It is not easy to image the 92 year-old queen as a child, especially considering the fact that she was a royal princess, the third in line for the throne while still being in the crib. Her childhood wasn’t like everyone’s else. We bring you a story about what Queen Elizabeth II was like before she became queen.
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Nurseries And Nannies
British princesses Elizabeth (second left) and Margaret are accompanied by Lady Helen Graham (left) and governess Marion Kirk Crawford (right) as they arrive for their first ride on an London Underground ‘tube’ train at St James’s Park, London, May 15th 1939. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
It is a common thing for members of royal family to hire nannies and governesses for their children. Young Elizabeth had her favorite nanny and that was Clara Knight. Royal parents were sometimes absent in their children’s lives for months because of certain royal duties, so it was important to have a good nanny. At the time Elizabeth was little, there were no jets, so her parents’ trips abroad sometimes lasted for few months.
Elizabeth’s Toys
Source: Today Show
Children usually have their favorite toys, and young Elizabeth wasn’t any different. In 2014 there was the Royal Childhood exhibition at Buckingham Palace, where some of Queen’s favorite toys, including a dashing dapple gray rocking horse, a tiny wicker pram (stroller), an adorable pink bunny tea set, and elegant Parisian dolls, were on exibit. Other that having obvious quality, those toys weren’t any different from toys nowdays.
Elizabeth’s Home Education
Source: The Telegraph
Like many monarchs before her, Elizabeth was schooled at home, and she is the last royal to do so. She was taught to read by her mother. Marion Crawford was Elizabeth’s governess who took over her schooling in 1933.
At the age of 10, Elizabeth became heir presumptive, so she needed to study for her future role as queen. She studied law and constitutional history with help of Henry Marten, the vice provost of Eton College. She was taught religion by the Archbishop of Canterbury, while other special teachers taught her French, German, and music. Her mother and grandmother taught both Elizabeth and her sister the all-important etiquette lessons.
Elizabeth’s Childhood Activities
Young Elizabeth was studying in the mornings, and she had a lot of time for other activities, including her favorite ones like riding horses and playing with her dogs. When she was four years old, she got a pony and named it Peggy. The Princess collected stamps that were sent to her from all over the word, when she was younger.
The Princess Elizabeth’s Role During WWII
At the age of 14, Elizabeth gave her first public speech. Princess wanted to comfort and encourage children who were separated from their families during the Blitz. Next to giving the speech, she attended programs for those children and knitted clothes for them. Later on she served as a first-aid patrol leader in the Girl Guides.
Princess Elizabeth even persuaded her father to let her join a branch of the British Army, called the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service.
Princess Becoming Queen
Source: history.com
In February 1952, King George IV suddenly died, and the 25 year-old, Princess Elizabeth took over the throne. At that time she was young wife and mother, but she has done a good job leading her country.
Source: .cheatsheet.com
