Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother
4th August 1900 - 30th March 2002
Issue Date: 5 August 2002
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on the 4th August 1900, however, there is some debate as to the exact place of her birth. Whilst the birth was registered at Hitchin, the town near St Paul's Walden Bury, the Bowes-Lyon family home, it is far more likely that she was born in London.
She was the ninth child and fourth daughter of Lord and Lady Glamis, later to become the 14th Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. The family had earlier suffered personal loss with the death of their eleven year old daughter, Violet Hyacinth, from diphtheria. The birth of her younger brother David completed the family and he was to become Elizabeth's constant companion, much of their childhood being spent at Glamis Castle.
At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Elizabeth returned to Glamis Castle with her mother to continue her education. Glamis Castle (shown on one of the official first day covers accompanying this series) was the ancestral home of the Earls of Kinghorne and Strathmore. It is also the setting for William Shakespeare's famous play 'Macbeth', with many references to the castle being made throughout the play. During the war the castle was converted to a hospital and whilst Elizabeth was too young to become a nurse, her contribution to the well being of the wounded soldiers proved invaluable. In 1925, one of Elizabeth's brothers, Fergus, was killed at the Battle of Loos, and Elizabeth's mother was so devastated by the loss of one of her sons, that for a while, Elizabeth had to assume responsibility for the running of the hospital. She also showed considerable courage when the castle caught fire in 1916. At the time the patients were in a local cinema, and Elizabeth organised a human chain to save furniture and pictures. Another brother Michael, was badly wounded in the head and captured in 1917. He spent the rest of the conflict as a prisoner of war.
After the war, life returned to normal and Elizabeth, whose family had long socialised in royal circles, had many admirers; none more so than Prince Albert, The Duke of York, or Bertie, as he was known to his friends. Despite some initial hesitation, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon accepted Prince Albert's proposal of marriage and the couple were married in Westminster Abbey on 26 April 1923. The royal couple had two children, Elizabeth, born on 21 April 1926 and Margaret, born on 21 August 1930.
Following the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936, his brother, The Duke of York was crowned George VI and Elizabeth his Queen, at Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937. Though neither had been groomed for the high offices they now held, their roles as King and Queen were to become increasingly important in the difficult years that lay ahead.
In 1939, the Second World War broke out and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were seen as being pivotal in maintaining the nations morale at this time of crisis. They often visited bombed areas, factories, hospitals and many other establishments across the country, providing much needed moral support to workers, the hard pressed emergency and armed services, and sympathy to the bereaved, injured and homeless.
There were many calls for the Royal Family to be evacuated from London to North America, but Queen Elizabeth steadfastly refused to leave with the words "The Princesses could never leave without me, and I could never leave without the King and - of course - the King will never leave". Her Majesty even learned to use a revolver, practising in the Palace Gardens. Buckingham Palace was bombed nine times during the war. In one attack, a single German bomber flew directly up the Mall and dropped a stick of six bombs on the Palace destroying the Chapel. It only emerged after the war, how close The King and Queen had come to personal injury whilst living in Buckingham Palace. The East End of London, where many of the docks were situated, was particularly badly hit, and it was only after the bombing of Buckingham Palace that Queen Elizabeth famously remarked "I'm glad we have been bombed, it makes me feel I can look the East End in the face".
After the war, the routine of State functions and engagements began again, but the war had made the King and Queen for more approachable and the Monarchy less distant. In 1947, Princess Elizabeth, the King and Queen's elder daughter married Prince Philip. The strain of the war had however taken its toll on the King's health and in 1952, whilst Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were overseas he passed away. Following the great sadness at the death of her husband and the national pride at the coronation of her daughter, a new role, as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was about to be forged.
The Queen Mother has always been held in great affection by people across the world, no more so than in the United Kingdom and the countries comprising the Commonwealth. This affection ensured that The Queen Mother had a busy schedule covering a wide range of activities both large and small. Well into her seventies, eighties and early nineties, The Queen Mother's diary was full with engagements. A busy schedule left little time to relax, but her favourite pastimes have included angling and horse racing. During her long life, she saw her horses win at least 400 times in major races under a variety of trainers and jockeys.
The Queen Mother's positive and energetic outlook on life and desire to live it to the full, extended right up until the day she passed away. She was mother, grandmother and great grandmother and her natural charm, welcoming smile and thoughtful manner won her the respect and admiration of people from all walks of life throughout the world.
Minisheet First Day Cover
Stamp Set First Day Cover
22p Value
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25p Value
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95p Value
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£1.20 Value
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Left Image
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Right Image
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Stamp FDC
(Reproduced by kind permission of the Earl of Strathmore) The cover shows Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen Mother.
S/S FDC
(Corbis - Norman Parkinson) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother wears a crown and evening gown for a portrait celebrating her 80th Birthday.
Technical Details
Designer - Andrew Robinson
Printer - The House of Questa
Process - Lithography and Embossing
Stamp Size - 30.56mm x 38.00mm
Format: 50 (2 x 25)
S/Sheet Size - 70mm x 145mm (comprising two stamps)
Perforation Gauge - 14 per 2cms
Paper - CA Spiral Watermark
Release Date - 5 August 2002
Copyright: FI Philatelic Bureau Created and Maintained by: Cyberpoint Limited