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stands next to her brother Edward. Albert - future King George VI - is at far right.
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But looking at the other women of the family it's actually quite striking how handsome many of these women are/were. Images of Elizabeth II in her youth and early years show a very pretty woman. Her sister Margaret was a beauty in her time.
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Wikipedia:
Princess Mary was educated by governesses, but shared some lessons with her brothers, Prince Edward (later Edward VIII), Prince Albert (later George VI), and Prince Henry (later Duke of Gloucester). She became fluent in German and French and developed a life-long interest in horses and horse racing. Her first state appearance was at the coronation of her parents at Westminster Abbey on 11 June 1911.
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From Marilyn's Royal Blog:
Princess Mary was extremely shy but she was her father's favorite child. Cooking was a favorite pastime and she enjoyed working the model dairy that her grandmother Queen Alexandra had set up at Sandringham, milking the cows, churning the milk, and making little pats of butter for her father's breakfast. She had her own school room, sharing her lessons with the younger daughters of the Duke of Devonshire. She studied piano and singing and shared drill classes with her brothers. Quick and intelligent, she was an excellent rider, and a good linguist, fluent in French and German.
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During the First World War she was active in welfare organizations, particularily involved in projects to provide comfort to troops. This concern led to the creation of the Princess Mary gift box which was sent out to troops in Christmas 1914. These boxes contained one ounce of pipe tobacco, twenty cigarettes, a pipe, a tinder lighter, a Christmas card from the King and Queen and a photograph of Princess Mary. Non-smokers received a box containing a packet of acid tablets, a khaki writing case containing pencil, paper and envelopes together with the Christmas card and photograph. Princess Mary also took a nursing course and in 1918 went to work at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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In 1922 she married Henry, Viscount Lascelles, a man 15 years her senior at Wesminster Abbey. At first they made their home at Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough. Seven years after their wedding, Lord Lascelles succeeded his father as the sixth Earl of Harewood and they moved into Harewood House. Princess Mary loved Yorkshire and she was known as the 'Yorkshire Princess'. They had two sons, George the present Earl of Harewood, born in 1922 and Gerald born in 1923.
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The Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood at Google
9 comments:
I suppose I should not be surprised by this post since you're a history scholar. The Saxe Coburg Hohenzollern Battenberg aka Mountbatten Windsor women were handsome but the men all seemed to be chinless wonders. Maybe it's because a long face and small chin suits females but not males.
Just look at Georges V & VI. The big, pale eyes in those long narrow faces. Poor Chuck didn't have a chance.
A woman of real substance, dignity, devotion. ..where are those women Benning?..nice post!
That was quite interesting as I love history but haven't really read much about the Windsors.
I think it's very cruel of the press to point out that they are "horse-faced". It's not like people get to pick out what they're going to look like before they are born. This society is far too looks conscious! Far more stock should be put in a person's character instead of a person's looks.
The modern press has gotten very ugly.
A lot of journalists and historians can't bring themselves to praise Royalty. Many of them were praiseworthy, and when they do their jobs they can make a big difference. Queen Victoria was mocked as a puritanical prude, but look what she did with the British Empire and its culture. Even in a Constitutional monarchy the person on the throne could make a big difference.
Great post. History made fun.
Liz II's younger kids are better looking.
But you'll notice the Princes, William and Harry, both have the narrow heads of the Windsor men.
You are right, Benning. The press just loves to get down and dirty.
I suppose it's easy to pick on dead royalty.
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