OVERVIEW

 

Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was the mother of Queen Elizabeth II, the present British sovereign, and the widow of King George VI.

 

Several years after her death, The Queen Mother lives on in people's memories. She is remembered in particular for supporting her husband, King George VI, setting an example for the nation during World War II, and her long public service throughout the enormous changes of the twentieth century.
 
Her husband, King George VI, a naturally shy man with a stammer who never expected to become King, paid tribute to her on several occasions for providing him with the support he needed to carry out his role as Sovereign.

 

The Queen Mother was highly regarded by the generations who served in, or lived through, two world wars. Together with King George VI, she boosted national morale during the Second World War through a programme of visits throughout affected parts of the country. She notably refused to leave London even during the Blitz. In the following decades, she became a representative of the generations who lived through, or fought in, World War II at events such as Remembrance Sunday and wartime anniversaries.

 

After becoming a widow and entering old age, The Queen Mother did not retire from public life. Inspired by her strong sense of duty, she continued to carry out official engagements on behalf of her charities and regiments until only a few weeks before the end of her life.

 

Not least, by virtue of her longevity, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was a unique figure of continuity and stability during a century of remarkable change and upheaval.