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| Princess Elizabeth of York's christening. Image from U.S. Library of Congress via Flickr |
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926. She was christened on May 29 at the private chapel in Buckingham Palace. The chapel would be eventually destroyed by a bomb at the height of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Despite the joy brought about by her birth, the country was already embroiled in labor problems and just two weeks before her christening, the country was engulfed in the General Strike.
Queen Victoria, although long dead since 1901, had cast her shadow upon this family event. Princess Elizabeth wore
the heavy satin and Honiton lace christening robe, first worn by Victoria, Princess Royal, and then by succeeding royal babies ever since. The gold,
lily-shaped font was also brought from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace for
this special occasion.
The future queen’s godparents included Prince Arthur, Duke
of Connaught, by then the only surviving son of Queen Victoria, King George V, Queen Mary,
Viscountess Lascelles, Lady Elphinstone, and her maternal grandmother, the
Countess of Strathmore.
Princess Elizabeth wailed incessantly. To pacify her, her nurse gave
her dill water, an old-fashioned remedy, much to the amusement of her uncle, Edward, Prince of Wales.
That was the first and only time that Elizabeth would make an embarrassing scene
in public.
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Reference:
Bradford, Sarah. Elizabeth: A Biography of Her Majesty The Queen (2002). Penguin Books.
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