The ‘beacon of majesty’ who blazed so bright

OF ALL the institutions that the British hold dear, perhaps Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was the most loved and revered symbol of them all. From the moment she stepped into the spotlight almost 80 years ago, her natural charisma and profound sense of duty marked her out as head and shoulders above other public figures and made her a world-wide celebrity.

Many believed, rightly, that she was the rock on which the monarchy stood and one only has to look at the trials and tribulations that have beset the Royal Family, sometimes threatening its very existence, to understand what a key role she played in the history of the nation. Perhaps the most striking example was the sudden death of the Princess of Wales, rocked the monarchy to its foundations. Misreading the mood of the public in the emotion-packed days that followed the tragedy, the Queen and her family remained out of sight behind the locked gates of Balmoral, apparently presenting an uncaring face to the nation. In vain, did courtiers try to explain that an inflexible protocol dictated that the flag flying above Buckingham Palace, uniquely, could not be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect and for the first time in her reign the Sovereign felt the cold shiver of unpopularity. While many dithered, the Queen Mother knew exactly what to do and a quiet word of advice saw the Royal Family hurrying back to London to lead the national mourning. The day was saved.

Ever since the premature death of her father, King George VI, 50 years ago, the Queen relied heavily on her mother’s sound common sense and unparalleled public relations skills. The two talked on the telephone every day and met frequently to discuss family matters. During the dark days of her daughter’s self-styled “annus horribilis”, it was not only the Queen Mother’s sound advice but her mischievous sense of humour that helped the Queen through. A story is told of a luncheon they shared at the time when the Queen, very unusually, asked for a second glass of wine. “Are you sure that’s wise, darling?” asked the Queen Mother with a twinkle. “After all, you’ve got to reign all afternoon.”

As a former courtier explains: “The Queen loved her mother very much and to the very end she was of enormous importance to her. They had the same slightly wicked sense of humour.

They were a very close-knit family and they were very fond of and loyal to each other. And as some people found to their cost, to cross one was to cross them all.”

The Queen’s dependence on her mother was never better illustrated than when it was suggested, some years ago, that the Queen Mother would be a very suitable candidate for a post of Governor General. The Queen was adamant. “Oh no, I’m afraid not,” she said. “We could not possibly spare Mummy.”

The Queen Mother was equally close to the younger generation. Prince Charles unashamedly adored his grandmother and in times of trouble always turned to her for advice. When his marriage hit the rocks, he found in her a sympathetic listener. “I think she was the one person he could be with and not feel he was under scrutiny,” explained a royal aide.

The very closeness of their relationship caused problems with Princess Diana, who came to view the Queen Mother as an enemy. As royal biographer Andrew Morton observed: “Diana saw her [the Queen Mother’s] London home, Clarence House, as the fount of all negative comment about herself and her mother. She kept a distrustful distance from this matriarchal figure, describing social occasions hosted by the Queen Mother as stiff and overtly formal… At the same time the Queen Mother exercised an enormous influence over the Prince of Wales. It was a mutual adoration society from which Diana was effectively excluded.”

Matters rested easier with regard to the prince’s friendship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. “As far as the Queen Mother was concerned, as long as Prince Charles was happy, that’s all that counted,” explains a friend.

Her final years were spent in much the same way as the rest of her life. Duty, as always, came first but she continued to enjoy herself and take a lively interest in the world around her. As sharp as ever, even in her 102nd year, she insisted on carrying out a few cherished public engagements.

Despite chronic anaemia and a painful leg ulcer, her energy never flagged and to the end of her days she loved nothing better than a party. Holidaying as usual at the Castle of Mey, she hosted large picnic luncheons in the ‘Hut’, a log cabin on the estate, before entertaining a dozen guests to dinner. Even the worst weather in a decade failed to deter her from attending the annual Mey games and 80mph rain-driven gales could not keep her from church. House guests reported that the chat after supper was as lively as ever and a tape of her favourite television programme, Dad’s Army, never far from the screen. Her only concession to advancing years was a slightly earlier bedtime, 10.45pm instead of the customary 11.30pm.

For Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, never considered herself old. Her zest for life was such that every day was keenly to be anticipated and every outing to be relished. Weeks before her death, she was planning her mares’ breeding programme for six years hence and ordering outfits for the Queen’s golden jubilee. Her favourite hobby of “liking people”, expressed in a ‘day book’ at the age of six, never waned and her supportive love of family and throne remained true. To the end of her days, she never put a foot wrong and never failed in her duty. “A beacon of majesty” was how she was once described. Never was a truer word spoken.

Grania Forbes is the author of several books about the Royal Family, including Elizabeth, the Queen Mother