The birth of a royal baby always attracts interest and almost a century ago, the arrival of a little princess made headlines even if her destiny at that point seemed to be that of a minor royal. Instead, the royal birth announced on April 21 1926 would prove to be the start of the story of one of the most famous monarchs of all.
The arrival of a daughter for the then Duke and Duchess of York, Albert and Elizabeth, was greeted with much excitement. The little princess was a first granddaughter for King George V and Queen Mary.
On 21 April 1926, the Duchess of York gave birth to Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair. She was born via caesarean section at 2:40am. The Duchess gave birth at her the London home of her parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.
(Public Domain, Wiki Commons)
The Archbishop of York baptised Princess Elizabeth at the chapel at Buckingham Palace on 29 May.
The young princess had several godparents, as was customary. Her paternal grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, were among the group, as was Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles, and Lady Elphinstone.
In August 1930, the four-year-old Elizabeth was joined by a younger sister, Princess Margaret Rose. The two princesses and their parents were a close family unit and they moved to Royal Lodge at Windsor in 1932.
However, life would change for Princess Elizabeth and the family as a whole when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated on 10 December 1936. Her father became King George VI and Princess Elizabeth became the heir presumptive. On February 6 1952, she ascended the throne as Queen Elizabeth II and would reign for 70 years.
However, her story began in a house in Mayfair which has long since been absorbed into the street and is no longer a private residence. All that marks its moment of history is a green plaque announcing that this is the place where one of the greatest monarchs of all was born.
