Card of the Day: The Duke of Gloucester’s Australian Tour

My father was frightened of his mother (Queen Victoria); I was frightened of my father (King Edward VII), and I am damned well going to see to it that my children are frightened of me.
--King George V

King Edward VII with his son; George, Duke of York
(later Prince of Wales, later King George V), and George's
sons: Prince Edward of Wales ("David," later King Edward VIII,
later Duke of Windsor) and Prince Albert of Wales ("Bertie", later
Duke of York, later King George VI)
The Royal Collection

Prior to their accession as King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George, Duke of York and Cornwall and Princess May of Teck, Duchess of York and Cornwall had six children: “David” (later King Edward VIII and, later still, the Duke of Windsor), “Bertie” (later King George VI), Mary (the Princess Royal, later Countess of Harewood), Prince Henry (later Duke of Gloucester), Prince George (later, Duke of Kent) and Prince John.

Some in the court considered the King and Queen to be detached and cold parents. This wasn’t necessarily the case. They loved their children fiercely. Queen Mary spent a good deal of time in the nursery at the end of each day, reading to the children and telling them about the Empire. However, there was naturally some distance. Their positions dictated that they make frequent voyages and they were separated from their offspring quite frequently. Despite the fact that both of them came from large families, neither of them had much exposure to children, and they both, admittedly, had no idea what to expect from a child. For that reason, they often found themselves at a loss as to what to do with their children and were frequently amazed when their progeny acted in the ways that children naturally act.

George, Duke of York (later Prince of Wales,
later King George V) with three of his children:
Prince Edward of Wales (later Duke of Windsor),
Marr the Princess Royal and Prince Albert of Wales
(later King George VI) aboard
HMY Osbrone
The Royal Collection

When George was created King, Mary’s utmost goal was to support her husband. The one thing that Mary loved more than her husband was the Monarchy and when her husband became King, he became—in her mind—imbued with all of the perfection and dignity assigned to the position. From his accession until his death, Mary’s only want was to ensure that her husband was taken care of. Because of this, she had that much less time to spend with her children. To make matters worse, at an early age, Prince John showed signs of having ill health. John was epileptic. As I’ve mentioned before, Queen Mary had a strong dislike for illness and quickly realized she had no idea how to care for her ailing child. For this reason, Prince John was set up in his own household, removed from the court. He had his own staff who doted on him and companions were brought in for his amusement until his death at the age of thirteen.

Prince Henry
Later Duke of Gloucester
The Royal Collection

As their other children grew, King George and Queen Mary (though they never quarreled) often differed on the best ways to direct their children. Mary thought George was too firm with their sons, and often wrote him long, gentle letters, urging him to lighten up a bit. By the time their sons had reached adulthood, King George insisted that they be pressed into public service. Some of the boys were better suited to this than others. “Bertie” much enjoyed public service and though he dreaded speaking in public, he took his duties seriously and proved to his father that he was an able Prince/Duke. “David,” not so much. Though the future King Edward VIII served his country and often acted as a proxy for his busy father, he much preferred the pursuit of pleasure, as did Prince George, the Duke of Kent, whose many liaisons with both women and men proved to create a lot of trouble for the King and Queen. Prince Henry showed himself as being a steady and able young man. For this reason, he was dispatched to Australia in the King’s place.

This event is depicted in one of the final cards in the series produced by Wills’s Cigarette Company for the 1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary.

The reverse of the card reads:

THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER’S AUSTRALIAN TOUR

In the autumn of 1934 the Duke of Gloucester began a deeply interesting but arduous tour of Australia and New Zealand, and he is seen landing at Fremantle on October 4th, from H.M.S. Sussex. The chief object of the Duke's voyage was to be present at the Melbourne Centenary celebrations, and to attend the dedication there on Armistice Day of the imposing "Shrine of Remembrance." Intent on observing the rural life of the Common wealth as well as the populous State Capitals, the Duke passed right across the vast Continent. The beginning of 1935 saw him loyally greeted in New Zealand.

Card of the Day: The Marriage of the Duke of Kent

The fifth child and fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George, The Duke of Kent never had aspirations to ascend the throne, knowing that his elder siblings (especially, as thought at the time, his eldest brother “David,” later King Edward VIII and the Duke of Windsor) would take his father’s place. George was a complicated fellow with a taste for parties and living a fast-paced lifestyle, much to the chagrin of his mother, Mary of Teck, who was always shocked when her children didn’t display the same sensibilities that she held dear.

In 1934, Prince George married Princess Marina of Greece. The marriage—which was also a rather complicated pairing—produced three children, and ended with the Duke’s tragic and early death in a plane crash.

Their marriage is depicted in a card produced for the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary by Wills’s Cigarette Company.

The reverse of the card reads:

THE MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF KENT


Not since the Coronation had so many Royal guests been in London as graced the wedding of the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece at Westminster Abbey on November 29th, 1934. The event produced the most brilliant week the Capital has enjoyed since the War, and among the most signal demonstrations of affection the Royal House has known. London's uproarious greetings followed the Duke and Duchess of Kent as they left Paddington-where they are her seen-for Himley Hall in Staffordshire, and crowds waved continuously to the speeding train. From Birmingham, the way to the Hall lay under bowers of roses and was illuminated by torches.

This video shows a series of photos from the life of the Duke of Kent and his family.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Miniature of Queen Victoria’s Father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 1814

Edward, Duke of Kent
1814
Miniature on Ivory in Gold Locket
The Royal Collection

The fourth son of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn was a military officer with expensive and debauched tastes as well as a host of illegitimate children. At the time of George III’s death, the King only had one legitimate grandchild, and she died young—leaving no one in line for the throne after the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and his younger brother, William. George III’s unmarried sons tried to make suitable marriages to produce a legitimate heir presumptice. Among this rush, The Duke of Kent married Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld. They had one child—Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent. The Princess was the only legitimate issue in line for the Crown, and after the death of her uncle, King William IV, she ascended the throne as Queen Victoria in 1837. The Duke of Kent never saw his daughter as Queen. He died seventeen years earlier.

But, here he is on a watercolor on ivory miniature in a gold locket. The painting is by Johan Georg Paul Fischer and dates to 1814.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Victoria was painted in 1821, before her accession, holding this miniature in a portrait by Sir William Beechey which depicts the the Duchess of Kent with Princess Victoria. The elaborate gold locket is the work of the jewelers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, and shows their masterful chasing and repoussé work. The Duke is identified by his Garter emblems, his coronet and his name, EDWARD. The locket’s reverse is similarly chased and is adorned with the badge of the Bath within the collar, and the collar and badge of St Patrick.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Fischer based this miniature on a portrait by Sir Beechey which also dates to 1814. No stranger to the Royal Family, Fischer’s first Royal sitter was King George III, whom Fischer painted for his Golden Jubilee.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Card of the Day: H.R.H. The Duke of Kent

Look! It’s Georgie! In this, the eighth Godfrey & Phillips Silver Jubilee Card, we see Prince George, the Duke of Kent about seven years before his shocking death in a 1942 plane crash. Just before her son’s death, Queen Mary noted in her diary that “Georgie” finally seemed happy and settled-down. He had married Princess Marina and they had a three children: Edward (now Duke of Kent), Princess Alexandra (later, the Honorable Lady Ogilvy) and Prince Michael of Kent.

Queen Mary had always had a soft spot for her fourth son. She enjoyed his company immensely and particularly liked to go shopping with him because they shared similar tastes. During the Second World War when Queen Mary had been taken away from London to stay at Badminton House in the country (threats against the Queen Dowager were quite real and the government feared that she would be abducted by Nazi forces), Prince George was the only one of her children who could visit her regularly because his position as Air Vice-Marshal allowed him free access to air travel. Together, they would sneak off to visit country antique shops and salvage yards. During her time at Badminton, Queen Mary became fanatical about finding scrap metal and giving it to the “cause.” She would often venture out on her own—sometimes with Prince George—and freely take whatever she could find that could be melted down for the military. The Queen, however, didn’t quite understand country life, and often mistook tools and barrows which had been left out over night (so they could be used again in the morning) as discarded. Prince George would see to it that these items were quietly returned without the Queen’s knowledge before they could be reported stolen.

It was at Badminton—just a day after visiting with her son—that Queen Mary was interrupted in her metal-thievery to answer a phone call. She was told that her precious Georgie had died. By this point in her life, the Queen had endured--with little outward emotion--the deaths of her parents, her fiance, her most beloved aunt, her youngest son, her husband, and her dearest friends. The death of her second youngest son, at first, was too much to bear for the Queen. Instead of sinking into despair, she chose not to believe it. Soon, however, the reality of the tragedy was too clear. In her typical manner, Queen Mary soldiered forward, but in a different way.

The Queen Dowager, while being driven in her deep green Daimler, would often offer rides to young soldiers that she or her driver spotted walking along the country roads. This became a regular event and one that the Queen looked forward to. She would talk honestly with these young men about her family and her life and listen intently—with tears rolling down her cheeks—as these soldiers described the horrors of war, their family troubles and the losses of their friends. Sometimes she’d offer them small gifts or a few coins, but most likely, she’d casually give the young men a cigarette and, together, they would chat and smoke as they drove.

She stated that this was what Georgie would have wanted her to do. I’m sure she was right.

Blake Ritson as The Duke of Kent
BBC

The Duke of Kent has been portrayed several times in popular modern culture.  Most recently, we've seen the Duke portrayed by Blake Ritson in the 2010 continuation of the celebrated Upstairs, Downstairs.  I've also included a fun little video of the children of King George V and Queen Mary. 

The Duke and Duchess of Kent with Prince Edward, 1936
Photo by Marcus Adams
Notice that Queen mary has written "Georgie, Edward, Marina" on thw photo.

Painting of the Day: A Miniature of Queen Victoria’s Father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 1814

Edward, Duke of Kent
1814
Miniature on Ivory in Gold Locket
The Royal Collection

The fourth son of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn was a military officer with expensive and debauched tastes as well as a host of illegitimate children. At the time of George III’s death, the King only had one legitimate grandchild, and she died young—leaving no one in line for the throne after the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and his younger brother, William. George III’s unmarried sons tried to make suitable marriages to produce a legitimate heir presumptice. Among this rush, The Duke of Kent married Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld. They had one child—Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent. The Princess was the only legitimate issue in line for the Crown, and after the death of her uncle, King William IV, she ascended the throne as Queen Victoria in 1837. The Duke of Kent never saw his daughter as Queen. He died seventeen years earlier.

But, here he is on a watercolor on ivory miniature in a gold locket. The painting is by Johan Georg Paul Fischer and dates to 1814.

Queen Victoria was painted in 1821, before her accession, holding this miniature in a portrait by Sir William Beechey which depicts the the Duchess of Kent with Princess Victoria. The elaborate gold locket is the work of the jewelers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, and shows their masterful chasing and repoussé work. The Duke is identified by his Garter emblems, his coronet and his name, EDWARD. The locket’s reverse is similarly chased and is adorned with the badge of the Bath within the collar, and the collar and badge of St Patrick.

Fischer based this miniature on a portrait by Sir Beechey which also dates to 1814. No stranger to the Royal Family, Fischer’s first Royal sitter was King George III, whom Fischer painted for his Golden Jubilee.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Miniature of Queen Victoria’s Father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 1814

Edward, Duke of Kent
1814
Miniature on Ivory in Gold Locket
The Royal Collection

The fourth son of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn was a military officer with expensive and debauched tastes as well as a host of illegitimate children. At the time of George III’s death, the King only had one legitimate grandchild, and she died young—leaving no one in line for the throne after the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and his younger brother, William. George III’s unmarried sons tried to make suitable marriages to produce a legitimate heir presumptice. Among this rush, The Duke of Kent married Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld. They had one child—Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent. The Princess was the only legitimate issue in line for the Crown, and after the death of her uncle, King William IV, she ascended the throne as Queen Victoria in 1837. The Duke of Kent never saw his daughter as Queen. He died seventeen years earlier.

But, here he is on a watercolor on ivory miniature in a gold locket. The painting is by Johan Georg Paul Fischer and dates to 1814.

Queen Victoria was painted in 1821, before her accession, holding this miniature in a portrait by Sir William Beechey which depicts the the Duchess of Kent with Princess Victoria. The elaborate gold locket is the work of the jewelers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, and shows their masterful chasing and repoussé work. The Duke is identified by his Garter emblems, his coronet and his name, EDWARD. The locket’s reverse is similarly chased and is adorned with the badge of the Bath within the collar, and the collar and badge of St Patrick.

Fischer based this miniature on a portrait by Sir Beechey which also dates to 1814. No stranger to the Royal Family, Fischer’s first Royal sitter was King George III, whom Fischer painted for his Golden Jubilee.

Card of the Day: The Duke of Gloucester

Ah, the Duke of Gloucester. He was the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. He didn’t have the Prince Edward’s (the Prince of Wales) looks, nor did he have Prince Albert’s (The Duke of York) quiet charm. He was Henry—known as “Harry.” He was steady and he didn’t give his parents a lot of trouble. He joined the Army, married and liked to drink—a lot, but that was okay.

While Henry’s brothers (including fourth son George, the Duke of Kent) tended to take center stage with their Royal parents and Mary, the Princess Royal was ever-present, the Duke of Gloucester seemed to want to go on about his business, do what was asked of him and have a nice, bracing drink or two.

In Queen Mary’s journals, she often mentions her other children. Edward (known as “David”) was a frequent subject—especially during and after the abdication crisis when the Queen was so frustrated that she actually exclaimed in Cockney slang, “THIS is a pretty kettle of fish!” The Duke of York, “Bertie,” and his lovely wife, Elizabeth, were also mentioned often as they were so pleasant and always available. Princess Mary often made appearances in her mother’s diaries inasmuch as “Mary joined us for dinner.” Or “Mary motored with me to the Victoria & Albert.” Even the Duke of Kent was mentioned with regularity—mostly in phrases such as “When will Georgie marry?!” But, good old Henry was barely spoken of—not because there was something wrong with him (like Prince John who died at the age of thirteen), but because he was—well—just not that interesting.

And, so, here’s good old Henry, The Duke of Gloucester, looking rather dull. I wonder if he was popular with the collectors of these cigarette cards during the 1935 Silver Jubilee. “Here, I’ll trade you my Prince Edward for two of your Dukes of Gloucester, what.” No, I doubt it. He doesn’t even look like his brothers. He looks, for all the world, like his maternal grandfather, the Duke of Teck. He just seems to lack the Duke of Teck’s disagreeable personality. So, that’s something at least.

Card of the Day: H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent

The Duchess of Kent

The last foreign-born Princess to marry into the Royal Family, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was known for her beauty and compassion. She married Prince George, the Duke of Kent, in 1934 and quickly became an involved member of the Royal Family—with the approval of Queen Mary, her mother-in-law.

Even after the early, tragic death of Prince George, the Duchess of Kent continued to actively pursue her Royal duties. She would often deputize for Queen Mary, and later, for Queen Elizabeth II. She would remain a bright light in the Royal Family until her 1968 death at Kensington Palace.

The Duchess of Kent posing
with a picture of her husband,
Prince George, Duke of Kent.
The Royal Collection

The Duchess of Kent is seen pictured in the ninth card by Godfrey & Phillips Cigarette Company. These cards were produced for the Silver Jubilee of the King and Queen in 1935.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Princess Marina’s Baby Dress, 1910

Dress
Embroidered Linen
Made for Princess Marina, 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Though children’s fashions tended to be simpler in design than their adult counterparts, they were nonetheless well made. Clothing, overall, was made to last. Even in the early Twentieth Century, most families—even the wealthiest—didn’t have closets full of changes of clothes. Children’s clothes, especially, were constructed to be sturdy. However, great attention to detail was still paid because, in many cases, these articles were passed down from child to child—often for generations.

This beautiful dress of embroidered linen was made in 1910 for Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968). The Princess was the youngest of the three daughters of HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece and his wife Grand Duchess Elena of Russia. However, most people remember Princess Marina as the wife of the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George (“Georgie” to his mother, the Queen), the Duke of Kent whom the Princess married in 1934. “Georgie” and Marina appeared to have a happy marriage though beneath the surface there was a lot going on that wasn’t known by the public. Together, they had one child, Prince Edward (now Duke of Kent). Princess Marina, even after the untimely death of the Duke of Kent in 1942, was quite popular with the people of Britain who admired her fashion sense—a trait, it seems, which she developed as a child. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Princess Marina’s Baby Dress, 1910

Dress
Embroidered Linen
Made for Princess Marina, 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Though children’s fashions tended to be simpler in design than their adult counterparts, they were nonetheless well made. Clothing, overall, was made to last. Even in the early Twentieth Century, most families—even the wealthiest—didn’t have closets full of changes of clothes. Children’s clothes, especially, were constructed to be sturdy. However, great attention to detail was still paid because, in many cases, these articles were passed down from child to child—often for generations.

This beautiful dress of embroidered linen was made in 1910 for Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968). The Princess was the youngest of the three daughters of HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece and his wife Grand Duchess Elena of Russia. However, most people remember Princess Marina as the wife of the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George (“Georgie” to his mother, the Queen), the Duke of Kent whom the Princess married in 1934. “Georgie” and Marina appeared to have a happy marriage though beneath the surface there was a lot going on that wasn’t known by the public. Together, they had one child, Prince Edward (now Duke of Kent). Princess Marina, even after the untimely death of the Duke of Kent in 1942, was quite popular with the people of Britain who admired her fashion sense—a trait, it seems, which she developed as a child.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition, The Neptune Candelabra, 1818-1820

Candelabrum
Silver, 1818-1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the early Nineteenth Century, a common theme in plate and in table ornament was the theme of the sea—personified by the Roman sea god, Neptune. For the English, Neptune represented the source not only of the fish and seafood which comprised many of their meals, but also of salt—a precious commodity indeed.

One of the ways by which an aristocratic family would show their social position and wealth was by adorning their tables with the finest silver, plate and china. Here’s one example of the type of adornment which would have graced a noble dining room.

Modeled with a figure of Neptune kneeling on a sea horse (or “hippocamp”) on a rocky base, this magnificent candelabrum is cast and chased with shells, seaweed and sea creatures. As he often does, Neptune holds a trident in his left hand and, in his right, presents a shell from which a hydra (the mythical multi-headed snake) springs. The hydra’s heads form the branches of the candelabrum.

This was part of a massive table garniture ordered by the then Duke of York—Prince Frederick (second son of King George III and brother of the future King George IV. Frederick would die before his elder brother, thus allowing his younger brother, to become King William IV when George IV died without legitimate heirs*). Upon his early death, the catalog of the sale of the Duke of York’s silver shows that this candelabrum is attributed to the antiquarian and silver retailer Kensington Lewis, who promoted himself with great pride as “Silversmith and Jeweller to his R. H. the Duke of York.” This candelabrum bears the mark of artist Edward Farrell, a silversmith who worked with Kensington Lewis between 1816 until the mid-1830s.

*In keeping with “family tradition” of lots of illegitimate children from the progeny of George III, King William IV also died without legitimate issue and the Crown, upon William’s death, was passed to the eldest child of his younger brother, Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent. This, of course, was Queen Victoria who, as we know, did her best to put the Royal Family back in order.

The Home Beautiful: The Neptune Candelabra, 1818-1820

Candelabrum
Silver, 1818-1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the early Nineteenth Century, a common theme in plate and in table ornament was the theme of the sea—personified by the Roman sea god, Neptune. For the English, Neptune represented the source not only of the fish and seafood which comprised many of their meals, but also of salt—a precious commodity indeed.

One of the ways by which an aristocratic family would show their social position and wealth was by adorning their tables with the finest silver, plate and china. Here’s one example of the type of adornment which would have graced a noble dining room.

Modeled with a figure of Neptune kneeling on a sea horse (or “hippocamp”) on a rocky base, this magnificent candelabrum is cast and chased with shells, seaweed and sea creatures. As he often does, Neptune holds a trident in his left hand and, in his right, presents a shell from which a hydra (the mythical multi-headed snake) springs. The hydra’s heads form the branches of the candelabrum.

This was part of a massive table garniture ordered by the then Duke of York—Prince Frederick (second son of King George III and brother of the future King George IV. Frederick would die before his elder brother, thus allowing his younger brother, to become King William IV when George IV died without legitimate heirs*). Upon his early death, the catalog of the sale of the Duke of York’s silver shows that this candelabrum is attributed to the antiquarian and silver retailer Kensington Lewis, who promoted himself with great pride as “Silversmith and Jeweller to his R. H. the Duke of York.” This candelabrum bears the mark of artist Edward Farrell, a silversmith who worked with Kensington Lewis between 1816 until the mid-1830s.

*In keeping with “family tradition” of lots of illegitimate children from the progeny of George III, King William IV also died without legitimate issue and the Crown, upon William’s death, was passed to the eldest child of his younger brother, Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent. This, of course, was Queen Victoria who, as we know, did her best to put the Royal Family back in order.

Card of the Day: The Three Princes at the Derby

After the First World War, the Royal Family made a point of showing the public that life could and should return to normal by making dozens of appearances at important, traditional events and by trying to seem as casual and well-adjusted as possible. King George V and Queen Mary led the way and relied heavily on their sons to do the same. The Prince of Wales (later, briefly, King Edward VIII) was always up for a party, The Duke of York (later, King George VI and father of the present Queen) wasn’t so keen on public appearances, The Duke of Kent (Prince Henry) had no problem mingling, and the Duke of Gloucester had an easy way with the people.


The twelfth in the Wills Cigarette Card series commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Mary of Teck shows three of the four Princes attending the Derby in June and demonstrates their role in rebuilding British moral.

The reverse of the card reads:

THE THREE PRINCES AT THE DERBY


On June 1st, 1921, a perfect Derby Day, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Duke of Gloucester (then Prince Henry) watched Humorist fight out the last furlong with Lord Astor’s Craig an Eran and win by a neck. Mr. J.B. Joel thus scored his second triumph in the great race and Steve Donoghue began his record sequence of Derby successes. Before the start, the three Princes, with complete informality, mingled with the crowds in the paddock, and the King and Queen set a precedent by motoring down the course from Tattenham Corner. So great was the press of vehicles that the airship R 33 was employed to control the traffic by wireless.

Obscure Book of the Day: Princess Anne, the First Souvenir Album

Today’s book surprised me. To be honest, of this batch of Pitkin Guides, this was one of the ones that least excited me. At first glance, I figured it was just sort of a baby album of Princess Anne. But, it’s much more than that. When I began to study it, I realized that it’s very nicely detailed history of Queen Mary’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Now, had I paid better attention, I would have noticed that the title of the book is actually, “A Pictorial Souvenir of Queen Mary’s Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren to Commemorate the Birth of H.R.H. Princess Anne.”

Not only does the book offer the “first photographs” of Princess Anne, but it also shows the relationship between Queen Mary and all of her family in the years just before her death in 1953. Again, there’s no date of publication, but since Anne was born in August of 1950, that’s a good indication of when this book was printed.

Being Queen Mary’s biggest fan (certainly her biggest in Texas, at least), I will admit, that I found the many photos of George V’s widow with many assorted Royal babies to be quite interesting. It is often said that Queen Mary didn’t like children. That’s not entirely true. She was quite involved with her own children when they were young and enjoyed reading to them and visiting with them. She was not allowed the luxury of being a hands-on mama. She was, after all, the Queen Consort (and before that, the Duchess of York, among other things) and had a lot of duties. As devoted as Mary was to her family, nothing outweighed her two top devotions—her husband, the King; and the Empire. Above all else, Mary loved Britain. Her love for her children was colored by the fact that, for her, they had a role in the Empire—an obligation that she always tried to make clear to them.

By the time her grandchildren came along, Queen Mary had a little more time on her hands. She was very involved with the children of her second son, “Bertie” and his wife, Elizabeth (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother). Mary and George V often stated to one another that their eldest grandchild, Princess Elizabeth, showed—even as a child—the makings of a good Queen. George, in fact, was known to have bemoaned the fact that “David” (later, briefly, King Edward VIII) would get in the way of “Bertie” and “Lilibet” and the throne.

George V and Mary with their favorite grandchild,
now Queen Elizabeth II

After the death of her husband and the whole abdication kerfuffle with her eldest son, Queen Mary realized that “Lilibet” would one day, in fact, be Queen, and began to spend as much time with the girl as possible. Still, war and other assorted crises got in the way. By the time Mary’s great-grandchildren came along, she did, in fact, love them and delighted in their births. But, her diary makes her position clear. More than their individual natures, Mary loved the fact that these children meant the future of Britain and the Royal family.

The simple truth is, Queen Mary was uncomfortable with children. It’s not that she didn’t like them, she just didn’t understand them. They surprised her. They acted in ways that she couldn’t comprehend. That made her uneasy. She just didn’t know what to do about it. And, so, as you’ll see, her discomfort is apparent. She valued each baby that she’s holding in these pictures. But, the sense of the unknown that came with each one was just a little too much of a source of discomfort.

Let’s take a look inside:

Queen Mary and her first grandchild--the son of her daughter, Princess Mary.

Then-Princess Elizabeth with her daughter, Princess Anne and Prince Charles

The Family of the Duke of Kent.

The Queen Mother and her hat and Princess Anne.

Queen Mary called her granddaughter Elizabeth, "a simply delightful baby."

"Queen Mary obviously has a way with her granddaughter."  Christmas, 1926.

Royal babies a-plenty.  Isn't it funny?  We just saw this little boy's eldest son get married at Westminster Abbey.

When the Duchess of York first held her eldest girl, she had no idea that the child would one day be Queen.

"Then, my dear, simply tell your hostess that you admire her brooch.  She'll have to give it to you."
"Thank you, Grandma Britain."
Or, so I'd like to think this exchange went.

Coronation Day--May of 1937.  Uncle David went off to marry that American and Daddy became king.
On the balcony: Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, King George VI, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen) and Princess Margaret.
Crowns and coronets for all.

"Oh, dear.  Another one."
Queen Mary holds Edward, son of her son, the Duke of Kent.  She is flanked by the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.

Queen Mary with an infant Prince Charles.  I can't imagine what she was thinking.  Here's a woman who was engaged to one heir to the throne--who died, was married to the King, was the mother of two Kings, the grandmother of a Queen and, here, holds in her arms a child who would be the next heir to the throne. 

Buy more books--in the past.