20th Century Queen (Part 2)

King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, earned the respect and love of their people in the dark days of the Second World War. Other European kings and queens were being forced to flee their homelands, but Queen Elizabeth declared, "I shall not go down like the others." She learned to fire a revolver so she could fight to the death if necessary. Despite the threat of a German invasion, the king and queen refused to send their daughters out of the country. "The princesses cannot go without me," Queen Elizabeth explained. "I cannot go without the king. The king will never go."

The girls spent the war years at Windsor Castle, where they were relatively safe, while the king and queen stayed bravely on in London during the Blitzes. Their home, Buckingham Palace, was hit by bombs and rockets on nine occasions. "I'm glad we've been bombed," Queen Elizabeth said. "It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face."

And look it in the face she did. She and the king visited bomb sites day after day, encouraging and comforting others with their presence. Determined to convey optimism, Elizabeth made a point of wearing pastel colors, never black. Her smiling warmth and charm, captured in newsreels, made her beloved around the world, and her radio speeches brought her message of courage and hope to the ears of people living under German occupation. She was such an inspiration to those who opposed the Nazis that Adolf Hitler called her the most dangerous woman in Europe.

By the time the war ended, the queen's daughters were nearly grown up. Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in 1947 and gave birth to the queen's first grandchild, Prince Charles, in 1948. The royal family also celebrated the king and queen's silver wedding anniversary in 1948.

Sadly, the king's health had already begun to deteriorate. He died of lung cancer on February 6, 1952. His eldest daughter became Queen Elizabeth II, and his widow was now officially known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

In the decades since her husband's death, the Queen Mother has remained one of most beloved members of the British royal family. Now 100 years old, she continues to make official appearances and serves as patron or president of some 350 organizations. She is a living link to the past; a symbol of the history and majesty of the monarchy; and, quite simply, a remarkable woman.

Go To Page: 1 2