A Never-Before-Published Diary Reveals What Life Was Like for Queen Elizabeth in WWII
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Alathea Fitzalan Howard grew up alongside Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. During World War II, Howard was sent to live with her grandfather at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, where she became a close friend and confidante of the two young princesses. She spent time at Windsor Castle, befriended the King and Queen, and heard all about a young man named Prince Philip. And, during that time, Howard kept a detailed diary.
Howard’s diary from 1940-1945 is now being released as a book, entitled The Windsor Diaries. This collection of entries reveals never-before-heard stories about Elizabeth and Margaret, bringing the young princesses’ private teenage lives into public view. Acting as both a historical document and an engaging series of vignettes, Howard’s diary entries give new insight into the British royal family.
In light of the The Windsor Diaries’ release on May 4, T&C spoke with Howard’s niece, Isabella Naylor-Leyland. When Howard died in 2001, she left her diaries to Naylor-Leyland, who then adapted them into the book.
The following excerpts showcase Alathea’s friendship with the two princesses, as she refers to them, "Lilibet and M." Alathea was the eldest of the three girls and had something of a sisterly relationship with both.
“I think with the Queen, it was a sort of a typical teenage friendship, and they would laugh and giggle and enjoy each other's company and didn't discuss anything too serious,” Naylor-Leyland noted. “Princess Margaret was the sort of naughty one. And I think Alathea adored her, really, and admired her spirit. And, unwittingly, she often wishes that that Lilibet, as she was called at the time, had more of her sister’s spark, but, of course, we all know that it's extremely lucky that she didn't and that she was a much more steady character.”
Alathea also had a close bond with both the King and the Queen Mother. Naylor-Leyland noted, “They included her a great deal in their children's lives and they were extremely nice to her, particularly the Queen Mother. She was always complimenting her and saying how nice her clothes were or how her hair was, and this meant the world to Alathea because she didn't get that at home. And, the King was absolutely sweet to her, you know, not in the same kind of maternal type of way, but they were incredibly warm and welcoming and friendly to her and made her feel very included.”
Below, Naylor-Leyland shared a few excerpts, alongside more of her own thoughts.
1940
In November 1940, Alathea is nearly 17 and staying in Windsor. She refers to then-Princess Elizabeth by her nickname Lilibet (or L) and Princess Margaret as M—the King and Queen are K and Q. She also discusses the nannies and governess around the castle (Crawfie, Monty, Mrs. Knight).
Naylor-Leyland states, “[These excerpts] show really how incredibly simple their lives were. They did unblock streams and take old prams out and fill them with old bits of iron and that type of thing, which I feel does show a simplicity—I suspect a lot of people would think they had a very grand life. And, of course, in one way, they did but I think the Queen Mother clearly was a very good mother and made sure that they had a very grounded and simple childhood.”
Saturday, November 9
Changed for dancing after breakfast and wore my silver shoes. Lilibet rang up to ask me to stay the weekend! I could hardly believe my ears – like that other time two and a half years ago! In great confusion I told Billy what to pack and rushed off. After dancing I played a French game in schoolroom with L and M and Monty, then I changed, (into my green skirt and wine jersey) and we all had lunch with the K and Q and household. Then L and M, Crawfie and I went out in rain and messed about till the Queen joined us and gave some scarves to some soldiers, then unblocked a stream. Q sweet and held my hand to balance me on a stepping-stone. M pushed me into some barbed wire tearing my good stocking! Us three had tea with the K and Q and afterwards played racing demon with the Queen.
At seven L and I went to our baths. My room was on the floor above theirs, a little way along the passage from the nurseries they had the last time I stayed. My bathroom was on the floor above that, the same one as I had last time, near my old room, and also Crawfie’s and Monty’s rooms. L and I had supper in our night things in the nursery.
At about eight, L and I and Bobo walked down to their shelter, miles away, which was the greatest fun I’ve ever known. L and M sleep on two bunks on top of each other (M on top) and Mrs Knight on a bed in the same room. I was put in an adjoining room but as my light didn’t work, I sat on Mrs K’s bed and wrote my diary on a piece of paper. M made us laugh a lot and except for when Mrs K came down for few minutes we were alone down there. The K and Q looked in on me to say good night. I would never have believed I could be so fortunate.
Sunday, November 10
We came up from the shelter quarter to eight and dressed. I wore my pink skirt and blue jersey. Breakfast at eight in nursery. Did jigsaw puzzle after breakfast. L and M had to get ready for church early as they went in Guide uniform for a parade. I got ready and walked to mass with Monty (in Windsor). Horribly long service. Got back and played backgammon with Monty in schoolroom, as the others weren’t back. Lunch one fifteen. Two Eton boys came, the Spencer boy [“the Spencer boy” later became Earl Spencer, father of Princess Diana] and another. L and I had to make conversation to them!
Afterwards we all went round several rooms, looking at things and then L, M and I went for a long walk in the Home Park with the K and Q and ran into the Archbishop of Canterbury. Tea with them and cards with the Q again after. She was very chatty to me. I simply love her. Bath then supper. K and Q were in nursery. It is lucky I have a respectable dressing-gown! Marched down to the shelter again complete with apples, clocks, books etc! I stayed in my own bed as my light had come but left the door open to talk and I went in their room twice to get something and they came into mine when the light went out and an emergency one came on in my room.
M made me die with laughter by asking me if I thought L and her and myself were pretty! She is an angel, that child. I am so very fond of them both, as well as the K and Q, and Crawfie and Mrs K etc. In time of trouble I should never desert them and whatever may happen in the dim future I shall openly stand by them.
The K and Q came down and had to pass through my room first! They both said goodbye to me in my bed, so I couldn’t curtsey! It wasn’t a bit embarrassing; I feel perfectly at my ease with them now, especially the Q. She wants me to come again, as she says it’s nice for both L and me. I feel I am one of the most fortunate people in the world. We went to sleep after the news, about nine fifteen, as we bring the wireless down.
1941
This next excerpt is the first time that Alathea heard about Prince Philip. The Queen is still young here, so the Prince was not brought up in a serious manner. As Naylor-Leyland notes, “Occasionally, [Philip] is brought up in a sort of childish and giggly type of way. And Princess Margaret quite often, sort of, you know, stirs it a little bit as is typically childish behavior.”
Thursday, April 3
I biked to drawing and we finished modelling our clay horses. It was the last lesson for this term. Afterwards, we played a French tableau game with Monty and then cards till tea. They said something about Philip, so I said: ‘Who’s Philip?’ Lilibet said: ‘He’s called Prince of Greece’ and then they both burst out laughing. I asked why, knowing quite well! Margaret said ‘We can’t tell you’ but L said: ‘Yes we can. Can you keep a secret?’ Then she said that P was her ‘boy’.
Monty asked me if I had one and in the end, I told them it was Robert Cecil, which amused L. M said she was so glad I had a ‘beau’! We all laughed terribly. L says she cuts photos out of the paper! I must say she is far more grown-up than I was two years ago. When I left, Lilibet said: ‘We part today the wiser for two secrets’ and I biked home feeling very happy and also proud at being let into such a great secret, which I shall never betray.
1945
By 1945, Naylor-Leyland noted that the relationship between Prince Philip and then-Princess Elizabeth had gotten more serious. The pair did see each other more and marriage was becoming a greater possibility. However, Princess Margaret still “stirs the pot” by bringing him up frequently.
Thursday, February 15
Biked up to the Castle for drawing. Only P.M. and me today and we continued with our lino-cuts. Went out with Crawfie and groomed the foals and came in for tea. P.M. caught mumps at Sandringham but is now recovered and P.E. developed it here last Saturday and has it slightly worse than her sister. W
hen I was going away, P.M opened the door and tried to pull me in and I just caught a glimpse of P.E sitting in an arm chair by the fire and spoke to her through the door. P.M told me Prince Philip sent P.E a photograph of himself for Christmas and she danced round the room with it for joy! She then said: ‘I wonder who Lilibet will marry?’ Prince Philip certainly seems to consider the possibility and P.E would welcome it, I am sure.
In this final excerpt, the Queen is going away on her own for the first time. She spends the weekend at Alathea’s ancestral family home and Alathea acts as her de facto lady-in-waiting.
Naylor-Leyland says, “I think, really, for Alathea, it's a particularly special weekend because she feels that her family had a great part in in the Queen's very first time of going away and going to her first, as it were, dinner party. And she feels very proud and very honored that that should have been the case.”
Sunday, July 29
Mass in the Chapel at nine. We had breakfast after – the princess had hers in her room and went to church with Lavinia later. In the afternoon the whole party drove to Angmering Park to see the stud, though I could not be as interested in it naturally, as most of the others, whose very lives are devoted to racing. P.E is v. keen about it now too.
We got back for tea after, which we played a priceless game called Ladida, which consists of sitting in a ring on the floor and passing ash-trays round in a certain manner. Then we went down to the smoking room, which they are now using as a dining room, and played a v. amusing game on the billiard table with two balls, called Freda.
We went up to dress for dinner– P.E had the most lovely black dress of stiff transparent stuff with red velvet bows on the sleeves and waist. I wore black too. The men spent three quarters of an hour over their port while we gossiped upstairs and when they did join us, we played more games. Certainly, the weekend was the v. greatest success – the first the princess had ever spent away on her own on a private visit – she adored it, and everyone was pleased. I too am pleased to think that her first dinner and her first dinner party should have been with our family.
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