Buckingham Palace, netizens react on leaked 1933 footage showing the Queen doing the Nazi salute

A young Princess Elizabeth, with her mother then-Duchess of York, sister, Princess Margaret, and the future King Edward VIII seen taking a Nazi salute. The Sun

Buckingham Palace, netizens react on leaked 1933 footage showing the Queen doing the Nazi salute British tabloid newspaper, The Sun, has published footage of a seven-year-old Princess Elizabeth giving a Nazi salute.

Shot in 1933, the tape is features on the Sun’s website with a report published on its newspaper. It shows Elizabeth, her mother, her sister Margaret and her uncle Edward (later Edward VIII) having a great time in the grounds of Balmoral CastleScotland. Edward VIII, who reigned following his father’s death in 1936 for a very short 11 months before abdicating in the name of love for the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, was accused of sympathizing with the Nazi. His brother and successor, King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth II, led Britain through the difficult years of World War II. The Nazi would have even wanted Edward and Wallis, who they referred as Good Queen, to reign.

Buckingham Palace immediately reacted to the video. In a statement, Palace officials said: “It is disappointing that film, shot eight decades ago and apparently from Her Majesty’s personal family archive, has been obtained and exploited in this manner.”

“There have always been conspiracy theories about the Duke of Windsor but one could never ever prove his betrayal,” Dr. Karina Urbach, of the Institute for Historical Research, said.

 “He spoke to a Spanish diplomat saying, ‘This war has to end at all costs and the best way to end the war would be for the Germans to bomb Britain,’” she continued.

A military historian told The Sun that the salute was actually common those days and it was not until World War II that Europe really detested the Nazi.

“I don’t think there was a child in Britain in the 1930s or ’40s who has not performed a mock Nazi salute as a bit of a lark,” the historian said.
Netizens also reacted to the video in defense to the Queen:

Ridiculous to bring this to light!! No one in 1933 knew what Hitler's plans were for Germany & of course the royal family had ties with Germany at the time as they were blood related. - Sharee Schultz

This is sad. Publishing these photos just to sell magazines. I'm in the USA and heart emoticon the queen. No one in 1933 knew what hitler was going to do. - Candi Prater Hutto

For God's sake....how pathetic can people get....far too way back for people really to give a damn about and if they do....well all I can say is "get a sodding life" - Anne Shilton

She was 6 yrs old not even a queen yet I have done this at that age stuck my finger up at people at that age we don't usually know what we are doing at that age but lord people will never let you live down if you are in the spotlight do they.? - Sarah Shaw

No-one then knew what was Hitler was planning! My Mum's generation copied Hitler's young women's fitness regimes. My Dad was fascinated by the Hitler Youth and joined a similar boys' movement in London. At first people marvelled at the sight of massed Germans hailing their leader. When Hitler declared war, people began to realize he was so threatening! - Elaine Marion Barnsdale

Before it became known as the "Nazi salute", it was a formal Roman greeting in politics and military. Perhaps QE2 was playing Roman and not Nazi? - Terence Tan


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