Celebrations for Princess Elizabeth of York (Queen Elizabeth II)’s birth

Photo © National Portrait Gallery, London; NPG x193261

The birth of Princess Elizabeth of York, the future Queen Elizabeth II, on the 21st April 1926 was a huge cause for celebration. Born by caesarean section at 02:40 (GMT) in the morning to the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), she was the first granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary - their previous two grandchildren from their daughter, Princess Mary, were both boys.

At the announcement of her birth, she was described by the Evening Telegraph as being the ‘fourth lady of the land’, ranking ‘after the Queen [Mary, her grandmother], Princess Mary [Princess Royal, her aunt], and her mother, the duchess [of York]’. 

Visitors to the new baby

The new Princess’s first visitor was her father’s sister, Princess Mary, who came to Bruton Street at 11:30am and stayed for 45 minutes. Her father, the Duke of York (later King George VI), was spotted the morning after Elizabeth’s birth at a window of the house, and was reported as looking ‘extremely happy’.

King George V and Queen Mary were driven into London from Windsor to visit the new parents and the baby later that afternoon at around 15:30. As we know, the King and Queen were smitten with their new granddaughter from the offset.  

What do you name a Princess?

The Princess Elizabeth of York, circa. 1927. Photographer unknown.

As the Duke of York’s paternal grandmother, Queen Alexandra, died only six months before Elizabeth’s birth, many thought the couple would honour Alexandra’s memory and name their daughter after her. Other suggestions floating around included Mary (which became her second middle name), Elizabeth (the name they chose), Eugenie, and Sophie. The princess would call herself ‘Lilibet’ when she was learning how to speak, and the name stuck within the family. 

Her name was officially announced in the newspapers on Friday 14th May 1926 as Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.

An unknowing prediction

The day after Princess Elizabeth’s birth, a short column published in the Aberdeen Journal appears to have predicted the future! It suggested that the new princess’s birth was just as interesting as Queen Victoria’s in 1819, as they were born in almost similar positions in the line of succession. It then says that should anything happen to those ahead of her in the line of succession, “she would become Queen of Britain in her own right”. The journalist writing this in 1926 would've had no idea just how right they'd turn out to be.

Sources

"A Little Princess." Hull Daily Mail, 21 Apr. 1926, p. 4. British Library Newspapers.

"Daughter for Duchess of York." Evening Telegraph, 21 Apr. 1926, p. 1. British Library Newspapers.

"The Royal Baby." Aberdeen Journal, 22 Apr. 1926, p. 6. British Library Newspapers.

"To-day's Telegrams." Cornishman, 21 Apr. 1926, p. 5. British Library Newspapers.