Queen Elizabeth II-Child to Heiress Presumptive.

On 21 April 1926, a baby girl was born at 2.40am in a comfortable town house at 17 Bruton Street, in London’s fashionable Mayfair. However, this was no ordinary child-her father was Prince Albert (‘Bertie’) the Duke of York, a second son of the reigning British sovereign, King George V. The infant-who was subsequently christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in a ceremony held on 19 May in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace-was currently third in line to the throne.

However the child’s mother, the ever-practical Duchess of York (the daughter of a Scotch peer, Claude Bowes-Lyon, the 14th Earl of Strathmore) was more concerned with supervising the renovations of the York’s new London residence at 145 Piccadilly, close to Hyde Park Corner. This four-storey house was leased from the Crown Estate and had been in a somewhat dilapidated condition. Fortunately, the Duchess had the welcome services of her old nanny, Mrs Clara (‘Alla’) Knight to watch over the new-born child. Forty-two year-old Mrs Knight had been in service with the Strathmore family since she was seventeen years of age. She was soon joined by an under-nurse, Margaret MacDonald, a twenty-two year old Highlander.

It was fortunate that little Elizabeth had such supportive care, for it was soon announced that the Duke and Duchess of York were to depart by sea for a tour of New Zealand and Australia (where the Duke was to open the country’s new Federal Parliament buildings in Canberra). They departed on 6 January 1927 and did not return until 27 June. The Duchess of York was devastated at the thought of this long separation and onlookers observed that she had struggled to hand her daughter over to the care of Mrs Knight as she departed 17 Bruton Street.

Meanwhile, young Princess Elizabeth was taken to stay at her maternal grandparents’ country home in Hertfordshire, St Paul’s Walden Bury. She was then relocated to Buckingham Palace, where Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother, Queen Mary, reigned supreme. Like her two nurses, the Queen would exercise a strong, and somewhat strict, influence over her granddaughter, whom she saw every day at teatime and referred to as ‘the bambino’. Meanwhile, King George was smitten by his beloved granddaughter (‘sweet little Lilibet’) and he did not even object to her pulling his beard as he crawled along the floor to entertain her.

When the Duke and Duchess of York returned from their six-month tour, they appeared with young Elizabeth both on the balcony at Buckingham Palace as well as at (the now-completed) 145 Piccadilly. The trio received rousing cheers from crowds. Elizabeth ‘s nursery rooms were on the top floor just off a glass-roofed landing, and were composed of a day and a night nursery, a kitchen, a bathroom as well as a bedroom and sitting room for Mrs Knight. By eighteen months, Elizabeth had started to walk and was keen to investigate the contents of the handbags of visitors. The child’s parents spent a lot of time with their daughter: Elizabeth spent thirty minutes with the Duke and Duchess first thing in the morning, subsequently took tea with them in the afternoon, while at bedtime it was the turn of the royal parents to climb the stairs to join their daughter in the nursery for bath time (during which much splashing was heard) followed by pillow fights. While there might have been carefree romps at home, in public the royal couple were keen to keep their first child somewhat in the background, although Elizabeth was invariably spotted as she played in Hamilton Gardens, to the rear of 145 Piccadilly. To satisfy press curiosity, fetching images of the little Princess would be issued from time to time.

Elizabeth of York as a young toddler in party frock.

By the age of three, young Elizabeth was taught self discipline, including the need to be still, with Queen Mary having issued the instruction: ‘Teach that child not to fidget’. Rather a big ask, although the fact that the pockets of Elizabeth’s dresses were sewn up must have helped. She was also shown how to acknowledge the guards who presented arms as she passed in a royal car at one of the royal residences. Meanwhile, the King loved to fuss over his granddaughter. When he was subsequently taken ill with septicaemia (at one stage it was thought that he might die) and spent time recuperating by the seaside at Bognor, Lord Moran, His Majesty’s doctor, thought a visit from Elizabeth would prove the ideal antidote to his growing sense of boredom. It was also around this time that the young child was introduced to riding, receiving the gift of a Shetland pony called Peggy. A groom called Owen supervised her riding lessons.

By early August 1930 the Duchess of York was ensconced at her parents’ Scottish summer home, Glamis Castle, near to Forfar. However, this was not for a holiday. She was about to give birth to her second child. A girl was born on 21 August and would be given the charming name of Margaret Rose, although little Elizabeth is said to have commented to a family friend, Lady Cynthia Asquith, that she would call her ‘Bud’ as ‘she was not a real rose yet, is she? She is only a bud.’ Despite the arrival of a new sister, which was rather unsettling, especially with Mrs Knight now heavily involved with the care of the new-born, Elizabeth was not detracted from pursuing her love for all things equine. The King had noticed this and regularly gave his granddaughter gifts of toy horses. The collection was ‘stabled’ on the top floor landing of 145, each with its own saddle and bridle. Each evening, before she went to bed, Elizabeth would carefully remove the saddles. Unsurprisingly, horse stories such as the tales of ‘Black Beauty’ were a firm favourite with the youngster.

It was at this stage in Lilibet’s life that Margaret MacDonald came more to the fore. ‘Bobo’ MacDonald moved from her quarters in the basement of the house into Elizabeth’s room in order to give her a sense of security during this time of change. A further development was the arrival in September 1932 of a Miss Marion Crawford, a young Scotswoman from Dunfermline with a university degree. Like Mrs Knight, she had links to the Strathmore family, having previously worked as governess for the children of the Duchess of York’s older sister, Lady Rose Leveson Gower. ‘Crawfie’, who was amazed to find that Elizabeth could already read, having been taught by her mother, would soon become a favourite with her royal charge despite being keen to adhere to firm instructions from Queen Mary on what to teach her granddaughter, with a firm emphasis on history, geography and English. Queen Mary also insisted that Elizabeth study the bible and prayers were to be said before bedtime. A Belgian aristocrat, Madame de Bellaigue was also brought in to instruct the young Princess in the French language. Lessons were held in the Duchess of York’s private sitting room, with a break in the morning for elevenses. However, life was not all about education-there were also afternoon dancing lessons, as well as outings to the Bath Club (to learn to swim). Elizabeth also loved to attend the Horse Show at Olympia or enjoy a Christmas pantomime. Eventually, the Royal Military Tattoo at Earls Court was another regular treat added to the list. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had developed a wonderful gift for mimicry which would stay with her throughout her long life. She even dared to mimic her grandmother, Queen Mary, although Shirley Temple was a safer choice!

By this time, the family were spending weekends at Royal Lodge, a royal residence in Windsor Great Park. Two new wings were added to the existing building, including a nursery. Here the children could relax in the garden and play or watch the birds (said to include fifteen blue budgerigars) in the aviary which had recently been constructed. However, the item which gave the most fun was a specially scaled down cottage given to Lilibet from the people of Wales, known by the Welsh name, Y Bwthyn Bach, or Little Cottage. The Princess and her sister loved to ‘play house’ in the kitchen which featured a working cooker and fridge. All the furniture in the cottage was of a size suitable for young children. Occasionally, the King and Queen Mary would travel over from nearby Windsor Castle to take tea and admire the garden which was the Duke of York’s pride and joy.

But by the mid-1930’s all was not well in the British Royal Family. The Prince of Wales (or Uncle David to his niece Elizabeth) was giving cause for concern. Dashing but mercurial, he was adored by the British people, as well as of those countries he had visited during his extensive world-wide tours. The York sisters often played card games with their uncle after tea, including Snap or Racing Demon and Uncle David also gifted Elizabeth a cairn terrier puppy. Their grandmother, Queen Mary was keen that her eldest child should now marry (born in 1896, he was just shy of forty). However, the Prince, who had in the past enjoyed liaisons with a Mrs Freda Dudley-Ward and an American Thelma, Lady Furness, had now developed a close bond with a Mrs Wallis Simpson who hailed from Baltimore. A defiant David seemed besotted with this twice-married American. Not for nothing did an ailing King George V confide to a friend that ‘I pray that nothing will come between Bertie, Lilibet and the throne.’ Elizabeth was certainly becoming better known among the general population: On 6 May 1935, she and Margaret Rose had been the focus of much attention when they travelled together in their parent’s carriage down the Mall in matching rosebud pink outfits during King George V’s Silver Jubilee celebrations.

In December 1935, the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, gathered for Christmas at Sandringham , the royal estate in Norfolk. As the new year dawned, the York family headed back to London. However, the King’s health declined rapidly and on 16 January 1936, the Duke of York bid his family a fond farewell, as he had been summoned back to Sandringham. While the King drifted in and out of consciousness, in London the Duchess of York was laid low with ‘flu. King George V died around 11.55pm on the evening of 20 January. It was later revealed that the King’s doctor, Dawson of Penn, had injected morphia and cocaine into his jugular vein ‘to preserve the King’s dignity’. None of the Royal Family were aware of his actions. Elizabeth’s Uncle David now reigned as King Edward VIII. The Duke of York was now heir to the throne, with Elizabeth the next (second) in line. During this final period of their grandfather’s life, Elizabeth and her sister had been in residence at Royal Lodge. However, Miss Crawford brought them up to 145 Piccadilly on 22 January. Crawfie would later write that nine-year-old Elizabeth ‘felt it all deeply.’ As she groomed one of her toy horses, she wondered out loud, ‘Oh Crawfie….Ought we to play?’

Given her new position in the succession to the throne, the Duke of York was keen that Elizabeth should be brought to the station to view the arrival of the King’s coffin in London from Sandringham. Her father also decided she should attend the late King’s lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. The young Princess cut a somewhat serious figure as she emerged with her parents from their royal limousine dressed in a black coat and velvet bonnet. Meanwhile, Margaret, was left behind at 145 Piccadilly to amuse herself as best she could. The divergence of their future life was already en train. While Margaret was alert, clever and ever-ready with a quick response, Elizabeth was studious, serious, good mannered and dignified.

Yet, always in the background was Mrs Simpson. Elizabeth would actually meet Mrs Simpson in the spring when her Uncle David brought his paramour to Royal Lodge one afternoon, in order to show his brother Bertie a new American station wagon he had purchased. They all later took tea together. The atmosphere was somewhat strained and the ever-curious Elizabeth asked Miss Crawford, ‘Who is she?’ Soon thereafter, the King would took Mrs Simpson on a summer cruise in the Mediterranean aboard the steam yacht Nahlin. By contrast, the York family would holiday as usual in Scotland, both at the Strathmore’s Glamis Castle and at Birkhall, a country house some miles distant from Balmoral Castle. But even here, amidst the mountains, rivers and lochs of Royal Deeside, there was no escaping the growing tensions, especially when Uncle David subsequently arrived at Balmoral with a party which subsequently included Mrs Simpson. To compound matters, when the Duke and Duchess of York went over to the Castle for dinner one evening, they found the American acting as hostess. The Duchess swept passed her with the steely words, ‘I have come to dine with the King.’ She was probably still furious that on the day of Mrs Simpson’s arrival, the King had sent the York’s, at the last minute, to Aberdeen to stand in for him at the opening a new wing of the Royal Infirmary. Meanwhile he was spotted arriving at the city’s station to meet Mrs Simpson off the train from the south. Indeed, the Duchess of York, who was almost at the end of her tether, was moved to write to Queen Mary to say ‘the whole situation is complicated and horrible.’

Shortly thereafter, Mrs Simpson was to divorce her husband on the grounds of his adultery. Speculation was now rife, particularly in the American press, that the King intended to marry the American as soon as she was legally free to do so. The Duke of York and his wife were increasingly aware of these reports. However, even they must have been taken aback when, between 16 and 17 November, the King informed first his mother, then his brothers, that he was prepared to abdicate in order to marry Mrs Simpson. Finally, on 10 December, King Edward VIII signed the Instrument of Abdication. The following day, a great mass of people stood outside both Buckingham Palace and 145 Piccadilly waiting for news. The young Princess Elizabeth must have wondered what was afoot, especially when her father had been so often absent over the previous few days, either at Fort Belvedere or Royal Lodge during the final abdication negotiations. However, now that he had returned to London, 145 Piccadilly had become the centre of royal affairs. The constant stream of dignitaries who called on her father only served to highlight the impending transfer of power. Although Elizabeth asked Miss Crawford what was happening, the Scotswoman had remained silent. Yet Crawfie knew exactly what was on the cards, as the Duchess, laid low with ‘flu, had asked her to her bedroom to inform the Scotswoman of the ‘great changes’ ahead. Further clues were now everywhere: Elizabeth noticed a letter on the hall table which was addressed to ‘Her Majesty the Queen.’ She asked Lady Cynthia Asquith, who was visiting, ‘That’s Mummy now isn’t it?’ Furthermore, outside, some of the crowd were already shouting ‘Long Live King Albert,’ as this was the title that many supposed the new king might take.

Friday 11 December was the day when Princess Elizabeth formally became Heiress Presumptive to the throne, with her father becoming King the moment that Parliament ratified the Instrument of Abdication. Next day, the Accession Council met at St James’s Palace and Bertie was publicly proclaimed as King George VI. On his return to 145 Piccadilly, both Elizabeth and Margaret swept him a beautiful curtsey. He stood for a moment touched and taken aback. Then he stooped and kissed both his daughters warmly. A few days later the family left to spend Christmas at Sandringham.

The Heiress Presumptive (centre front) waves to the crowd on the day of King George VI’s Coronation.

On 17 February 1937, Princess Elizabeth moved into Buckingham Palace and on 12 May 1937 she attended the Coronation of her father, as well as the crowning of her mother as Queen Consort. A new future beckoned….

The Queen’s 1954 Tour of Australia

Around 10.30am on Wednesday 3 February, Queen Elizabeth II landed ashore in the Royal Barge at Farm Cove, Sydney to be greeted by the Governor-General, Sir William Slim, Her Majesty’s Official Representative in Australia. Elizabeth was the first reigning Sovereign to pay a visit to this far-flung kingdom which had such strong ties to the United Kingdom, for Australia’s population was largely composed of people who were descended from British stock or were recent settlers from that country. Her Majesty’s subjects were certainly ready to give the demure 27-year-old Queen a rousing welcome. Over 100,000 lined the shores around Sydney Harbour to witness the royal arrival. They almost immediately fell under her charm, as Her Majesty addressed her Australian subjects, observing that ‘I am proud indeed to be at the head of a nation that has achieved so much.’ When the Royal party departed Farm Cove to make a tour of the streets of central Sydney by car, it is estimated that 1 million people out of a city population of 1.86 million lined the route of the “Royal Progress”, with crowds as many as twenty deep at times. A particularly moving moment took place in Martin Place, where the Queen stopped at the Cenotaph to lay a wreath to commemorate Australians who had answered the call from the “Old Country” (as Britain was still referred to) and given their lives, whether this be at Gallipoli or during two subsequent world wars. An editorial in an Australian paper summed-up the events succinctly: “This day is one of the most momentous in our history.”

The Queen arrives at Farm Cove, Sydney, 3 February 1954

The Queen was scheduled to spend ten days in the State of New South Wales (NSW). Most of the time she and the Duke of Edinburgh were based at Government House in Sydney. From there the royals ventured out to carry out an eclectic mix of engagements throughout the State, some by plane due to the huge distances involved. The first engagement, however, only involved a car ride up the hill when, on 4 February, the Queen opened the Third Session of the thirty-seventh Parliament of New South Wales. From the royal throne in the Legislative Council Chamber she addressed both Houses, stating “This is the first occasion on which the Sovereign has been able to open a session of an Australian parliament. It is most fitting that this should take place in the Mother Parliament of Australia which had its birth over one hundred and thirty years ago..” In the evening Her Majesty donned an evening gown of golden tulle embroidered with sprays of wattle (Australia’s national flower) to attend a State Banquet given by the State of New South Wales in the ballroom of a local department store. Next day, Her Majesty and the Duke were greeted by 100,000 military veterans at a gathering at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, the Queen stopping to observe the tasteful Pool of Remembrance. The royal duo subsequently were feted by 120,000 schoolchildren at three large gatherings arranged at different locations throughout the city, including the Sydney Oval, Centennial Park and the Showground. That evening was the Lord Mayor’s Ball but the Queen seemed to be tired and only remained for an hour. A crowd of 120,000 waited outside the Town Hall to see her and an estimated 2,000 had to be treated after collapsing in the pushing throngs. On the Saturday, the royal couple watched a display of life saving at Bondi Beach and travelled out to Randwick race course for an afternoon at the races, to the Queen’s obvious delight. The day ended with a gala concert at the Tivoli Theatre. However, there was no rest on the Sunday as the royal party attended morning service at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Fortunately, Monday 8 February was free of engagements.

The Queen opens the State Parliament of New South Wales, Sydney, 4 February 1954

On 9 February, the royal tour moved out of Sydney when the royals made a three-hour afternoon visit to Newcastle on the East coast of NSW. They travelled the 100 miles by train (the royal duo spending most of the journey on the rear observation platform). On arrival, they visited the City Hall for a formal welcome, met veterans and war widows at No 1. Sports Ground and were later greeted by 35,000 schoolchildren at the Showground. A choir of 500 provided a rousing rendition of the National Anthem; while others formed a tableau marking out the message: “Welcome to Our Gracious Queen”. The Queen and the Duke then toured the Broken Hill Steel Foundry at Stockton and talked to some of the workers, before flying north, some 360 miles, to Lismore to spend the night in a local hotel. In the morning, Her Majesty drove in the rain to an engagement at the town’s Oakes Oval.

Having visited the West Coast, the focus shifted to the Central West of NSW: At Dubbo, in the Orana region of the state, which was reached by air, the itinerary for the two-hour afternoon royal visit included attendance at the Dubbo Agricultural Show (which had been moved from its usual May date to coincide with the royal visit) when the royal party were treated to a display of woodchopping and a sheep shearing contest at the Showground. Yet, for small towns such as this, the burden of a royal visit was bittersweet as the costs involved were decidedly onerous. Indeed, £3650 was spent on this visit (not including decorations and civic expenses) but fortunately contributions towards defraying these costs were made by around twenty neighbouring municipalities. Over the next few days the Queen and her husband paid visits to Wollongong, Bathurst and Lithgow, returning from the latter via Katoomba to view the splendour of the Blue Mountains before descending to Sydney by train. Then it was time to take to the air to fly to Wagga, on 13 February, where the town was holding a Saturday gala day or “bushland carnival” during which the royal party viewed a boomerang throwing display.

The Queen attends an agricultural show at Dubbo, NSW

The Queen and the Duke on the Royal Train at Bathurst during a day spent in rural NSW.

The day ended with the Queen’s arrival in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). She attended morning service on the Sunday at St John’s Church and later went privately (with the Duke at the wheel) for an afternoon drive through the Murrumbidgee Valley to visit a “show station”. However, Monday, 16 February was a busy day of engagements including an investiture at Yarralumla, the Queen’s residence in the capital, followed by the State Opening of the Federal Parliament which took place in the Senate Chamber of Parliament House, Her Majesty wearing her coronation dress and the star and ribbon of Order of the Garter for this momentous occasion, complimented by the sparkling Russian Kokoshnik tiara, a silver wedding gift to the late Queen Alexandra. Her Majesty and the Duke then took to a dais outside Parliament to review a march past by the 6,000 men of the Australian armed forces, some of whom were cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon. All of the Service Chiefs joined Her Majesty on the platform. That night Her Majesty attended a State Banquet at Parliament House with the finest of foods flown in from around Australia; lobsters from South Australia, oysters from northern New South Wales, Mildura Murray cod from Victoria, strawberries from Tasmania, and suckling pigs from the capital territory itself. The Queen also fitted in visits to Duntroon to present the Colour bearing her cipher to the Corps of Staff Cadets, presided over a Royal Garden Party for 3,000 at Yarralumla, laid a wreath at the Australian National War Memorial and unveiled a 220-foot high Australian National Memorial to the United States, many of whose military personnel had come to Australia’s aid in wartime. A 38-foot eagle surmounted the aluminium shaft of the monument.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the State Opening of the Federal Parliament, Canberra 1954

The royal visitors departed Canberra on 18 February and travelled by air to Sydney where the Queen and Duke presided over yet another Royal Garden Party (this time for 8000 guests) at Government House. At 5.30pm the royal party departed Government House to embark the SS Gothic (the vessel used during the Queen’s Commonwealth tour) at West Circular Quay. This “Royal Yacht” was to transport them to Hobart in Tasmania which was reached on 20 February. Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy, H.M.A.S. Australia and H.M.A.S. Anzac provided a royal escort.

On the first day of the visit to Tasmania Her Majesty and the Duke were greeted by a small flotilla of local sailing craft and crowds at Battery Point as they sailed down the River Derwent to their ship’s berth at Prince’s Wharf. After settling-in at Government House, the royal couple undertook a series of engagements which included a Children’s Rally at the North Hobart Oval, a visit to the Repatriation General Hospital for Servicemen, followed by a commemorative tree-planting at Anglesea Barracks. Her Majesty then unveiled a Sesquicentenary Memorial at Victoria Dock watched over by a crowd of 10,000. This monument commemorates the founding of Hobart in February 1804 by Lieut.-Colonel David Collins of the Royal Marines. In the evening, the royal duo were the guests of honour at a State Reception at the City Hall. The following morning, the royal party attended the Sunday service at St David’s Cathedral, the rest of the day being left free to allow for some rest and recuperation. 22 February, however, brought forth a busy schedule: the Queen opened Parliament, held an investiture which lasted some thirty minutes, attended the third Royal Garden Party of the royal tour at Government House and presided over a State Ball at City Hall. For this occasion, Her Majesty wore a gown of lilac organdie offset by a sapphire and diamond necklace, a diamond bow brooch and Queen Alexandra’s tiara.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh acknowledge the cheers from the crowds during their visit to Hobart.

On 23 February, the royalties undertook a tour of much of the north of the island, flying by air to Wynyard in North Tasmania and driving through the towns of Burnie, Ulverstone and Devonport to Cressy, where the royal party spent the night on a sheep farm belonging to a Mrs O’ Connor. All along the route children were waiting to greet the royal cavalcade with bunches of flowers, flag-waving and the singing of patriotic songs. The following morning, the Queen and the Duke paid a visit to Launceston, the second largest town of the island, where they attended a civic reception and were feted by a crowd said to number 75,000.

On 24 February the royal party flew from Launceston to Melbourne to begin the tour of the State of Victoria. It was estimated that 750,000 people lined the 11-mile route from the Essendon Aerodrome to Victoria’s Parliament House, where Her Majesty met officials of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, before travelling on to the Town Hall to be greeted by the Lord Mayor. Then it was off to Government House, the largest and most magnificent royal residence in Australia, where the royal party would make their base for this portion of the tour. The following afternoon the Queen returned to Parliament House to open the Second Session of the thirty-ninth Parliament of Victoria in the Legislative Council Chamber. This event was followed by a gathering of 70,000 military veterans at Melbourne Cricket Ground during which those gathered serenaded Her Majesty with a rousing rendition of “Waltzing Matilda”. The day ended with a State Ball hosted by the Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, in the enormous ballroom (10-feet longer than that at Buckingham Palace) at Government House.

The Queen opens the State Parliament of Victoria in the Legislative Council Chamber, Melbourne.

On 26 February, the royal party flew briefly into South Australia for a visit to Mount Gambier where the Queen and Duke were introduced to a twelve-foot-long carpet snake. Then the royal plane landed at Kanawalla to allow the royal visitors to make a two-hour visit to Hamilton, where a crowd of 13,000 gathered to give Her Majesty a right royal welcome. The Queen and the Duke made a circuit of the Melville Oval in a specially adapted open Land Rover to greet local children. They returned to Melbourne that evening by air. The following day was mostly given up to a race meeting at Flemington Racecourse at which The Queen Elizabeth Stakes was run. The race was won by a horse, Cromis, soon to be dubbed “Australia’s best horse”, the sire of whom, Helois, had been bred and raced by the Queen’s late father, King George VI. After a brief visit to a Davis Cup tennis event at Kooyong, a State Banquet took place in the imposing Exhibition Centre, at which the Queen was presented with a rose bowl made of gold from Victoria by the State Premier. And so the tour progressed with the familiar attendance at a Sunday church service at St Paul’s Cathedral; this was immediately followed by a visit to the impressive Shrine of Remembrance to allow the Queen to dedicate new additions which had recently been made to the memorial.

The Queen presents a silver salver at the Davis Cup tennis tournament in Melbourne.

Thereafter the Melbourne days passed amid a flurry of events including a theatre visit, a Women’s Lunch at St Kilda Town Hall, a State Ball and a Royal Garden Party (the fourth of the tour). On 3 March the royal party spent the day in the Gippsland area of Victoria, flying first into the town of Sale and then proceeding by rail back to Melbourne via Traralgon, Yallourn and Warragul. The day (which included a visit to a giant open-cast coal mine) was long and the royal train, which slowed down frequently where groups of onlookers had gathered, did not arrive back until well after 7pm at Flinders Station. The Queen, however, was up bright and early next day to hold an investiture at Government House and a make a return visit to the Cricket Ground to meet local schoolchildren. Also present were 54 members of the Welsh Corgi Club of Victoria who proudly introduced their dogs to Her Majesty, who was a well-known owner and devotee of this breed. After a visit to the Repatriation Hospital, the Queen and Duke embarked a Royal train for an extensive tour over two days (5-6 March) of country areas of Victoria. Towns visited included Benalla, Shepparton, Tatura, Echuca, Rochester, Bendingo, Maryborough, Ballarat and Geelong. However, a localised polio outbreak caused last-minute changes in the schedule, such that the royal party was unable to leave the train at Castlemaine, at the urging of health officials. Locals had to be satisfied by a view of the Queen passing through and waving from an observation platform. Yet, this did not deter a 101-year-old lady being presented to Her Majesty at another stop en route. Saturday evening and all-day Sunday were spent in the Lake O’Shannassy mountain resort near Warburton. The Queen and Duke’s only foray was to attend the Sunday service at the local Presbyterian Church of St Andrews. On Monday 8 March, the royal entourage entrained to travel back to Melbourne to attend a State Reception for 8,000 guests at the Exhibition Centre. Twenty-two choirs joined together to sing a variety of tunes, while a dance band soon had many taking to the floor (when they were not partaking of the magnificent buffet). It was the final engagement in the State of Victoria.

The Queen mounts the stairs of her Qantas Airways Constellation.

The following morning the royal party boarded a specially adapted (half the seats had been removed to make a sort of flying royal drawing room) Constellation aircraft operated by Qantas at Essendon Aerodrome to fly up in to Brisbane in Queensland. The royal entourage touched down at Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane to be greeted by the Premier of Queensland, Mr V.C. Gair at the start of nine-day tour of the State. En route to Government House, the Queen and the Duke attended a Civic Reception at the Exhibition Ground and laid a wreath at the circular Shrine of Remembrance in the city centre. Later, there was a State Reception in the former Legislative Council Chamber, the Upper House having been abolished in 1922. The temperature in Brisbane was much warmer, the humidity more intense, than in the South. After a night’s rest at Government House, the Queen and Duke were back on duty to attend a weekday service of morning prayer at St. John’s Cathedral. Then it was onwards to Parliament House where Her Majesty held an investiture. This event was followed by a Parliamentary luncheon. The afternoon schedule was interrupted when a four-year-old girl managed to climb up to the Royal Dias, during a children’s event at the Exhibition Ground, and threw her arms around the Queen who, although taken by surprise, smiled graciously. The child was quickly removed by a royal detective and returned to the care of her mortified mother. The Queen’s personal detective, Chief Inspector T. J. Clark and his colleagues were concerned enough by the incident to undertake a review of royal security to ensure that this did not happen again. Other events in Brisbane included a Civic Ball at City Hall on the evening of 10 March. Intriguingly, in the corner of the ballroom, eight koala bears clung precariously to what was described as a “simulated gum tree.” The royal couple seemed transfixed by this spectacle. The following day there was a royal awayday by air northwards to Bundaberg (where the Queen sensibly made use of a parasol to ward off the rays of the midday sun) and thence southwards by air to Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, where a group of indigenous people from the Northern Territory (which the Queen was unable to visit due to time constraints) performed intricate dances. The press noted that some people had travelled for hours by truck or bus or car from the outback to get a glimpse of Her Majesty that day. A group of bystanders informed a press reporter that they had waited eight hours under a camphor laurel with green ants biting their legs!

The Queen accepts a bouquet in Brisbane outside City Hall.

On 12 March, the royal party departed Government House and flew in the Qantas Constellation to Garbutt Airport, Townsville. Again, north Queenslanders had travelled for hundreds of miles to catch a personal glimpse of their Queen, many of whom lined Flinders Street. One of the largest events was a civic gathering of 7,000 at the Townsville Sports Reserve where 4500 children formed a tableau stating “Welcome To Townsville”; while others formed the Australian Coat of Arms. The Queen and the Duke toured the Reserve in an open Land Rover as temperatures soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They were also introduced to a holder of the Victoria Cross (Lt. Colonel Murray) and watched a dancing display by Palm Islanders. The royal duo took a chance to view the town’s Olympic size swimming pool as they journeyed along the Strand which runs adjacent to the seafront. Standing off-shore was the SS Gothic, which was waiting to transport the royal party by sea to Cairns, some 200 miles to the north.

When the Royal party steamed into Cairns, the northern-most point of the Royal tour, on 13 March, they transferred to H.M.A.S Anzac which brought the them into the wharf. In addition to locals, they were greeted with a Guard of Honour, according to the press formed by “Torres Straits [Islands] Chiefs.” Also nearby were “members of former head-hunting tribes from New Guinea.” Unfortunately, there was a mishap when two of the stands, holding some five hundred persons, collapsed during the Civic Reception at Parramatta Park. Her Majesty was “distressed” to witness this scene, but apart from some minor cuts and abrasions, and a possible fractured ankle requiring a hospital visit, no major injuries occurred. The Queen was subsequently given a model sailing ketch to take home as a gift to Prince Charles as she toured an exhibition of “native crafts” which were reported to be worth between £15,000 and £20,000. The Queen and the Duke later visited the cruiser, H.M.A.S. Australia which, along with the Anzac, was to escort the SS Gothic southwards to the town of Mackay, where the Mayor had controversially chosen his own granddaughter (who did not live in the town) to present the royal bouquet. Thereafter, the royal party flew some two hundred miles south to Rockhampton to be treated to what local media described as “an imposing afternoon tea,” with several cakes baked in the shape of royal crowns, studded with sweets (to simulate jewels) and sandwiches cut in the shape of maps of Queensland and Australia. In the evening, the Queen and the Duke flew down to Brisbane-a distance of four hundred miles-in the sure knowledge that the following day had been left free of engagements. This break was necessary as the heat, humidity combined with the busy schedule had taken their toll on the resilient monarch, who was subsequently pictured wiping her forehead during a march past of 17,000 ex-servicemen at the Exhibition Ground, on the last full day of engagements in the State capital. Yet, by that evening, Her Majesty dazzled at a Governor’s Reception in the grounds of Government House.

On 18 March the royal party departed Brisbane by air for Adelaide and the beginning of the tour of South Australia. En route, they made a scheduled stop for a “150 minute visit” to the inland, geographically-isolated, mining city of Broken Hill, NSW where the Queen and her entourage were piped off the plane as they landed at 2pm. It was estimated that the crowd of 40,000 included many outbackers from the surrounding area. Her Majesty and the Duke made use of a more humble Humber Super Snipe for the Royal Progress to the civic reception at North Park. During a subsequent visit to the Flying Doctor base, the Queen inspected an ambulance plane and made a brief speech which was carried by Flying Doctor Network radio throughout the outback.

Crowds await the Queen’s arrival at Parafield Airport, Adelaide.

The royal entourage later flew in to Adelaide’s Parafield Airport which was reached in the evening, thirty minutes behind schedule. They were greeted by the Governor, Sir Robert George and his wife, Lady George. All along the ten-mile route to Government House, crowds strained for a glimpse of the royal visitors. The following day, there was an official Royal Progress by limousine through the city. The streets were filled with around 300,000 cheering, flag-waving onlookers, whilst others leaned out of balconies or windows which were decorated with streamers and banners in patriotic colours of red, white and blue. At the Town Hall the Lord Mayor, Mr Rymill, presided over the ceremony of welcome for the royals. The Queen made a brief speech, but seemed somewhat distracted by a piece of grit in her eye. This was later moved with the deft use of a handkerchief. The royal party then progressed to the State War Memorial to lay a wreath. Meanwhile diligent Girl Guides could be found lining the route at Victoria Square to give some semblance of order. In the afternoon, the Queen and her husband drove out from Government House to the Morphetville Racecourse to view the running of the Queen Elizabeth Cup. This event was organised by the South Australian Jockey Club. However, the 3,000 racegoers seemed to prefer looking directly at Her Majesty, rather than in the direction of the action on the turf. Thereafter, the royal duo travelled to the Adelaide Oval to watch a specially organised Country v City cricket match. Otherwise, it has to be said that many of the arrangements almost replicated what had occurred in the other State capitals and included, on 23 March, the Queen opening South Australia’s State Parliament, followed by her and the Duke’s attendance at a gathering of schoolchildren at Wayville Oval. In the evening, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were present at a State Banquet at Parliament House. Nonetheless, the organisers of this leg also ensured that the Queen and the Duke undertook several day trips from Adelaide to various South Australian towns including, on 20 March, Whyalla (where indigenous dancers performed a corroboree) and Port Lincoln. This was followed by a trip westwards to Renmark and Wildura on 25 March. The latter town was actually situated over the state line in Victoria, but like Renmark, it was situated on the Murray River, and the Queen had made an express wish to view the Murray Valley Irrigation Project. She also found time to visit a local vineyard. Somehow, an investiture, a Woman’s Lunch, a Lord Mayor’s Garden Party (held at Elder Park) and an evening visit to a Royal Music Festival at Wayville Oval were slotted into the schedule on 24 March. At the Music Festival, the Queen sported a magnificent green-fire Andamooka opal pendant set in diamonds-the opal weighing a massive 203 carats. This pendant necklace-along with a matching pair of drop earrings-was a gift from the government of South Australia.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh during their Royal Progress through the streets of Adelaide.

The Andamooka Opal Pendant Necklace and Earrings-the official gift of the State of South Australia in 1954

On 22 March, the Duke of Edinburgh made a three-hundred-mile journey by air, to enjoy a five-hour visit to the Woomera “secret” rocket range. For lunch he was served kangaroo tail soup! The Queen, by contrast, enjoyed a quiet day at Government House, doubtless attending to correspondence. However, she had an unexpected visit from the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, who flew in from Tasmania (where he had been vacationing), seeking a royal audience to discuss the serious polio outbreak in Western Australia (some of the press had stated that this final leg of the royal tour might be cancelled). After discussions with Her Majesty and royal officials, Mr Menzies issued a statement which clarified that the tour to Western Australia would continue, with adaptations (the Queen and the royal party would live aboard the Gothic, indoor functions would mostly be cancelled or held outdoors, and the shaking of hands would not be permitted).

On 26 March, the final leg of the Royal Tour of Australia began when the Queen and the Duke flew via Kalgoorlie and Boulder to Perth, the State Capital of Western Australia. It was 6.25pm when the royal party arrived at Perth Airport. Following a brief welcome from the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner and a crowd of 2,000 onlookers, the royal party drove around seventeen miles to Fremantle to board the SS Gothic, their base during this leg of the visit. The wellbeing of the royal party, due to the current polio outbreak in Western Australia, was paramount. As a precaution, the local press noted that “no local stores” had been taken aboard the Gothic. Rather food and water had been brought in from “eastern states”. When the royal party were resting between engagements at Government House in Perth, food was to be prepared and transported there by road from the Gothic in a refrigerated ice-cream van with a police escort. Then the “royal staff”, as opposed to local staff, were to handle and serve it to the royal couple. Cutlery and linen were also brought from the Gothic for use at Government House. Another precaution to be taken was that any officials greeting Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were required to remain at a distance of six feet.

The Queen, the Duke and royal cavalcade travel through Claremont, a suburb of Perth WA

With such safeguards in place, the Queen and Duke carried on with their official programme starting at 10am on 27 March, a Saturday, with a car journey up the crowd-lined Canning Highway from Fremantle to Perth’s Government House where a meeting of the Executive Council was held. Subsequently, the Queen and the Duke toured the streets of Perth city centre, stopping en route at the War Memorial in King’s Park to lay a wreath. After a public welcome ceremony at the Esplanade-involving sixteen bands and 6,000 war veterans-the royal party returned to Government House to meet tour officials. Later, the Queen held an investiture and attended an outdoor Parliamentary Reception at Parliament House, before returning to the Gothic for the night. Sunday was free of engagements so a welcome rest was possible, the only “interruption” being a Sunday church service conducted aboard the Gothic by the Archbishop of Perth, Dr Moline. However, on Monday, the pace quickened with a visit to the University of Western Australia, a march past by 10,000 youth belonging to clubs affiliated with the National Fitness Council, a Royal Garden Party at Government House (with carefully “roped laneways” to keep crowds at length), followed by an evening at a trotting meeting at Gloucester Park. There were also the usual awaydays (to Busselton and Albany in the south by air on 30 March, as well as by road eastwards to Northam and York the following day).

At the close of the tour, 1 April, the Queen and the Duke held a gathering to bid farewell to tour officials at Government House. In the afternoon, they also attended a Civic Reception at Fremantle Oval. 100,000 people had earlier lined the verges of the Stirling Highway all the way from Perth down to Fremantle. Meanwhile, Federal officials, including the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Evatt had arrived in Fremantle to bid their Sovereign a fond farewell. They were joined by the Governor-General, who was the last person to accompany Her Majesty and the Duke to the bottom of the gangplank of the “Royal Yacht”. His Excellency then gave the royal couple a stiff military salute, surely fitting for a retired Field Marshal. The press noted that the Queen was wearing a magnificent diamond wattle brooch in her lapel (valued, according to press sources, at £25,000) which was the the State Gift from the Government and People of Australia. The Queen’s farewell message, broadcast as she departed Fremantle, in the evening, to the cheers of 40,000 onlookers (many of whom sang the words of “Auld Lang Syne”) included these touching words, “With the sounds of departure still ringing in our ears I want to say to you, my Australian people, how sad we are to be leaving the shores of your wonderful land”. As the Gothic departed the port, vessels at neighbouring wharfs sounded their sirens in a farewell salute. Guns boomed in a Royal Salute as the royal vessel moved through the harbour entrance to the open sea. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stoically remained on deck till the shores of Australia disappeared into the horizon.

It was estimated that around 75% of the population of Australia had at least caught a glimpse of their monarch during the tour, a feat which would be unparalleled in the future. The Queen had travelled 10,000 miles by air in Australia, as well as 2,000 miles by road, much of it in Daimler limousines including a DE 36 Landaulette. The balance of the tour was undertaken by train or by sea in the SS Gothic.

The Queen would return as many as 15 times to Australia, but nothing could ever recapture the wonderful events of that first royal tour of 1954.

La Veillée: La reine Elizabeth II reçoit l’hommage final.

Sa Majesté la reine Elizabeth est décédée jeudi 8 septembre à son domicile des Highlands d’Écosse, au château de Balmoral. Dans le passé, la reine avait parlé avec d’autres, y compris sa fille Anne, la princesse royale, des plans à mettre en place si elle venait à mourir en Écosse (où elle a passé jusqu’à dix semaines de l’année). L’opération a été appelée “Operation Unicorn” (Opération Licorne) car la Licorne est un symbole de pureté pour les Écossais. Aussi, la licorne apparaît également sur les armoiries du souverain comme symbole de fierté et de force.

Dans le cadre de cette opération, à Édimbourg, dans la soirée de lundi jusqu’à trois heures de l’après-midi de mardi, plus de 26 000 personnes sont passées devant la dépouille mortelle de Sa Majesté dans la cathédrale St Giles pour rendre hommage à la souveraine dont on se souvient en Écosse comme “Queen of Scots” (la reine des Écossais). Le cercueil de la reine reposait sur un catafalque en chêne écossais spécialement fabriqué dans un atelier près du palais de Holyroodhouse. Au sommet du cercueil se trouvait la Couronne d’Écosse, qui fait partie des honneurs de l’Écosse (“The Honours of Scotland”), car les joyaux de la Couronne sont désignés en Écosse. Ce sont les plus anciens joyaux de la couronne au Royaume-Uni. Le cercueil était gardé par le garde du corps des souverains en Écosse connu sous le nom de “Royal Company of Archers”. Ils sont facilement reconnaissables à leur uniforme vert foncé distinctif et leur capot à plumes. Les enfants de la reine étaient tous présents à St Giles et, lundi soir, ils ont monté la garde sur le cercueil de leur mère pendant dix minutes alors que les personnes en deuil passaient.

Puis, mardi soir, la dépouille mortelle de Sa Majesté a été transportée d’Édimbourg à Londres par la Royal Air Force pour le début de la période de deuil là-bas. Le cercueil de la reine gisait, pour une nuit seulement, dans la “Bow Room” du palais de Buckingham, ce qui a permis à d’autres membres de la famille royale, qui ne l’avaient pas encore fait, de lui rendre hommage.

Aujourd’hui, 14 Septembre, à Londres, la foule a commencé à faire la queue pour le mensonge dans l’état de Sa Majesté la reine Elizabeth II à Westminster Hall. On s’attend à ce que des centaines de milliers de personnes assistent à ces événements émouvants. Le cercueil a quitté le palais de buckingham peu après 2 heures de l’après-midi et a été suivi par le nouveau roi, Charles III et ses fils, le prince de Galles (William) et le duc de Sussex (Harry). Également dans la procession se trouvaient les autres enfants du défunt souverain: la princesse royale (Anne), the le duc d’York (Andrew) and le comte de Wessex (Edward). Le neveu de la reine, le comte de Snowdon (fils de la défunte princesse Margaret) ainsi que le duc de Gloucester, cousin de la reine, faisaient également partie du groupe royal. Pendant ce temps, marchant devant le cercueil se trouvaient des membres de la maison personnelle de Sa Majesté. Les Grenadier Guards et la King’s Troop assurèrent l’escorte. Mais immédiatement à droite et à gauche du cercueil se trouvaient d’anciens écuyers de Sa Majesté accomplissant un dernier devoir envers leur défunt souverain.

Au-dessus du cercueil de la reine, qui reposait sur un chariot de canon, se trouvaient la couronne impériale d’État et l’étendard royal. On dit que la couronne contient les quatre perles appartenant à Marie reine d’Écosse qui était mariée à François II, roi de France. À l’avant se trouve l’énorme diamant Cullinan II qui pèse 317 carats (63 grammes).

À l’arrivée à Westminster Hall, le cercueil de la reine a été pris du chariot de canon et transporté par un groupe de Grenadier Guards et placé sur un cafalque, drapé de pourpre royal, au centre de ce grand bâtiment. Les chorales des chapelles royales de Londres chantaient des hymnes et l’archevêque de Cantorbéry dirigeait des prières pour Sa Majesté. Après le départ du roi avec d’autres membres de la famille royale élargie, les membres du parlement britannique ont rendu un dernier hommage à la défunte reine. Enfin, à cinq heures cet après-midi, les portes du Westminster Hall ont été ouvertes au grand public. La salle sera ouverte en continu à partir de ce moment jusqu’à 6h30 le matin du 19 septembre (jour des funérailles).

Robert Prentice est biographe (il a récemment terminé une biographie de la princesse Olga Yougoslavie et de Grèce et du Danemark intitulé “Princess Olga of Yugoslavia: Her Life and Times) et contribue régulièrement au magazine Majesty au Royaume-Uni.

Robert Prentice is biographer and regular contributor to Majesty magazine in the United Kingdom.

A Queen Without Equal.

Here in Scotland, as in the rest of the United Kingdom (and beyond), we mourn the death of our late Queen at her highland estate on Royal Deeside. In these parts, she was invariably referred to as the Queen of Scots, for the title of Elizabeth II did not sit well with many in Scotland, as-unlike in England (prior to the Union of the Crowns in 1603)-Scotland has never had a Queen Elizabeth I. This is why in Scotland the distinctive red post (pillar) boxes do not bear the EIIR insignia that is a common sight over the border in England, but instead carry an image of the Crown of Scotland in relief.

Scotland too had a different sort of relationship with the Queen to that of England. There was a little less overt deference; less curtseying and bowing perhaps. Nonetheless, this should not be confused with a lack of respect, for the Queen was highly regarded by Scots, who loved her work ethic and sense of duty. They also appreciated her deep love of Scotland and its people. Holyrood Week was a regular fixture in her diary, in early July, when the Queen and the Court went into residence at the Sovereign’s Official Residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in order to allow Her Majesty to undertake a busy schedule of engagements, not just in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, but throughout her northern realm. On occasion, Her Majesty worshipped on a Sunday at the Canongate Kirk (church) just a few hundred yards up the Royal Mile (a mile-long street stretching down through the Old Town from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace). A highlight of the week was the annual royal garden party on the lawns of the Palace; while on alternate years there was a service in the Thistle Chapel of St Giles Cathedral for the Order of the Thistle, the great order of chivalry in Scotland, at which Her Majesty presided as Sovereign of the Order. This was usually followed by a lunch for the Knights and Ladies of the Thistle at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

However, the late Queen is probably more identified with Balmoral Castle than Holyroodhouse. This is unsurprising as she spent far more time there (usually from late July until early October). In past years, she was sometimes seen walking on her estate or in the nearby village of Ballater, invariably wearing a headscarf. In the days when she sailed into Aberdeen Harbour aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia (which was decommissioned in 1997), at the end of her traditional cruise up the west coast of Scotland, small clusters of local residents would line the fifty-mile route to Balmoral in order to wave to the Queen, as she passed by in her Rolls Royce car.

Each week when in residence (pre-pandemic), Her Majesty travelled across the little bridge over the River Dee from the Castle (hence the name Royal Deeside) to attend the Sunday morning service at Crathie Church. Interestingly, on the last weekend of her long life, although she was no longer able to attend the service in person, the Queen entertained the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, The Right Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, who was preaching at Crathie, to dine at Balmoral on the Saturday evening and, after an overnight stay, to partake of Sunday lunch at the Castle the following day. Dr Greenshields remembers that ‘It was a fantastic visit. Her memory was absolutely amazing and she was really full of fun’.

Another ‘hardy annual’ in the calendar at Balmoral was the Queen’s attendance (as Patron) at the nearby Braemar Gathering. Although the royal party (which included the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles) usually remained for only an hour, their attendance at these highland games (with a busy mix of a tug o’ war, highland dancing, hill race and caber [log] tossing) helped to attract a turnout of tourists from around the world. The Queen loved the sound of the bagpipes (according to one of her personal Royal Pipers she had a finely tuned ear) as the pipers marched ahead of the royal cars as they processed towards the showground’s Royal Pavilion.

But of course, in addition to relaxation, the Queen was never off duty at Balmoral. The red boxes followed her from London each day, with official documents to be perused and signed. Her Majesty also invited her Prime Minister and his/her spouse each year for a weekend stay. Although there were elements of fun to the visit, such as an informal evening barbecue somewhere on the Balmoral estate, the Prime Minister also had an audience with the Queen. Indeed, given the royal work ethic, it is hardly surprising that the last image of our late Sovereign was of Her Majesty undertaking one of her main constitutional duties: the receiving of the Hon. Liss Truss MP, the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, to invite her to form a government as Prime Minister.

The new King (Charles III) also has a deep love of Scotland, some of it thanks to the influence of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, a member of the aristocratic Bowes-Lyon family, with deep roots in Glamis and the county of Angus (Forfarshire of old). Previously, His Majesty was known here as the Duke of Rothesay and Lord of the Isles. As such, he has regularly toured the islands and mainland of Scotland, involving himself with many projects, such as a major restoration programme at Dumfries House, which has brought work to many locals. However, the late Queen Elizabeth II has set a very high benchmark: to many (indeed, the vast majority) she was a Queen Regnant without equal.

Robert Prentice is a biographer and regular contributor to ‘Majesty’ magazine in the United Kingdom. His biography, ‘Princess Olga of Yugoslavia: Her Life and Times’ is available to purchase in hardback through Amazon.

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Queen of Albania’s Wartime Escape from France.

After an attack on their rented home at Pontoise, Queen Geraldine and her husband, King Zog of Albania, decided to relocate to Paris’ Hôtel Plaza Athénée in early June 1940. The Albanian Queen was growing increasingly anxious: Geraldine rarely saw her husband who was always occupied with meetings, while hotel life was not at all to her liking. Furthermore, her fourteen-month-old child, Leka, exasperated at being constantly on the move, screamed loudly when anyone tried to pick him up. But even more disturbing was the sound of gunfire from advancing German troops, who were now literally on the outskirts of Paris. Why, the Queen demanded of her husband, were they still in Paris?

Perhaps to placate his wife, the King had rented a hotel-pension at Royan, near Bordeaux. Yet, still he prevaricated. Indeed, it was only at eight o’clock on the eve of German troops entering Paris, that Zog finally agreed to travel south, by which time the Diplomatic Corps and French Government had long departed for Tours. The Albanian convoy was composed 36 people travelling in six cars with a luggage lorry bringing up the rear. The King and Queen’s car was a large, scarlet Mercedes-Benz, which had been their wedding gift from Hitler.

Conditions on the road to their first stop at Orleans were hazardous. The cars were not permitted to use their headlights and were forced to edge their way in the darkness through a continual stream of refugees coming out of Paris. By the following morning, the Albanian party had only travelled twenty kilometres. However, they were at least thankful that they were still ahead of the Germans who had now entered Paris. Later in the day, the convoy was brought to an abrupt halt when it was discovered that the car carrying little Leka, his nurse and bodyguard (along with the Queen’s jewels and a box of gold Napoleon coins) had disappeared. Fortuitously, the vehicle soon re-joined the convoy: the Hungarian driver, being unsure of the roads, had taken a wrong turning amid the chaos of soldiers retreating from the front.

The outskirts of Orleans were reached in the afternoon to the noise of an air raid overhead. While most people sheltered in the ditches, Queen Geraldine and her son took refuge in a nearby station building. King Zog remained resolutely in his car. The town was by now full of refugees and with no accommodation being available, the entourage moved on, eventually stopping for the night at a shooting lodge. The next few days were equally harrowing, with long delays caused by a shortage of petrol and nights spent together out of doors, huddling together for comfort.

It was fully a week before Royan was reached, a journey which would normally have taken a day. Unfortunately, the military commander of the town had requisitioned the property the King had leased but the local Mayor, taking pity on Queen Geraldine and her child, arranged for the duo to stay in a local hotel, while the others had the use of his summer residence nearby. Eventually, all were reunited in an abandoned convent only a few kilometres away.

The King, meanwhile, travelled into Bordeaux where he eventually made contact with the British Consul, Oliver Harvey, requesting visas and sea transport to England. Zog also backed this up with a telegram to King George VI. However, although the British were courteous, the Albanian King was required to prove that he had the financial wherewithal to support both himself, his family and an entourage of around thirty. Having satisfied the British as to his liquidity, the King and his party boarded the SS Ettrick (which was already full of returning wounded soldiers) at St Jean-de-Luz on the evening of 24 June. The boat was due to set sail for Liverpool next morning. However, just as the Queen was about to embark, some drunken soldiers snatched her personal jewellery case. This was later ‘rescued’ thanks to the efforts of Geraldine’s Hungarian chauffeur.

It was with a sense of relief that the Albanian royal party now sailed to England where, as I will reveal in a later article, they set up home in rural Buckinghamshire.

Queen Geraldine of Albania Escapes Mussolini’s Army…

In May 1940, as she looked out of the window of her recently acquired home, a rented château at Pontoise, north of Paris, Queen Geraldine of the Albanians was decidedly ill-at-ease. Indeed, Her Majesty had barely unpacked her suitcases when news came through that Germans troops had already entered France at Sedan and were pushing towards Paris and the English Channel coast.

The Queen’s apprehension was understandable: In the preceding thirteen months, she had given birth to a much-anticipated son, Leka, on 5 April 1939, and then been forced to flee the Royal Palace in Tirana, twenty-four hours later, in her night dress, to avoid capture by advancing Italian troops. Mussolini’s henchmen had invaded Albania following the refusal by Geraldine’s husband, King Zog, to sign a pact of protection with Italy. After a difficult car journey to the Greek border lying on a mattress with her baby alongside, the exhausted and emaciated Geraldine spent three long weeks in a musty Greek hotel room, in the market town of Florina, trying to recover her strength.

King Zog subsequently escaped Albania and decided that he, his immediate family and a large entourage (which included fearsome gun-toting guards) should spend time in Istanbul. Geraldine loved this city’s friendliness and thought this would be a splendid place to settle. However, when a delegation of French politicians offered the Albanian Royal Family sanctuary in France, King Zog agreed.

The journey to Paris was at times tortuous and involved a long detour through Romania (and a lunchtime encounter with King Carol), Poland and the Baltic countries to summery Sweden, where little Leka was found to be suffering from pneumonia. Following his recovery, the Albanian party sailed to Antwerp and then travelled on by car to the Château de la Maye in Versailles. Surely now, Geraldine thought, she might be able to settle after nearly five months on the move.

However, on 1 September 1939, German troops invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. King Zog became concerned that the château might be vulnerable to bombing should there be air-raids on nearby Paris, so he decided to relocate his family and retainers to a hotel at La Baule in Brittany. It was a pleasant interlude for Geraldine with long walks by the sea and romantic meals with her husband in nearby restaurants.

Nevertheless, King Zog soon found that he was too removed from political and military events in Paris. Suddenly, the couple’s ‘honeymoon’ was over and Queen Geraldine was on the move again, back to Versailles and the delights of the Hotel Trianon Palace. There was a further move-this time at the Queen’s insistence-to a house at Le Mesnil-Saint-Denis (which proved too hard to heat) before settling at the royal group’s current location, the Château de Méry at Pontoise.

However, one evening, only a few days after the Queen had been gazing out of the chateau window, the village nearby was bombed and a house used by the King’s bodyguards in the chateau’s grounds also suffered damage. The local Mayor was convinced that the presence of Albanian Royal Family had been the reason for the attack and asked King Zog to leave. It was a bitter blow but as nothing compared to what awaited the family in the weeks ahead following the fall of Paris……

Greek Princesses in Wartime Europe.

The three daughters of the Russian-born, Romanov Grand Duchess Helen (Ellen) and her husband Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark were regarded as the most beautiful and sophisticated in Europe. Marina, Elizabeth and Olga were also extremely close, having been raised together by their beloved, brusque English nurse or ‘nurnie’, Miss Kate Fox, at the Nicholas Palace in Athens, as well as at the Greek royal family’s country retreat at Tatoi, in the wooded foothills of Mount Parnitha. The Princesses made frequent trips to England, where they spent the summer months living in simple hotels or Norland hostels at Westgate-on-Sea or Bognor. Yet, the trio were equally at home amongst the grandeur of the Imperial court in St Petersburg, where their powerful maternal grandmother, Grand Duchess Vladimir, showered them with exquisite gifts and instilled in them a deep understanding of their Imperial Romanov heritage.

The best-known (and youngest) of the trio was Princess Marina. In November 1934, she had made a highly desirable marriage to Prince George, Duke of Kent (the youngest son of Britain’s King George V). The middle sister, Princess Elizabeth, is a more obscure figure. She married a wealthy Bavarian aristocrat (and nephew of Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians), Count Carl Theodor of Toerring-Jettenbach and settled in Munich. However, it was the eldest sister, Princess Olga, who would hold the highest rank as the wife and Consort of the Prince Regent (Paul) of Yugoslavia.

Despite their impeccable royal credentials, the sisters were actually more interested in a ‘cosy’ life en famille, and whenever their individual official or domestic duties permitted, they would meet up in London, Munich, Belgrade or Slovenia for a grand family get- together. When all else failed, long and detailed letters (chiefly concerning domestic matters or news of extended family) flew between England, Bavaria and Yugoslavia on a weekly basis. Grand Duchess Helen encouraged these strong inter-family bonds from her homes in Paris and Athens.

In late 1935, Paul and Olga had purchased a large Slovenian castle at Brdo which was large enough to accommodate all of the extended family for visits throughout August and into late September. The emphasis was firmly on fun: Games of tennis were interspersed with riding, swimming, film shows, charades and fishing trips, as well as excursions to the Slovene capital, Ljubljana. On occasion, several members of the party might travel further afield to enjoy a relaxing cruise down Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. When all else failed, there was always the joy of the popular card game, Lexicon.

However, as early as September 1938, the shadow of war threatened this almost idyllic family existence. All the extended family happened to be staying at the Toerring’s country home, Frauenbuhl Castle at Winhöring when, during a rally in Nuremberg, the German leader, Hitler, denounced Czechoslovakia as a ‘fraudulent state’, focused on subduing the German-speaking minority in the Sudetenland. The Führer also encouraged the Sudeten Germans to demand union with Germany and even offered to provide them with military assistance. Anticipating a deterioration in the European political situation, the Duke and Duchess of Kent returned to England, with heavy hearts, on 14th September. Next day, the Prince Regent and Princess Olga journeyed home to Brdo. Meanwhile, Count Toerring, being of military age, joined the Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) and was called up to the Czech frontier, leaving his anxious wife to mind their two young children. War was temporarily averted following peace negotiations which resulted in the Munich Agreement of 30 September signed by Hitler, Neville Chamberlain (the British Prime Minister), Mussolini and the French Premier Edouard Daladier. However, Czechoslovakia paid a heavy price as the accord permitted the annexation of the Sudetenland into the Third Reich. Gallingly, the Czechoslovak government was neither invited nor consulted over the matter.

As 1938 drew to a close, Princess Olga feared for her husband’s safety as it was no secret that the Prince Regent was a prime target for terrorists as he sought to thrash out an agreement between the Roman Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs. She was cheered by a visit from Marina in February 1939. However, within weeks of the Duchess of Kent’s return to England, German forces invaded the remainder of Czechoslovakia, in direct contravention of the Munich Agreement. Suddenly, it seemed to the British government that Hitler was intent on dominating Europe and Britain’s policy of appeasement was now abandoned. As it appeared likely that Poland would be the Fuhrer’s next target, on 31 March, Neville Chamberlain informed the House of Commons that ‘in the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence’ the British government would ‘feel bound.. to lend the Polish Government all support in their power’.

On Good Friday, 7 April, Italy invaded Yugoslavia’s southern neighbour of Albania. This troubled Olga greatly as it put extra pressure on the Prince Regent and served to underline that much of the weight of Yugoslavia’s uncertain future rested squarely on his shoulders. Princess Elizabeth and Count Toerring happened to be spending Easter in England with Marina and the Duke of Kent at their country home, Coppins. Prince George’s correspondence with Prince Paul indicates that there was a frank exchange of (often differing) views on the situation in Europe between the couples.

However, the Duke of Kent and Marina were mostly focused on preparing for their departure to Australia where Prince George was due to take up an appointment as the Dominion’s Governor-General. Elizabeth and Olga were both in despair at the thought of their youngest sibling moving to the other side of the world for a period of up to five years. Fortunately, Olga was distracted by her own official duties, as she and the Prince Regent were due to make State visits to Italy and Germany in May and June respectively. The visit to Berlin provided Olga and her sister Elizabeth with the chance of several brief reunions at the Bellevue Palace, amid a busy week of official engagements.

In early July, it was the turn of Marina and the Duke of Kent to greet Olga and Paul, when they arrived on a visit to London. The stay was a more relaxed family affair, despite the Yugoslav royals being quartered at Buckingham Palace. While the Prince Regent had talks with government ministers, Olga-keenly aware that her sister would be departing in only a few months for Canberra-spent quality time with Marina at the Kent’s home in Belgrave Square. She and Paul also managed a weekend trip down to Coppins.

In early August, Olga and Paul returned to Bled for what remained of the summer; Grand Duchess Helen was already in residence and the house party was soon completed by the arrival of the Kents and the Toerrings. It so happened that Prince Albrecht of Bavaria was a fellow guest. Albrecht was strongly opposed to Hitler and his National Socialist Party and was currently employed by Prince Paul to run his shoots at Petrovčić and Belje. Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was somewhat strained for if Britain and Germany went to war, as seemed increasingly likely given Chamberlain’s guarantee, the Kents and Toerrings would, technically speaking, be enemies. Since Yugoslavia intended to remain neutral, Olga would be Marina and Elizabeth’s mutual point of contact.

Within a few weeks the situation deteriorated considerably: On 22 August, it was confirmed that Germany and Russia had signed a non-aggression pact. The Treaty had a secret protocol appended to it which divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence and signalled the green light for further German advances, including into Poland. Aware of the implications, both the Duke of Kent and Count Toerring left Brdo for their respective homelands as soon as they received the news. Marina remained in Slovenia until the end of August before departing by train for London.

On 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland and Elizabeth Toerring immediately left for Munich. On 3 September, in line with the guarantees it had earlier given to the Polish government, Great Britain declared war on Germany. Olga was ‘stunned’ by this development realising all too well the implications for Marina and Elizabeth. Count Toerring had already been called up to the western front and Prince George-his move to Australia now put on hold-was serving in the Royal Navy at the Admiralty in London. To exacerbate matters, Princess Olga’s sons Nicholas and Alexander were currently attending school in England, a place which now seemed increasingly far off as telephone communications with Yugoslavia were suspended.

Suddenly, the sisters’ life of privilege was gone. In Bavaria, Princess Elizabeth had taken to riding a bike as petrol was rationed, while Princess Olga had been appointed President of the Yugoslav Red Cross. Olga and Elizabeth had originally been able to communicate by telephone (with a German censor listening in), but this facility was withdrawn in late October. Although letters could still be sent (in Olga and Marina’s case via the official diplomatic bag) the process was slow and tedious; there were also limits as to what could safely be committed to paper. In England, Marina had joined the Navy as Commandant of the Women’s Royal Naval Service-‘the Wrens’-and was soon undertaking tours of inspection throughout England. On occasion, she travelled to Scotland to join the Duke of Kent who had been transferred to Admiralty House in North Queensferry. This meant that she was sometimes separated from her young children, Edward and Alexandra, who, with Coppins closed-up and the London house vacated, often spent time staying with their paternal grandmother, Queen Mary, at Badminton.

In early November, Princess Elizabeth and her children Hans Veit and Helen arrived in Belgrade. The main reason for her visit was that food was increasingly scarce in Bavaria. However, the erratic political climate must have been another factor. Countess Toerring feared for her husband’s welfare, particularly when she learned that there were random, ‘new wholesale arrests’ following an assassination attempt on Hitler’s life in Munich’s Bürgerbräukelle. Yet, as 1939 drew to close, the sister’s remained resolute. Elizabeth and her children returned to Bavaria, in early December, to be with Count Toerring (who had now been released from active duty), while Olga sought to try and provide some Festive cheer in Belgrade for King Peter (whose mother, Queen Dowager Marie, now lived in England with her younger sons Andy and Tommy), her three-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and the Prince Regent. Meanwhile, Marina busied herself with organising accommodation for the Christmas school holiday period, in Cambridge, for Olga’s sons and Miss Fox. She later visited the trio to help them celebrate the Festive Season.

As 1940 dawned, Olga noted that, ‘The future looks dark I must admit- but I know the light is there behind it all the time.’ Yet, in the years ahead, all of the sisters would face terrible challenges, which would test them-and their close bond-to the limit.

Yugoslav Royals’ ‘Private’ Visit to London 1939.

As the volatile political situation in Europe throughout the spring and early summer of 1939 threatened to escalate into war, Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia, whose Balkan Kingdom was already under threat both from Italian expansionist desires and an increasing economic dependence on Germany, was feeling decidedly unsettled. A recent State Visit to Berlin, which included a massive military display, had only served to increase his disquiet. Worryingly, he also confided to his old friend, Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera, that Hitler was ‘mad’.

It must have been somewhat of a relief to receive a telegram from his friend, King George VI (‘Bertie’) asking him to pay a visit to London for ‘important, though informal, discussions with British Ministers’. Paul was the supreme anglophile: he had been educated at Christ Church, Oxford and counted the British aristocrats (and fellow Oxford graduates) Walter, the 8th Duke of Buccleuch and Robert, Viscount Cranborne (‘Bobbety’) as close friends. Furthermore, the British Queen Consort (formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon) had often entertained Prince Paul at her childhood home, Glamis Castle, near Forfar and counted him as a member of her ‘inner circle’. However, the Prince’s most recent link with England was through his wife, Princess Olga. The latter’s youngest sister, Marina, had married Britain’s Prince George, the Duke of Kent, less than five years previously. It also happened that King George VI was godfather to both fifteen-year-old King Peter of Yugoslavia and to Paul and Olga’s (British-born) eldest child, Alexander.

On 17 July, the Prince Regent and Princess Olga arrived at Victoria Station for a two-week visit. The Kent’s were waiting to greet them, as was Alexander, who was currently attending Eton. Although the visit was not a ‘State’ but a ‘private’ event, the royal couple’s strong links to the British monarchy ensured that they were quartered in great comfort in Buckingham Palace’s ground-floor Belgian Suite. The British press were suitably kind to the Regent noting that in Yugoslavia, ‘Prince Paul is bearing a burden a heavy burden and bearing it exceedingly well.’ Furthermore, as the senior ‘trustee’ of the Yugoslav crown, they observed that, ‘his policy is that nothing should be done which will jeopardise the position of King Peter when he attains his majority in two years’ time and will then take over the responsibilities of government.’ The press, nevertheless, praised Paul for ‘striving for peace within and without the country’ and acknowledged it had been ‘an exceedingly difficult task to hold the balance evenly between the [Orthodox] Serbs and the [Roman Catholic] Croats’ whilst also having to ‘resist the overtures’ of Italy and Germany.

On 18 July, Paul and Olga joined the King and Queen on the front stalls of the Little Theatre to watch the musical revue “Nine Sharp” starring the Australian actor, Cyril Ritchard. Next day, the Prince lunched and held talks with the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain at his residence, 10 Downing Street. Lord Halifax, the Foreign Minister was also present, as were various British military chiefs and the President of the Board of Trade. Paul was at pains to point out that Germany and Russia were in talks with a view to signing a non-aggression pact. If Britain did not consummate a deal with the Russians then Germany would. Later, the King invested Prince Paul as a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest (and most prestigious) order of chivalry. In the evening, Bertie and Elizabeth hosted a ball attended by 800 at which the Prince Regent and Princess Olga were the guests of honour. This would be the last major event to be held at the Palace until after the Second World War.

Yet, despite this lavish display of royal hospitality, the British press later seemed surprised that the Yugoslavs maintained such a ‘living sentiment’ for all things British which went beyond simple royal family ties, even although Britain had failed to offer Yugoslavia similar aid or guarantees as those offered to its neighbour Greece. Indeed, Lord Halifax, appeared slow to appreciate Dr Ivan Subbotic’s, [the Yugoslav Minister in London] recent entreaties for armaments and improved trade terms. This situation had continued despite the fact that the British Minister in Belgrade, Sir Ronald Campbell, had pressed his Foreign Office masters in London, prior to Prince Paul’s visit, for ‘more substantial assistance to this country.’ Campbell’s intervention was driven by a sense of embarrassment exacerbated by the Prince Regent’s oft expressed ‘surprise that we do nothing practically to help [Yugoslavia].’ Campbell was also aware that despite the lack of British military aid, Halifax had tried to press the Regent into making some sort of declaration as to what Yugoslavia intended to do should Germany invade Romania. Paul was furious at such a crass display of diplomacy, fearing that such a declaration would antagonise the Germans at a time when his country was short of arms and unprepared militarily. Furthermore, it remained a delicate time in Yugoslav internal politics, as the Prince was involved in trying to obtain an agreement (Sporazum) between the Serbs and the Croats. (This would eventually be achieved in late August.)

Meanwhile, in late July, following a weekend stay at the Duke and Duchess of Kent’s home at Coppins, near Iver, the Prince Regent entered a London nursing home for three days for an operation by orthodontist Mr Bowdler Henry on a wisdom tooth. He and Princess Olga departed for their summer home in Slovenia on 2 August. The couple’s loyal friend, Henry ‘Chips’ Channon waved them off at Victoria Station. However, the presence of 100 policemen, who formed a tight security ring around the Prince Regent (there had been numerous death threats against Paul over the years), somewhat unsettled Chips and caused him to take ‘a gulp of misery’ while wondering what the future held for his friends. Prince Paul, for his part, was left with the distinct impression that Britain had little interest in coming to Yugoslavia’s aid.

On 22 August it was announced-as Prince Paul had predicted to British officials in London-that Germany and Russia had signed a Treaty of Non-Aggression. The British press succinctly noted that ‘Nazi-ism and Bolshevism… are now shaking hands’. Worryingly, the Treaty had a secret protocol appended to it which divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence and gave the green light for further German advances, particularly into Poland. Indeed, within weeks, Germany would be at war with both Great Britain and France.

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