In 1935, despite all that hardship, the people of Britain greeted King George V’s Silver Jubilee with warm enthusiasm. The King and Queen Mary drew huge and happy crowds wherever they went, and so did the Yorks. But over all the celebrations hung still the domestic scourge of unemployment and the international shadow of Europe’s dictators.
The Duchess was ill that Christmas with one of her frequent attacks of influenza. She and the Duke stayed at their home, Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Their children were at Sandringham with their grandparents and the Duchess wrote to them often. To Princess Elizabeth she wrote, ‘Mind you answer very nicely when you are asked questions, even though they may be silly ones!’28
It was King George V’s last Christmas. Already weak, his condition worsened through the next few weeks, and on 21 January 1936 he died. It was the beginning of a terrible year for the monarchy and for the Yorks in particular.
The Prince of Wales acceded to the throne, taking the title Edward VIII. But it quickly became clear to those around him that he had little enthusiasm for the task. He was entirely preoccupied by the effect that his father’s death would have on his relationship with Wallis Simpson, a divorced American woman with whom he was in love. During the course of that year, Mrs Simpson acquired her second divorce and the King informed his Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, that he intended to marry her. When Baldwin took soundings at home and throughout the Empire, it became evident that Mrs Simpson would be widely unacceptable as Queen and he so informed the King.
Edward VIII eventually decided to abdicate in favour of his brother Bertie; on 11 December 1936 he did so. To their horror the Duke and Duchess of York suddenly and unexpectedly became King and Queen. He took the name George VI. She wrote to her brother-in-law, the departing King, ‘We are all overcome with misery and can only pray that you will find happiness in your new life.’29
In their own new lives much was demanded of them. They had to rescue the monarchy from crisis, and convince the British people that George VI would be an effective monarch. It was not easy; Edward VIII had been popular in the country, and there were rumours that the new King’s stammer and shyness indicated his inability to reign. But by the force of their own personalities the King and Queen dispelled the doubts. To the Archbishop of Canterbury the Queen wrote that she could hardly believe the challenge they faced but ‘the curious thing is that we are not afraid.’30
Friday undated [9 January 1920] to Beryl Poignand
St Paul’s Walden Bury
My dearest M
How are you? Did you get the photograph alright? I have come back today from Hatfield* after a most wonderful party. It really was great fun, & I enjoyed it so much. The people there were the Cranbornes,† Monica Grenfell,‡ Helen Cecil,§ Mollie Cecil,¶ Bay Smith & me, Mr Arthur Penn, Lord Apsley,| Bruce [Ogilvy], Bobby Somerset,** Mr Rex Benson, Count de Grünne, Walter Dalkeith,†† & Mr Francis Manners.‡‡ One day we played tennis in the real tennis house, which was most amusing. Two afternoons we played hockey violently, which was great fun. On Tuesday evening we danced, and ended up by a terrific game of follow-my-leader right round the house, which is immense, under the dining room table & even across the roof!! On Wednesday we went to a dance given by the Aclands, but only stayed till 12, as the Hertford Ball was the next night. I met an extraordinary American at it, and the awful thing was I couldn’t remember his name, & he asked me if I knew it. I guessed Johnson, but it turned out to be Williams. I never can remember names! The Hertford Ball last night was heavenly – bed 4 a.m. this morning!! I had on my new white frock. Several people admired it, which pleased me immensely!! Walter drove me here this morning in his car, & I have never been in such danger before! Unluckily we passed all the Brands who are his cousins, shooting, & he got thrilled & waved at them, & each time we swerved wildly into the ditch, & out again. We crashed into the gate here, & I wonder that I am alive. He has hardly ever driven before!!
The Salisburys are a most delightful family, and I love David [Cecil].* He is very clever, and most entertaining. Quite vague like they all are. You must be getting dreadfully bored at hearing all this. Have you been to any good dances? Do write and tell me. I received a letter from an Australian, also a book of views of NZ from another a box of chocs from Bruce & Capt Glass, but that is all amusing.
I hope I am coming to London next week & shall see you. David is up at Glamis & Mother is returning tonight. Goodbye old pip, much love from your loving Elizabeth
11 June 1920 to Beryl Poignand
20 St James’s Square
My dearest M.
I must write you a last letter from this darling house, as we leave it for ever next week.† I can’t bear it – it is too dreadful. I was so disappointed you couldn’t come last Thursday – it was all my fault I know – & after all D & P never came & there was only Katie & another girl. I wish you could have come – I waited anxiously by the front door but you never came. Oh alas perfidious one.
I suppose you are on your holiday now, I do hope you are really very happy. We are in an awful state here, moving everything, packing up, & thoroughly upset in every way. The terrible thing is, that we simply can’t get another house, & so we are warehousing the furniture, & trying to find a small house just to live in for a month or so. I’m so depressed old darling, I love every corner of this house. All the funny things that have happened; the Australian dances, our schoolroom where I used to flatten my nose against the window & make eyes at the Beautiful One – (& you to Fatty) the stairs we used to race up, the spot where Capt Glass* proposed, the room I got Mr Bagshawe’s letter in saying ‘will you marry meh?’, the place you looked over the banisters when your brother returned suddenly from France – our dinner when all the food was on the floor with Wellsie† & Lavinia, our heavenly repast of roast chicken after the first time we saw Henry (was it him or was he not there?), the glass Uncle Freddy rubbed when he came to tea, oh & thousands of others. Do you remember them all? This house has more old associations than nearly anywhere. I will write & let you know directly we get another house.
I am going to stay with Nina Balfour for Ascot next week, but I am not particularly looking forward to it! It rather frightens me. I do hope you are really enjoying yourself, do write & tell me how you are & what you are doing. Did you see that ghastly picture of me in the Sketch? Oh!
Must stop, I have been so busy lately, & I had to write & tell you the last news.
Very loving Elizabeth
Tuesday 13 July 1920 to Beryl Poignand
90 Eaton Square
S.W.1
My dearest M.
I have been trying to write to you for ages, but you can’t imagine the busy time I’ve been having lately. Mostly gaiety I’m afraid! First of all, thank you very very much for your letter. I am so glad you have got another month [of holiday], I’m sure you needed it badly, and I do hope it will do you a lot of good. We have taken this house for a few months furnished, & it is very ugly but quite comfortable. I miss St J. Square terribly, & very nearly as much, I miss the locality. Isn’t it funny? But the traffic & people are so deadly here, & one can’t pop round to Mr Harris [chemist in St James’s Street] or Mr Bottom [newsagent at 32A Duke Street] or anything nice like that.
I went down to Henley – stayed with the Hambledens* at Greenlands for it. It pelted the whole time, but it was quite fun. Then on Sunday we motored up to London with Geordie Haddington,† & Mother & I went up to Carberry that night for the King & Queen’s visit to Holyrood.
May & Sidney had a large party, all over 60, including the Duchess of Roxburgh & also Montrose, Lord Mar & Kellie, Lord Balfour, & a few other rather Royal people! We dined with the K. & Queen at Holyrood on the Monday. It was really quite fun. I was taken in by the Lord Justice General! & had the Admiral Commanding at Rosyth on the other side!! They were very nice.
On Tuesday I was formally presented, & on Wednesday there was a garden party. We came down on Wednesday night! On Thursday [8 July] I went to the R.A
.F. Ball at the Ritz. It was really most amusing, & there were some priceless people there. All the heroes of the Air too. I danced with Prince Albert who I hadn’t known before, he is quite a nice youth. Then on Friday & Sat. the Eton v. Harrow. That was really great fun. I loved it, & it was so nice having David back. He returned to Eton yesterday.
Rosie is still in Malta and can’t get home. I believe she is very well though. Mother and I are going to ‘Mr Pim’* this evening. Have you seen him? By the way, ‘At the Villa Rose’† sounds rather melodramatic! We must go. Do write again and tell me how you are and if enjoying yourself goodly. Very loving Elizabeth
Tuesday undated [14 September 1920] to Beryl Poignand
Glamis Castle
My dearest M,
[…]
I am now completely exhausted from our Forfar ball party. It was really great fun, & we were about 20 altogether, & I’ve never done so much before in my life! We dressed up, & ragged about, & now that the hard tennis court is finished, we played all day. The people were Katie Hamilton, Doris Gordon Lennox,‡ Bettine Malcolm,§ Katharine McEwen,¶ Diamond Hardinge,| Grisell Cochrane Baillie,** Hilda Blackburn†† & us. Also Lord Doune, James Stuart,‡‡ Lord Gage,* Victor Cochrane Baillie, Jock McEwen,† Sir Richard Leighton,‡ Prince Paul of Serbia§ & David & Mike.
The most awful thing happened. Victor proposed to me the night we all dressed up! He looked too awful with great black smudges all over his face! I did hate it! Don’t tell anybody.
Still a few people here, must fly & dress for dinner. […]
Much love, & again a thousand thanks
Your very loving Elizabeth
‘People were always popping the question. I remember somebody proposed to me at a fancy-dress ball at Glamis, and I remember his face was covered with black paint. He was sitting next to me and proposed and I remember saying “No, thank you very much.” And when one turned them down, he’d say, “Oh, I thought you wouldn’t.” So that was all very nice and lighthearted, really, I think. Occasionally there was a very serious one. He used to go away to America or something, you know.’ These last remarks referred to James Stuart.
Thursday undated [23 September 1920] to Beryl Poignand
Glamis Castle
My dearest M,
How is life treating you? I haven’t heard from you for ages, do write soon. I don’t believe either, that I’ve seen you for about 4 or 5 months! I hope you are feeling quite well again. I am writing in bed as I’ve got rather a cold, & am now utterly exhausted after 3 weeks of entertaining people! Last Saturday Prince Albert came to stay & that kept us pretty busy! He was very nice tho’, & very much improved in every way.*
Princess Mary was staying at Airlie to review Girl Guides – she dined here on Saturday, and we danced afterwards till 12. Lady Airlie, Dit, & her Lady in Waiting, Lady Joan Mulholland came too. The people staying here, were Katie, Doris Gordon Lennox, Helen Cecil, Venetia James, Lord Carnegie, Lord Doune, Tom Bevan & James Stuart besides our family.
Albert proposed himself & seemed to enjoy it all! Princess Mary came to Chapel on Sunday & afterwards I showed her & the Duke round the Castle, & terrified them with ghost stories! We also played ridiculous games of hide and seek, they really are babies. She didn’t leave till 6.30, & then we all played General Post and Flags etc till dinner time – I had played tennis all morning, so you can imagine how tired I was!! We sang all evening – & it was all quite fun. Poor P. Mary really did enjoy herself – she is most awfully nice.
So you see we have been very busy lately, & are at last going to have a little peace!! […]
I must stop, do write soon. Have you been to any dances since your return?
Your very loving
Elizabeth
Thursday undated [?November 1920] to Beryl Poignand
90 Eaton Square
Why did’st thou not come this evening Medusa?
As a matter of fact our Bert stayed till 7, talking 100 to 20, or even 200 to a dozen.
I am just off to a smart dance, & I know I shan’t know a soul, & will be miserable. I must see you some time – when on earth can it be? I do wish he hadn’t come this evening, but I simply couldn’t stop him, & I am longing to see you.
Ever your loving Elizabeth
Monday undated [13 December 1920] to the Duke of York
St Paul’s Walden Bury
Dear Prince Albert
Thank you so much for your letter. I am looking forward very much to Mrs Ronnie Greville’s* party – though the thought of it terrifies me! I haven’t been to a proper dinner party for months and months, and have quite forgotten how to behave! I expect it will be great fun though. Have you been very gay? Dancing every night I expect –
Only a short note, as Wednesday is so soon.
I am Sir, Yours sincerely
Elizabeth Lyon
23 December 1920 to the Duke of York
St Paul’s Walden Bury
Dear Prince Albert
Thank you so very much for the lovely little box, which I simply love.
It is so nice of you to think of giving it to me, and very many thanks. It is so pretty, and will help to ornament my sitting room in Bruton Street next year. I was so sorry about the dance on Tuesday, but my mother has really been very ill, and I couldn’t leave her.
She is a little better now, which is a great relief. Did you enjoy Lady Evelyn’s* dance last week? I loved it, tho’ I enjoyed ‘your party’ at Mrs Greville’s even more. I feel I shall not be going to another one for months, which is dreadfully sad. I lead such a deadly existence here, that there is simply nothing to tell you – oh except that I have just fallen into a pond! The only event which happened for weeks!
I hope you will have a very merry Xmas, & I send you all my very best wishes for 1921. I hope it will be a very happy year for you. Thank you again a thousand times for the darling little box – I do love it.
I am Sir,
Yours sincerely,
Elizabeth Lyon
10 January 1921 to the Duke of York
St Paul’s Walden Bury
Dear Prince Albert
Thank you so much for your letter, which I received on return from my ‘round of gaieties’! I am so sorry to hear that you have been ill, and hope you are really feeling better.
I am a complete wreck still, as on Friday night I went to bed at 6 o’clock – an unearthly hour, after the Southdown Ball which was great fun. My brain refuses to work – hence a dull letter! About luncheon on the 17th. It would be delightful if you could come – the only thing is, would you mind having it alone? Not alone by yourself I don’t mean (it sounds so funny that, as if you would have it in one room, and me in another!!). But you see my mother has been very ill, and she & I are really only having a sort of picnic down here by ourselves, and I am afraid you would be bored to tears. It would be delightful if you are sure you wouldn’t mind not having a large luncheon party? Please do say if you think you might!
This is quite a small house, and no ghosts like at Glamis!
There is a signpost just before you reach a village called Codicote, beyond Hitchin, with St Pauls Walden on it, and then you keep to the right all the way, till you come to a tumbledown old gate on the left. Then you go up a bumpy road full of holes, and eventually reach an even more tumbledown old house, and a tumbledown little person waiting on the doorstep – which will be ME!!!
But do come if you really don’t mind having luncheon with my mother and me, or would you rather put it off till we come to London? Whichever you like best.
I am Sir,
Yours sincerely, Elizabeth Lyon
28 February 1921 to the Duke of York
St Paul’s Walden Bury
Dear Prince Bertie
I must write one line to say how dreadfully sorry I am about yesterday. It makes me miserable to think of it – you have been so very nice about it all – please do forgive me. Also please don’t worry about it – I do understand so well what you feel, and sympathis
e so much, & I hate to think I am the cause of it. I honestly can’t explain to you how terribly sorry I am –, it worries me so much to think you may be unhappy – I do hope you won’t be. Anyway we can be good friends can’t we? Please do look on me as one. I shall never say anything about our talks I promise you – and nobody need ever know.
I thought I must just write this short letter to try & tell you how sorry I am.
Yours very sincerely, Elizabeth
The Prince had invited himself to lunch with Elizabeth for a second time at St Paul’s Walden Bury on 27 February. Evidently he had proposed to her but she had turned him down.
6 March 1921 to Jock Bowes Lyon
St Paul’s Walden Bury
My Darling Jock
Thank you a thousand times for your letter which I loved. I will speak to Bragger about the cricket pitch, and being a young man of remarkable perseverance I feel something may come out of it!
It sounds too delicious at St Jean, it has also been too lovely here ever since you left, but today the weather broke up – alas!
I did not take what you might call a violent fancy to Sir P[hilip]. Sassoon;* he was merely rather amusing to talk to, and I like talking to people who have got quite different points of view to the usual run of men. Perhaps not very elevating ones, (points of view) but très moderne (French).
Now I have a momentous piece of news for you. Over the page now! Ha ha.
No, it isn’t what you thought it was going to be – so Ha Ha again. It is, that I was IN MY BATH, by TEN MINUTES TO NINE this morning. Can you beat it?
I thank you in advance for your kind congratulations. Merci, and likewise danke schön.
The tennis lawn is a vision of beauty – green velvety turf – I don’t think. But it really is rather good now, but you bet it rains all summer. I have just been immersed in the ‘Saturday Evening Post’, and consequently start all my sentences with ‘Say, listen’! And very nice too.
Counting One's Blessings Page 10
