Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck | |||||
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Empress consort of India | |||||
Tenure | 6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936 | ||||
Coronation | 22 June 1911 | ||||
Imperial Durbar | 12 December 1911 | ||||
Born | Princess Victoria Mary of Teck 26 May 1867 Kensington Palace, London, England | ||||
Died | 24 March 1953 Marlborough House, London, England | (aged 85)||||
Burial | 31 March 1953 North Nave Aisle, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | |||||
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House | Teck | ||||
Father | Francis, Duke of Teck | ||||
Mother | Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge | ||||
Signature |
Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953) was
Born and raised in the
As
Early life
Teck-Cambridge Family |
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Princess Victoria Mary of Teck was born on 26 May 1867 at Kensington Palace, London, in the room where Queen Victoria, her first cousin once removed, had been born 48 years and two days earlier. Queen Victoria came to visit the baby, writing that she was "a very fine one, with pretty little features and a quantity of hair".[1]
The princess's father was
May's upbringing was "merry but fairly strict".
Although May was a great-grandchild of George III, she was only a minor member of the
In 1885, the family returned to London and lived for some time in
Engagements
In 1886, May was a debutante in her first
On 3 December 1891 at
Albert Victor's brother,
Duchess of York
Mary married Prince George, Duke of York, in London on 6 July 1893 at the
The children were put into the care of a nanny, as was usual in upper-class families at the time. The first nanny was dismissed for insolence and the second for abusing the children. This second woman, anxious to suggest that the children preferred her to anyone else, would pinch Edward and Albert whenever they were about to be presented to their parents so that they would start crying and be speedily returned to her. On discovery, she was replaced by her effective and much-loved assistant, Charlotte Bill.[19]
Sometimes, Mary and George appear to have been distant parents. At first, they failed to notice the nanny's abuse of their sons Edward and Albert,[20] and their youngest son, John, was housed in a private farm on the Sandringham Estate, in Charlotte Bill's care, perhaps to hide his epilepsy from the public. Despite Mary's austere public image and her strait-laced private life, she was a caring mother and comforted her children when they suffered from her husband's strict discipline.[17]
Edward wrote fondly of his mother in his memoirs: "Her soft voice, her cultivated mind, the cosy room overflowing with personal treasures were all inseparable ingredients of the happiness associated with this last hour of a child's day ... Such was my mother's pride in her children that everything that happened to each one was of the utmost importance to her. With the birth of each new child, Mama started an album in which she painstakingly recorded each progressive stage of our childhood".[21] He expressed a less charitable view, however, in private letters to his wife after his mother's death: "My sadness was mixed with incredulity that any mother could have been so hard and cruel towards her eldest son for so many years and yet so demanding at the end without relenting a scrap. I'm afraid the fluids in her veins have always been as icy cold as they are now in death."[22]
The Duke and Duchess of York carried out a variety of public duties. In 1897, Mary became the patron of the London Needlework Guild in succession to her mother. The guild, initially established as The London Guild in 1882, was renamed several times and was named after Mary between 1914 and 2010.[23] Samples of her own embroidery range from chair seats to tea cosies.[24]
On 22 January 1901, Queen Victoria died, and Mary's father-in-law ascended the throne as Edward VII. For most of the rest of that year, George and Mary were known as the "Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York". For eight months they toured the British Empire, visiting Gibraltar, Malta, Egypt, Ceylon, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius, South Africa and Canada. No royal had undertaken such an ambitious tour before. She broke down in tears at the thought of leaving her children, who were to be left in the care of their grandparents, for such a long time.[25]
Princess of Wales
On 9 November 1901, nine days after arriving back in Britain and on the King's 60th birthday, George was created Prince of Wales. The family moved their London residence from St James's Palace to Marlborough House. As Princess of Wales, Mary accompanied her husband on trips to Austria-Hungary and Württemberg in 1904. The following year, she gave birth to her last child, John. It was a difficult labour, and although she recovered quickly, her newborn son developed respiratory problems.[26]
From October 1905 the Prince and Princess of Wales undertook another eight-month tour, this time of India, and the children were once again left in the care of their grandparents.
Queen and empress consort
On 6 May 1910, Edward VII died. Mary's husband ascended the throne and she became queen consort. When her husband asked her to drop one of her two official names, Victoria Mary, she chose to be called Mary, preferring not to be known by the same style as her husband's grandmother, Queen Victoria.[29] She was the first British queen consort born in Britain since Catherine Parr.[1] Mary was crowned alongside her husband at a coronation on 22 June 1911 in Westminster Abbey. Later in the year, the King and Queen travelled to India for the Delhi Durbar held on 12 December 1911, and toured the sub-continent as Emperor and Empress of India, returning to Britain in February.[30]
The beginning of Mary's period as consort brought her into conflict with her mother-in-law,
During the First World War, Queen Mary instituted an austerity drive at the palace, where she rationed food, and visited wounded and dying servicemen in hospital, which caused her great emotional strain.
Two months after the end of the war, Prince John died at the age of thirteen. Queen Mary described her shock and sorrow in her diary and letters, extracts of which were published after her death: "our poor darling little Johnnie had passed away suddenly ... The first break in the family circle is hard to bear but people have been so kind & sympathetic & this has helped us [the King and me] much."[35]
The Queen's staunch support of her husband continued during the later half of his reign. She advised him on speeches and used her extensive knowledge of history and royalty to advise him on matters affecting his position. He appreciated her discretion, intelligence, and judgement.[36] She maintained an air of self-assured calm throughout all her public engagements in the years after the war, a period marked by civil unrest over social conditions, Irish independence, and Indian nationalism.[37]
In the late 1920s, George V became increasingly ill with lung problems, exacerbated by his heavy smoking. Queen Mary paid particular attention to his care. During his illness in 1928, one of his doctors, Sir Farquhar Buzzard, was asked who had saved the King's life. He replied, "The Queen".[38] In 1935, King George V and Queen Mary celebrated their silver jubilee, with celebrations taking place throughout the British Empire. In his jubilee speech, George paid public tribute to his wife, having told his speechwriter, "Put that paragraph at the very end. I cannot trust myself to speak of the Queen when I think of all I owe her."[39]
Queen mother
Within the year, Edward's intention to marry his twice-divorced American mistress,
Though loyal and supportive of her son, Mary could not comprehend why Edward would neglect his royal duties in favour of his personal feelings.
After her reign, Mary returned to live in her main London residence Marlborough House, where she had also lived as princess of Wales. Mary took an interest in the upbringing of her granddaughters Elizabeth and Margaret. She took them on various excursions in London, to art galleries and museums. (The princesses' own parents thought it unnecessary for them to be burdened with a demanding educational regime.)[46] In May 1939, Mary was in a car crash: her car was overturned but she escaped with minor injuries and bruises.[47]
During the
From Badminton, in support of the war effort, Queen Mary visited troops and factories and directed the gathering of scrap materials. She was known to offer lifts to soldiers she spotted on the roads.[50] In 1942, her son George, Duke of Kent, was killed in an air crash while on active service. Mary finally returned to Marlborough House in June 1945, after the war in Europe had resulted in the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Mary was an eager collector of objects and pictures with a royal connection.
Mary's extensive knowledge of, and research into, the Royal Collection helped in identifying artefacts and artwork that had gone astray over the years.[58] The royal family had lent out many pieces over previous generations. Once she had identified unreturned items through old inventories, she would write to the holders, requesting that they be returned.[59] In addition to being an avid collector, Mary also commissioned many gifts of jewellery, including rings which she presented to her ladies-in-waiting on the occasion of their engagements.[60]
Final year and death
In 1952, George VI died, the third of Queen Mary's children to predecease her; her eldest granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth, ascended the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. The death of a third child profoundly affected her. Mary remarked to Princess Marie Louise: "I have lost three sons through death, but I have never been privileged to be there to say a last farewell to them."[62]
On the accession of Elizabeth II, there was some dispute regarding the dynasty to which descendants of Elizabeth and her husband
Mary died on 24 March 1953 in her sleep at the age of 85, ten weeks before
Mary's will was sealed in London after her death. Her estate was valued at £406,407 (or £10.8 million in 2019 when adjusted for inflation).[67][68]
Legacy
Actresses who have portrayed Queen Mary include
Many places and buildings have been named in Mary's honour, including Queen Mary University of London,[70] Queen Mary Reservoir in Surrey,[71] and Queen Mary College in Lahore.[72]
Sir
Titles, honours and arms
Queen Mary's arms were the
Coat of arms of Mary, Duchess of York | Coat of arms of Mary, Princess of Wales | Coat of arms of Queen Mary |
Issue
Name | Birth | Death | Marriage | Their children | ||
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Date | Spouse | |||||
Edward VIII (later Duke of Windsor) |
23 June 1894 | 28 May 1972 | (aged 77)3 June 1937 | Wallis Simpson | None | |
George VI | 14 December 1895 | 6 February 1952 | (aged 56)26 April 1923 | Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
|
Elizabeth II | |
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon | ||||||
Mary, Princess Royal | 25 April 1897 | 28 March 1965 | (aged 67)28 February 1922 | Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood | George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood | |
The Hon. Gerald Lascelles | ||||||
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | 31 March 1900 | 10 June 1974 | (aged 74)6 November 1935 | Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott
|
Prince William of Gloucester | |
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester | ||||||
Prince George, Duke of Kent | 20 December 1902 | 25 August 1942 | (aged 39)29 November 1934 | Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark | Prince Edward, Duke of Kent | |
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy | ||||||
Prince Michael of Kent | ||||||
Prince John | 12 July 1905 | 18 January 1919 | (aged 13)None | None |
Ancestry
Ancestors of Mary of Teck | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
Notes
- Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge.[3]
- Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, who was the father of Queen Victoria, Albert Victor's paternal grandmother.
- Mateo Morral.
- ^ According to custom, crowned heads did not attend coronations of other kings and queens.[44]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Queen Mary: A Lifetime of Gracious Service", The Times, p. 5, 25 March 1953
- ^ a b c "The Ancestry of the Princess May", Bow Bells: A Magazine of General Literature and Art for Family Reading, 23 (288), London: 31, 7 July 1893
- ^ The Times (London), Monday, 29 July 1867 p. 12 col. E
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 24
- ^ a b Pope-Hennessy, p. 66
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 45
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 55
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, pp. 68, 76, 123
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 68
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, pp. 36–37
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 114
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 112
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 133
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, pp. 503–505
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 201
- ^ Edwards, p. 61
- ^ required.)
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 291
- ^ Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 16–17
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 393
- ^ Windsor, pp. 24–25
- ^ Ziegler, p. 538
- ^ Queen Mother's Clothing Guild official website, retrieved 1 May 2010
- Springhill, County Londonderry: National Trust
- ^ Edwards, p. 115
- ^ Edwards, pp. 142–143
- ^ Edwards, p. 146
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 407
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 421
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, pp. 452–463
- ^ Edwards, pp. 182–193
- ^ Edwards, pp. 244–245
- ^ Edwards, p. 258
- ^ Edwards, p. 262
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 511
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 549
- ^ Edwards, p. 311
- ^ Gore, p. 243
- ^ The Times (London), Wednesday, 25 March 1953 p. 5
- PMID 11645856
- ^ Airlie, p. 200
- ^ Windsor, p. 255
- ^ Windsor, p. 334
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 584
- ^ Edwards, p. 401 and Pope-Hennessy, p. 575
- ^ Edwards, p. 349
- ^ "Find Queen Mary Has No Broken Bones; But Physicians Reveal Painful Injury to Her Eye". The New York Times. 25 May 1939. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 596
- ^ Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003), "Duke of Beaufort, 'Seat' section", Burke's Peerage & Gentry, 107th edition, vol. I p. 308
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 600
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 412
- ^ Clarke, William (1995), The Lost Fortune of the Tsars
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Thomson, Mark (29 August 2005), Document – A Right Royal Affair, BBC Radio 4
See also Kilmorey Papers (D/2638) (pdf), Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. - ^ Leigh, David (26 March 2007), "Secret wills of the royals - a tale of mistresses, jewels and cover-ups", The Guardian, retrieved 7 April 2023
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, pp. 531–534
- ^ Rose, p. 284
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 414
- ^ Windsor, p. 238
- ^ "S. J. Rood – a brief history", S. J. Rood – Jewellers, retrieved 4 December 2018
- ^ "Queen Mary laid to rest in Windsor", BBC On This Day: 31 March 1953; retrieved 19 October 2010.
- ^ Marie Louise, p. 238
- ISBN 1-55002-360-8
- ^ "1953: Queen Mary dies peacefully after illness", BBC News, 24 March 1953, retrieved 29 May 2018
- ^ Pope-Hennessy, p. 621
- ^ Royal Burials in the Chapel by location, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, archived from the original on 22 January 2010, retrieved 1 May 2010
- Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth "consistent series" supplied in Thomas, Ryland; Williamson, Samuel H. (2018). "What Was the U.K. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ Evans, Rob; Pegg, David (18 July 2022), "£187m of Windsor family wealth hidden in secret royal wills", The Guardian, retrieved 19 July 2022
- ^ "Dame Wendy Hiller", The Guardian, 16 May 2003, retrieved 1 May 2010
- ISBN 0-902238-06-X
- ^ "History of the Queen Mary Reservoir – Sunbury Matters", Village Matters, February 2014, retrieved 25 April 2014
- ^ Introduction, Queen Mary College, Lahore, retrieved 29 October 2014
- ^ Channon, Sir Henry (1967), Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon, Edited by Robert Rhodes James, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, p. 473
- ISBN 1-85605-469-1
- ^ ISBN 0-900455-25-X
Works cited
- Airlie, Mabell (1962), Thatched with Gold, London: Hutchinson
- ISBN 0-340-24465-8
- Gore, John (1941), King George V: A Personal Memoir, London: John Murray
- Marie Louise, Princess (1959), My Memories of Six Reigns, Penguin Books
- Pope-Hennessy, James (1959), Queen Mary, London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
- Prochaska, Frank (January 2008) [September 2004], "Mary (1867–1953)", required.)
- ISBN 0-297-78245-2
- Wheeler-Bennett, Sir John (1958), King George VI, London: Macmillan
- Windsor, HRH The Duke of (1951), A King's Story, London: Cassell and Co
- ISBN 0-00-215741-1
External links
- Queen Mary at the official website of the Royal Collection Trust
- Portraits of Queen Mary at the National Portrait Gallery, London
- Newspaper clippings about Mary of Teck in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW