European Royalty Articles - Elizabeth II Articles

This article concerns the Spring of 1944 and why it was such an exciting season for Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of England (b. 1926): the twenty-first of April marked her eighteenth birthday and her country was entering the last year of their bloodiest war, while the princess herself held two positions that she took quite seriously: Patrol Leader of the Buckingham Palace Girlguides, as well as Colonel-in-Chief of the Grenadier Guards. There were also times when she was required to join her father when he was in conference with his ministers; however one of the newest concerns involved the:

"Matrimonial prospects for the future Queen of England [which had been] for some months one of the most discussed subjects throughout the United Kingdom. The girl herself will have only a small voice in the subject; final decision in her selection of a husband will be made by the king, Queen, the Prime Minister and the Archbishop of Canterbury. A Royal Marriage Act of 1772 gives Parliament overriding power in royal marriages."

"Chief of those mentioned is Charles Manners, 10th Duke of Rutland, Hugh Dennis Charles Fitzroy, Lord Euston, eldest son of the Duke of Grafton. The third candidate for the position was Walter Francis John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lord Dalkeith, heir to the Duke of Buccleuch.

This brief article was written by Enid A. Haupt (1906 – 2005), who is remembered as one of the earliest publishers of SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE and one of America's most generous philanthropists.

A printable article (excerpted from a longer one) outlining what exactly Princess Elizabeth II was up to during World War II:

...and it was decided that Elizabeth must not enlist in anything, that her training for the throne was of the first importance. But Elizabeth felt that she would be a slacker and carry about an inferiority complex for life. So for a year, relentlessly, she persisted. Just before her nineteenth birthday, her father gave in..."

 

Her Favorite Movies (Photoplay Magazine, 1937)

The cinematic tastes of ER II are, like the sovereign herself, deep and complicated. A vast number of geeks employed by this website were sent forth far across the deep green sea in order to find out what her favorite movies are, and we were not at all surprised to learn that she favors the James Bond films. Contrast those movies with the earliest of her film choices and you will be able to trace her development through the years - another article on this page makes clear that she enjoyed the Shirley Temple series - but hold the phone: the attached article from THAT SAME YEAR indicates that she enjoyed A DIFFERENT MOVIE AS WELL!

•Listen to Princess Elizabeth's W.W. II Radio Broadcast Addressed to the Children of the World•

 

The Coronation Jewelery (Gentry Magazine, 1953)

The attached photograph of Queen Elizabeth in her Coronation attire is accompanied by a few select words concerning the Koh-I-Nor diamond and a few other pretty baubles worn on the occasion of her 1953 coronation:

"Elizabeth II wearing the diamond-and-pearl circlet of Queen Victoria. The design incorporates the Tudor rose, Scotch thistle, and Irish shamrock. The diamond necklace was a wedding gift from the Nizam of Hyderabad."

*Watch Footage from the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II*

 

Enter Elizabeth II (Literary Digest, 1937)

When King Edward VIII chose to abdicate, the world's attention shifted to the new heir, the Duke of York (George VI: 1895 – 1952) and his daughter, Elizabeth (Elizabeth II: b. 1926). This magazine article served to introduce the future queen to American readers - making clear that the princess was something like a British version of the Hollywood child star, Shirley Temple - often imitated and recognized as the gold standard of British girlhood. Written during the depression, her lavish, story-book existence seemed unreal to many.

"The Elizabeth has not been told she will reign as Queen, court gossips have already speculated on her future husband. Prince Charles of Luxembourg, nine; Prince Gorm, seventeen and Prince Olaf, thirteen, of Denmark; Prince Philippe of Greece, fifteen, and Prince William Victor, seventeen-year-old grandson of of the ex-Kaiser, have all been mentioned as possible consorts of the child - if there is any royalty left by then."