Tons of people all around the globe are obsessed with the British Royals and we finally have access to these rare photos of five generations of the most famous family in the world. Read on to find out more!
Like Mother Like Daughter
The Queen mother and her daughter were close. Growing up, the Queen mother even taught her daughter how to read by the time she was five years old.
She made sure young Elizabeth knew domestic duties even though they lived a lavish lifestyle.
The Queen Mother
Before the Queen became the Queen Mother as we know her, she was a sweet little girl named Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Here is a rare photo of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1909 as a young girl practicing her curtsy. She was 9 years old when the photograph was taken.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was one of ten children. She was the youngest daughter and the 9th child. As a young girl, Elizabeth loved to play at St Paul’s Walden and at Glamis Castle.
Smiling Duchess
During World War II, the British people found her to be a great moral support during the turbulent times. Many advised Elizabeth to leave England and to stay in North America with her children during WWII. However, Elizabeth had no intention of evacuating at all.
She responded to the advice strongly and said, “The children will not leave unless I do. I shall not leave unless their father does, and the King will not leave the country in any circumstances whatsoever.”
A Stroll With Mom
After Elizabeth married George VI in 1923, the couple had two girls, Princess Margaret Rose and Princess Elizabeth. Actually, first King George proposed to Elizabeth three times. The first two times, she rejected his proposal because she did not want to be a member of the royal family, but George did not want to marry anyone else.
Even his mother, Queen Mary, said that Elizabeth was “the one girl who could make Bertie happy.” Finally, they decided to marry at Westminster Abbey on April 26, 1923.
Her Girls
Three years into their marriage, King George and Elizabeth had their first daughter, Duchess of York Princess Elizabeth. Four years later, the royal couple gave birth to their second daughter, Princess Margaret Rose. The Queen Mother was very attached to her children and did not like leaving them.
Shortly after baby Elizabeth was born, King George and the Queen Mother took a trip to Australia to open Parliament house in Canberra, but Elizabeth was “very miserable at leaving the baby.”
Sisters/Best Friends
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was a controversial member of the royal family. Right after WWII, she fell madly in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend who was still married to his wife at the time.
In 1952, Townsend divorced his wife and proposed to Margaret, but the church of England would not allow her to marry a divorced man. She eventually cut ties with Townsend and instead married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. Sadly, they divorced after 18 years of marriage. Allegedly, she was with several other men after her divorce.
The Love of Her Life
Princess Elizabeth fell deeply in love with Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh when she was just a teenager. At just 13 years old, she had completely fallen for him even though he was her distant cousin!
Many people thought they were a surprising pair because they were complete opposites. While Prince Phillip was loud and said whatever was on his mind, Princess Elizabeth was much more reserved. The two royals balanced each other out with their differing personalities and could not wait to get married.
Charles and Anne
Prince Charles was just three years old when he became heir to the throne after King George VI died in 1952. Growing up in Buckingham Palace was a unique experience, to say the least.
As heir to the throne, more public appearances were expected of Prince Charles, now The Duke of Cornwall. As a young boy, Prince Charles even attended his mother’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey. As he grew, he attended a pre-preparatory school followed by boarding school at Cheam School in Berkshire, and then Gordonstoun in Scotland.
Time At Balmoral
The Queen has always been open about her love for Balmoral and to this day frequently spends time there whenever she can. In this photo the entire Royal Family can be seen vacationing – how young does Princess Anne look!
Many people don’t know that Balmoral Castle was purchased by Queen Victoria and to this day remains privately owned by the Royal Family, rather than state owned. The gorgeous estate is estimated to be around 50,000 acres.
London Underground 1969
In 1969 Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Victoria line, a brand new route on the London Underground. It was named after the Queen’s great-great grandmother Queen Victoria.
It was a momentous occasion as it was the first time ever that a member of the Royal Family had ever ridden on public transport! The event was watched by millions of people. Ironically, in 2018 a new line on the London Underground will open, named after Queen Elizabeth II.
