bad to keep your head and your financial independence.  But that wasn't all. 

40. She Was A Sister Wife

After their divorce, Henry kept the random acts of kindness rolling. He ruled that Anne would be England’s highest-ranking lady, with only the King’s wife and daughters ahead of her in precedence. He even adopted her in name as "the King's Beloved Sister". Did that make up for all the torment he must have put her through? Gonna go with "no". Still, there is one cruel story about Anne that Henry had nothing to do with.

41. She Wasn't A "Flanders Mare"

Anne’s oft-repeated and cruel nickname, "The Flanders Mare," did not originate from Henry VIII, much as I'd like to blame him for everything. In fact, it didn’t even originate from the Tudor period. The name only emerged in the late 17th century, when the history of Henry VIII grew into a legend. Anne luckily never knew about the hurtful moniker during her lifetime.

42. She Was A Monet

It’s the question we’re all here to learn: What did the legendary "ugly one" of Henry’s wives really  look like? Was she really that ugly? Or was she secretly hot and just awkward? The answer probably lays in "attractive enough, I guess?" Though Anne was tall with pretty blonde hair, she also apparently had a "solemn face" that aged her beyond her 24 years.

43. She Was A True Survivor

Anne "survived" her term as Henry VIII’s fourth wife, but others suffered a much darker fate.  Henry had Thomas Cromwell, the engineer behind the match in the first place, executed for treason on the same day he married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. The man Anne had to thank for her crown lost his head on July 28th, 1540.

44. She Was Caught In A Political Scandal

The big plot hole in all this is: If Henry disliked Anne so much, why the heck didn't he get out while he still could? He was a super-powerful King of England; surely he could snap his fingers and the wedding would be off. Well, it all goes back to the fact that Anne and Henry were a political match. There was simply no way to call the wedding off without offending his German allies.

45. You Can Still See Her Portrait

Anne of Cleves' strange, tragic story all starts and ends with that first painting of her by Hans Holbein. Believe it or not, although so many other Tudor artifacts are lost to the sands of time, you can still see the original painting to this day. Oddly enough for its very English history, it hangs in the Louvre museum in Paris.

46. She Was Related To Henry

Even from her far away homeland, Anne was a distant cousin to Henry VIII. Like all his wives, Anne of Cleves is a descendant of King Edward I "Longshanks" of England. Yep, King Henry sure did have a type when it came to his six wives. Edward was Anne's nine-times great-grandfather, for those who care to keep an exact count.

47. She Lived Longer Than Her Ex

Anne of Cleves is the longest surviving of Henry VIII’s wives, and she not only outlived his other queens, but also the king himself. On July 16, 1557, just months shy of her 42nd birthday, she passed on in her adopted country of England, mostly likely from cancer. When the former queen passed, her family gave her a heartbreaking tribute.

48. She Got The Last Laugh

As Queen Mary I’s beloved "aunt," attendants buried Anne of Cleves in the legendary Westminster Abbey, albeit not in a very prominent place. But Anne had one more trick up her sleeve. Despite her annulment, her grave reads "Anne of Cleves, Queen of England". Even more impressive? Anne of Cleves is the only one of Henry's wives to be buried in Westminster Abbey.

49. A Stranger Surprised Her

Anne is now infamous as Henry’s rejected queen, but modern historians suggest a more disturbing reason for his disgust. Anne’s first meeting with Henry was a diplomatic blunder: Making their way to London, Anne’s party stopped on New Year’s Day 1540 at Rochester, where she took time to look at bull-baiting from the window. Suddenly, an old burly stranger entered the room— and everything went horribly wrong.

50. She Had A Horrible First Meeting

You see, this stranger was really Henry VIII in disguise. He had wanted to creep in and get a sneak peek of his new bride-to-be. He also expected that she would see through his costume via the power of "true love"...or something along those lines. Guess what? This was not a good idea. When Henry approached Anne, her response made his blood run cold.

51. Henry Tried To Role-Play With Her

Depending on the account, either Henry tried to get Anne's attention and she politely ignored him, or he outright tried to kiss and grope her. Which, uh, understandably caused the young woman to ring the alarms about a strange dude harassing her. Either way, it was utterly disastrous. Henry left the encounter angry, embarrassed, and possibly ready to take revenge...

52. Henry Scorned Her

Some historians believe that this ill-fated early encounter between Anne of Cleves and Henry VIII sealed her fate. According to them, Anne's lack of enthusiasm for Henry (even in disguise) made the king put up his defenses. If she was unimpressed with him, he may have decided to be unimpressed with her no matter what. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13

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