The Honorable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on August 4, 1900. Queen Victoria was still alive at the time, and the world was, of course, a very different place. Few people could have guessed that baby Elizabeth, a Scottish commoner, would one day become the matriarch of the British royal family. She celebrates her 100th birthday this month. Let's take a look at the life of this remarkable 20th century queen:
Elizabeth's exact birthplace is the subject of some dispute, but it is known that she was born in England and spent much of her childhood there. The ninth of 10 children, and the youngest daughter, she was nicknamed "Princess Elizabeth" by her affectionate family. The Bowes-Lyons were no strangers to royal circles (in fact, they were descended from King Robert the Bruce) and as a little girl Elizabeth played with the children of British king George V.
Eventually Elizabeth's father became the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, making "Princess" Elizabeth a real-life lady. The family seat, Glamis Castle -- the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland -- served as a military hospital during the First World War. Although Lady Elizabeth was too young to work as a nurse, she helped by running errands, writing letters, and playing cards with the patients. Four of her brothers fought in the war. One, Fergus, was killed in battle; another, Michael, was held prisoner for two years.
The war ended in 1918, the year Elizabeth turned 18. She was lively and attractive, with great personal charm, which did not escape the notice of George V's second son, Prince Albert. On December 2, 1921 he asked her to marry him. He told his brother later, "Waiting for her answer was worse than [the battle of] Jutland, waiting for the German shells to arrive." Elizabeth gently turned him down.
On December 26, the prince proposed again. Elizabeth laughed and said, "You spoil me. You must know I love proposals. But I'm afraid not, Bertie. It just wouldn't do." He proposed twice more in 1922 -- and twice more she refused.
But the prince was in love and would not give up. On January 13, 1923 he proposed to Lady Elizabeth again. As always, she laughed, but this time her answer was different. "If you're going to keep this up forever, I might as well say 'yes' now. And so I do." The marriage took place in Westminister Abbey on April 23 of that year.
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