For which the most charming Queen of Great Britain received the title of "Honorary Citizen of Volgograd": Queen Mother Elizabeth I
For which the most charming Queen of Great Britain received the title of "Honorary Citizen of Volgograd": Queen Mother Elizabeth I

Video: For which the most charming Queen of Great Britain received the title of "Honorary Citizen of Volgograd": Queen Mother Elizabeth I

Video: For which the most charming Queen of Great Britain received the title of
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Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon ascended the throne on the eve of the hardest events for the world of World War II, but in almost all the photographs the Queen smiles. The subjects adored her, and Hitler called her "one of the most dangerous women in Europe", since the smiling queen always knew how to quickly and, if necessary, tauntly answer a difficult question, how to inspire or calm people. Interestingly, in her youth, Elizabeth was afraid of only one thing: she never wanted to be a queen.

When Prince Albert, Duke of York, proposed to the daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, English society took this fact as the beginning of a new era, because the girl, although extremely sweet, came from a peer family and did not belong to the royal dynasty. However, Elizabeth refused the high honor. She explained the decision by the fact that she does not represent her life within the framework of a strict palace schedule. The prince received the same answer a second time. Only a few years later he managed to "persuade" the bride, and even then, only because it was not about the first heir to the throne. When she got married, Elizabeth was sure that she would forever remain the Duchess of York, and nothing more.

Official engagement photo of Prince Albert (future George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, January 1923, and a portrait of Lady Elizabeth
Official engagement photo of Prince Albert (future George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, January 1923, and a portrait of Lady Elizabeth

However, fourteen years later, in May 1937, Elizabeth was crowned along with her husband. The fascination of his older brother Edward VIII with a divorced woman and the subsequent abdication of the throne forever changed the life of Prince Albert, turning him into George VI, and at the same time affected the whole family. Now Elizabeth was forced to take on the role that she so feared. She was extremely cold towards Wallis Simpson all her life, which caused this turn of events.

Coronation day of George VI, the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. May 12, 1937
Coronation day of George VI, the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. May 12, 1937

For many years, the British called Elizabeth "the smiling duchess", now she has become the most beloved Queen Elizabeth I. This woman unmistakably found her way to human hearts. So, for example, during a royal tour of Canada, Elizabeth was asked: - the queen proudly answered, which made the Canadian subjects delighted. And in Fiji, Elizabeth captivated the audience when shaking hands in a long line of welcoming faces, she shook the paw of a stray dog. By the way, Elizabeth II inherited her love for corgi dogs from her mother.

Queen Elizabeth with her daughters
Queen Elizabeth with her daughters

A little known fact is that Elizabeth I had a higher education (in those years this was unusual for the royal family). Even before her marriage, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon graduated from the University of Glasgow. The Queen was fluent in French and was an expert in literature. During official meetings, she was never lost. To any, even tricky question, she always had a suitable answer. So, during the war, when every day she had to travel to hospitals and meet with residents who were in a difficult situation, the queen was once complained about why, they say, she was always so smartly dressed. - Elizabeth answered without hesitation.

When Parliament advised the Queen to leave London, or at least send the children to safety, Elizabeth resolutely refused. The Queen said: The royal family remained to live in a half-empty palace, almost all of the glass of which was broken during the bombing.

Elizabeth visiting a military hospital, 1940
Elizabeth visiting a military hospital, 1940

During the war years, the royal family helped not only their fellow citizens. Thus, Great Britain became the only country that provided humanitarian assistance to the bombed Stalingrad. Funds for the restoration of hospitals, warm clothes and medicines for the inhabitants of the heroic city and even books for the local library, which was destroyed to the ground - both official assistance and private parcels from the inhabitants of England came to the USSR under the leadership of Elizabeth I. In 2000, for special merits in organizing aid to Stalingrad during the Second World War, Queen Mother of Great Britain Elizabeth of Windsor was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of the Hero City of Volgograd."

Elizabeth with her beloved grandson Charles in 1954
Elizabeth with her beloved grandson Charles in 1954

In 1952, the queen lost her beloved husband and a new stage began in her life. Now the royal duties were transferred to the eldest daughter, and Elizabeth I, so as not to be confused with the new queen, began to be called the queen-mother. True, it soon became clear that, in fact, her work schedule did not become freer from this. The Queen Dowager was as busy as she was before.

Queen Mother's 101st birthday
Queen Mother's 101st birthday

Great Britain celebrated the 90th anniversary of Elizabeth I as a national holiday. The solemn parade was attended by about 300 organizations, the patron of which she was. However, then the British had the opportunity to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their beloved queen mother no less magnificently. She died a little before she was 102 years old. More than a million people gathered to say goodbye to the smiling queen.

One of the difficult pages in the life of the Queen Mother was the story of the wife of her beloved grandson, because Diana Spencer was the granddaughter of Elizabeth's mother's companion and maid of honor. 10 little-known facts from the life of a British princess

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