Wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Encyclopedia
The wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI
), and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
took place on 26 April 1923 at Westminster Abbey
.
. He initially proposed to Elizabeth in 1921, but she turned him down, being "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to". When he declared he would marry no one else, his mother, Queen Mary
, visited Glamis
to see for herself the girl who had stolen her son's heart. She became convinced that Elizabeth was "the one girl who could make Bertie happy", but nevertheless refused to interfere. At the same time, Elizabeth was courted by James Stuart
, Albert's equerry
, until he left the prince's service for a better-paid job in the American oil business.
In February 1922, Elizabeth was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert's sister, Princess Mary
, to Viscount Lascelles
. The following month, Albert proposed again, but she refused him once more. Eventually, in January 1923, Elizabeth agreed to marry Albert, despite her misgivings about royal life. Albert's freedom in choosing Elizabeth, legally a commoner though the daughter of a peer, was considered a gesture in favour of political modernisation; previously, princes were expected to marry princesses from other royal families.
. Unexpectedly, Elizabeth laid her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
on her way into the Abbey.
Lady Elizabeth was attended by eight bridesmaids:
A strip of Brussels lace, inserted in the dress, was a Strathmore family heirloom. A female ancestor of the bride wore it a grand ball for "Bonnie Prince Charlie", Charles Edward Stuart
.
The silver leaf girdle had a trail of spring green tulle, trailing to the ground; silver and rose thistle fastened it. According to an era news article: "In the trimming the bride has defied all old superstitions about the unluckiness of green."
Unlike more recent dresses, details of this one were publicly revealed in advance of the wedding day. However, the dress was worked on until the last possible opportunity: the day before the wedding, Elizabeth divided her time between the wedding rehearsal and her dressmakers.
Prince Albert wore RAF full dress in the rank of group captain
, his senior service rank at the time of his marriage.
The newly formed British Broadcasting Company
had wanted to record and broadcast the event on radio, but the Chapter
vetoed the idea (although the Dean, Herbert Edward Ryle
, was in favour). Albert's marriage to a British commoner was considered a modernising gesture.
Upon their marriage, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was styled Her Royal Highness
The Duchess of York
. Following a wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace
prepared by chef Gabriel Tschumi
, they honeymooned at Polesden Lacey
, a manor house in Surrey
, and then went to Scotland, where she caught "unromantic" whooping cough.
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
), and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
took place on 26 April 1923 at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Courtship and proposals
Prince Albert, Duke of York – "Bertie" to the family – was the second son of George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. He initially proposed to Elizabeth in 1921, but she turned him down, being "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to". When he declared he would marry no one else, his mother, Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, visited Glamis
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
to see for herself the girl who had stolen her son's heart. She became convinced that Elizabeth was "the one girl who could make Bertie happy", but nevertheless refused to interfere. At the same time, Elizabeth was courted by James Stuart
James Stuart, 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn
James Gray Stuart, 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn CH MVO MC and Bar PC was a Scottish Unionist politician.Born in Edinburgh, Stuart was the son of Morton Gray Stuart, 17th Earl of Moray, and Edith Douglas Palmer....
, Albert's equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
, until he left the prince's service for a better-paid job in the American oil business.
In February 1922, Elizabeth was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert's sister, Princess Mary
Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood
The Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood was a member of the British Royal Family; she was the third child and only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She was the sixth holder of the title of Princess Royal...
, to Viscount Lascelles
Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood
Henry George Charles Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood KG GCVO DSO TD , styled The Hon. Henry Lascelles before 1892 and Viscount Lascelles between 1892 and 1929, was the son of the 5th Earl of Harewood and Lady Florence Bridgeman.Lascelles was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards and commanded the...
. The following month, Albert proposed again, but she refused him once more. Eventually, in January 1923, Elizabeth agreed to marry Albert, despite her misgivings about royal life. Albert's freedom in choosing Elizabeth, legally a commoner though the daughter of a peer, was considered a gesture in favour of political modernisation; previously, princes were expected to marry princesses from other royal families.
Wedding
Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster AbbeyWestminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. Unexpectedly, Elizabeth laid her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
The Unknown Warrior
The British tomb of The Unknown Warrior holds an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, London on 11 November 1920, simultaneously with a similar interrment of a French unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in...
on her way into the Abbey.
Lady Elizabeth was attended by eight bridesmaids:
- The Lady Mary CambridgeMary Somerset, Duchess of BeaufortVictoria Constance Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort was the daughter of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge and Lady Margaret Evelyn Grosvenor.Princess Mary was born at White Lodge, Richmond Park...
(26), daughter of the MarquessAdolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of CambridgeAdolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, GCB, GCVO, CMG , born Prince Adolphus of Teck and later The Duke of Teck , was a member of the British Royal Family and a younger brother of Queen Mary, the consort of King George V...
and Marchioness of Cambridge, great-niece of Queen Mary and thus a cousin of the groom - The Lady May CambridgeLady May Abel SmithLady May Abel Smith born Princess May of Teck was a descendant of the British Royal Family, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. From her birth, she was known as Princess May of Teck, a title in the Kingdom of Württemberg...
(17), daughter of Princess AlicePrincess Alice, Countess of AthlonePrincess Alice, Countess of Athlone was a member of the British Royal Family. She was the longest-lived Princess of the Blood Royal of the British Royal Family and the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria...
and the Earl of AthloneAlexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of AthloneMajor-General Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone , was a close relative of the shared British and Canadian royal family, as well as a British military commander and major-general who served as Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, the...
, niece of Queen Mary and thus first cousin of the groom - The Lady Mary Thynn (20), daughter of the MarquessThomas Thynne, 5th Marquess of BathThomas Henry Thynne, 5th Marquess of Bath KG, CB, PC, JP , styled Viscount Weymouth until 1896, was a British landowner and Conservative politician. He held ministerial office as Under-Secretary of State for India in 1905 and Master of the Horse between 1922 and 1924...
and Marchioness of Bath - The Lady Katharine Hamilton (23), daughter of the DukeJames Hamilton, 3rd Duke of AbercornJames Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn KG, KP, PC , styled Marquess of Hamilton between 1885 and 1913, was a British peer and Unionist politician. He was the first Governor of Northern Ireland, a post he held between 1922 and 1945...
and Duchess of AbercornRosalind Hamilton, Duchess of AbercornLady Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Hamilton, DBE , the Duchess of Abercorn, was a British aristocrat. She was a great-grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Biography:... - The Hon Diamond Hardinge (22), daughter of LordCharles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of PenshurstCharles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, was a British diplomat and statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1910 to 1916.-Background and education:...
and Lady Hardinge - The Hon Cecilia Bowes-Lyon (11), daughter of LordPatrick Bowes-Lyon, 15th Earl of Strathmore and KinghornePatrick Bowes-Lyon, 15th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was an uncle of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
and Lady Glamis, niece of the bride - The Hon Mary Elizabeth Elphinstone (11), daughter of LordSidney Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord ElphinstoneSidney Herbert Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone and 2nd Baron Elphinstone KT was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:...
and Lady ElphinstoneMary Elphinstone, Lady ElphinstoneMary Frances Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, Lady Elphinstone and Baroness Elphinstone DCVO was a maternal aunt and godparent of Elizabeth II.-Biography:...
, niece of the bride - Miss Betty Cator (later sister-in-law to the bride, as Hon Mrs Michael Bowes-Lyon)
Bride's dress
Elizabeth's wedding dress featured embroidered with pearls and a silver thread, which was made from deep ivory chiffon moire. It was intended to match the traditional Flanders lace provided for the train by Queen Mary. Elizabeth's dress, which was in the fashion of the early 1920s, was designed by Madame Handley Seymour, who had been a dressmaker to Queen Mary.A strip of Brussels lace, inserted in the dress, was a Strathmore family heirloom. A female ancestor of the bride wore it a grand ball for "Bonnie Prince Charlie", Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
.
The silver leaf girdle had a trail of spring green tulle, trailing to the ground; silver and rose thistle fastened it. According to an era news article: "In the trimming the bride has defied all old superstitions about the unluckiness of green."
Unlike more recent dresses, details of this one were publicly revealed in advance of the wedding day. However, the dress was worked on until the last possible opportunity: the day before the wedding, Elizabeth divided her time between the wedding rehearsal and her dressmakers.
Prince Albert wore RAF full dress in the rank of group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, his senior service rank at the time of his marriage.
The newly formed British Broadcasting Company
British Broadcasting Company
The British Broadcasting Company Ltd was a British commercial company formed on 18 October 1922 by British and American electrical companies doing business in the United Kingdom and licensed by the British General Post Office...
had wanted to record and broadcast the event on radio, but the Chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
vetoed the idea (although the Dean, Herbert Edward Ryle
Herbert Edward Ryle
Herbert Edward Ryle KCVO DD , was an author, Old Testament scholar, and the Dean of Westminster.-Early life:Dr Ryle was born in Onslow Square, South Kensington, London, on 25 May 1856, the second son of John Charles Ryle , the first Bishop of Liverpool, and his second wife, Jessie Elizabeth Walker...
, was in favour). Albert's marriage to a British commoner was considered a modernising gesture.
Upon their marriage, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was styled Her Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
The Duchess of York
Duchess of York
Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. The title is gained with marriage alone and is forfeited upon divorce. Four of the twelve Dukes of York did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, therefore there have only ever been eleven...
. Following a wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
prepared by chef Gabriel Tschumi
Gabriel Tschumi
Gabriel Tschumi was a native of Switzerland who served as Master Chef to three British monarchs - Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V.-Early life:...
, they honeymooned at Polesden Lacey
Polesden Lacey
Polesden Lacey is an Edwardian house and estate. It is located on the North Downs at Great Bookham, near Dorking, Surrey, England. It is owned and run by the National Trust and is one of the Trust's most popular properties....
, a manor house in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and then went to Scotland, where she caught "unromantic" whooping cough.