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Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Queen Mother, was the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II. She was born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, the youngest daughter and ninth of ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. She was well-educated, intelligent, and spoke French fluently by the age of 10. Queen Elizabeth was known for her steady alcohol consumption, which included a daily routine of gin and Dubonnet before lunch, wine with her meal, martinis before dinner, and champagne during dinner. Her alcohol intake has been estimated at 70 units per week. In addition, she had a reputation for extravagance, leaving behind debts of over £7 million when she died at the age of 101. However, she was also known for her indomitable spirit and provided moral support to the British public during World War II.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon |
| Birth year | 1900 |
| Death year | 2002 |
| Age at death | 101 |
| Alcohol consumption | Heavy drinker, consuming at least 8 units of alcohol daily, or 70 units a week |
| Alcoholic beverages of choice | Gin, Dubonnet, red wine, port, martini, champagne |
| Spendthrift | Yes, she left behind debts of over £7 million |
| Residences | Five royal residences, including Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Birkhall on the Balmoral estate, Barrogill Castle in Caithness (renamed the Castle of Mey), and Walmer Castle |
| Servants | Over a hundred servants |
| Expenditure | Haute couture, millinery, jewellery, a stable of 12 racehorses, vintage champagne, and lavish entertainment |
| Financial support | Received financial support from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth |
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What You'll Learn
- Queen Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, was the ninth of ten children
- The Queen Mother's daily drinking routine started before lunch
- The Queen Mother's alcohol consumption was estimated to be 70 units a week
- The Queen Mother's spending habits resulted in debts of over £7 million
- The Queen Mother's residences included Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and Birkhall on the Balmoral estate
Queen Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, was the ninth of ten children
Queen Elizabeth II's mother, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, was the ninth of ten children. She was born to Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland), and his wife, Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. Her mother was descended from British Prime Minister William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, and Governor-General of India Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley. Her father's side of the family was also of aristocratic lineage, with her paternal grandfather being the 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, also known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was born into a large family with ten children in total. She spent much of her childhood at St Paul's Walden and at Glamis Castle, the Earl's ancestral home in Scotland. She received a private education, being homeschooled by a governess until the age of eight and later attending school in London. She excelled in literature and scripture and demonstrated a talent for languages, becoming fluent in French by the age of ten.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the youngest daughter in her family, and her birth location remains uncertain. It is reputed that she was born either in her parents' Westminster home, in a horse-drawn ambulance en route to a hospital, or at her maternal grandmother's home in London. Her birth was registered in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, near the Strathmores' English country house, St Paul's Walden Bury, which was also given as her birthplace in some records.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon's family background and upbringing contributed to her eventual role as Queen Consort and, later, Queen Mother. She possessed an indomitable spirit, optimism, and a mischievous sense of humour, which made her exceptionally popular with the British public. She also demonstrated strong principles, physical courage, and a sense of duty, characteristics that were noted and admired by those around her.
The ninth of ten children, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, grew up to play a significant role in the British monarchy as the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II. Her intelligence, education, and strong character contributed to her ability to fulfil her royal duties and navigate the challenges of her position with resilience and grace.
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The Queen Mother's daily drinking routine started before lunch
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was known for her steady drinking habits. According to Major Colin Burgess, her personal attendant, the Queen Mother started her daily drinking routine before lunch. She would begin with a cocktail made with one part gin and two parts Dubonnet, garnished with a slice of lemon or orange. This cocktail is now famously known as the "Queen Mother cocktail" worldwide. The Queen Mother enjoyed this drink in the drawing room or the garden of Clarence House, where she lived from 1953 to 2002.
Following her noon cocktail, the Queen Mother would typically have wine with her lunch. She was particularly fond of red wine, especially heavy clarets. Her fondness for red wine was noted by Major Colin Burgess, who recalled her drinking a bottle and a half of red wine during their first meeting. In the evening, the Queen Mother would often enjoy a martini or two before dinner. Burgess, who was responsible for mixing these drinks, recalled the ritual of preparing the martinis at 6 pm, deemed the earliest acceptable time for an evening drink.
The Queen Mother's drinking habits extended beyond her daily routine. She was also known to enjoy champagne and was once quoted as saying she could "polish off" a nebuchadnezzar of champagne (20 bottles' worth) herself if her family did not join her for the holidays. Her love for champagne was also evident in her choice of dinner beverage, where she would sip on Veuve Clicquot champagne during her meal. This consistent drinking pattern contributed to her high weekly alcohol intake, estimated at 70 units per week, which far exceeded the modern standards for moderate consumption.
The Queen Mother's longevity, living to the age of 101, is often noted as remarkable given her steady drinking habits. While she may have had a high alcohol tolerance, her daily intake of at least 8 units of alcohol would classify her as a heavy drinker by modern standards. Despite her indulgent habits, the Queen Mother maintained her popularity and sympathy as a national icon who provided moral support to the British public during World War II.
In addition to her drinking habits, the Queen Mother also left behind significant debts totaling more than £7 million when she died in 2002. This included expenses incurred from her lavish lifestyle, such as haute couture, millinery, jewellery, racehorses, and vintage champagne. The Queen Mother's financial advisers expressed anxiety about her chaotic personal finances, which resulted in a massive overdraft at the royal bankers, Coutts.
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The Queen Mother's alcohol consumption was estimated to be 70 units a week
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, the ninth of ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland), and his wife, Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. She was well-educated and intelligent, speaking French fluently by age 10.
The Queen Mother was known for her steady drinking habits, which she maintained until her death at the age of 101 in 2002. Her daily alcohol consumption included a cocktail of gin and Dubonnet at noon, red wine with lunch, a port and martini at 6 pm, and one or two glasses of champagne at dinner. According to Emine Saner of The Guardian, this drinking pattern resulted in a conservative estimate of 70 units of alcohol consumed weekly. This amount is significantly higher than the recommended intake for women in the US and the UK today.
The Queen Mother's drinking habits amused journalists and the public, and she was even parodied by the satirical 1980s television programme Spitting Image. Despite her high alcohol intake, she was known to have a steady, rather than excessive consumption and was never seen as drunk.
In addition to her drinking, the Queen Mother was also known for her extravagant spending habits, leaving behind debts of over £7 million. She maintained a large household with multiple royal residences, a stable of racehorses, and an extensive collection of haute couture, jewellery, and vintage champagne. Her financial advisers expressed concern about her chaotic personal finances, which resulted in a substantial overdraft.
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The Queen Mother's spending habits resulted in debts of over £7 million
Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Queen Mother, was the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II. She was born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, the ninth of ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland), and his wife, Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck.
The Queen Mother was known for her lavish spending habits, which resulted in debts of over £7 million at the time of her death in 2002 at the age of 101. She had a vast retinue of over a hundred servants and was the chatelaine of five royal residences, including Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Birkhall on the Balmoral estate, Barrogill Castle (renamed the Castle of Mey), Walmer Castle, and Clarence House, where she lived from 1953 to 2002.
The Queen Mother's spending was extravagant and included haute couture, millinery, jewellery, a stable of 12 racehorses, vintage champagne, and lavish entertainment. She also spent substantial amounts of her own capital on the restoration of the Castle of Mey, which she had bought in 1952. By 1970, her spending had reached millions, and she was being bankrolled by her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
In addition to her five residences and large household staff, the Queen Mother also had financial responsibility for her racehorses and an Aberdeen Angus herd at the Castle of Mey. Her official income was insufficient to cover these expenses, and she relied on her annuity, which had not changed for a third of a century, and her personal wealth, which included a fabulous jewellery collection inherited from Mrs Ronnie Greville in 1942.
The Queen Mother's spending habits and the resulting debts are a notable aspect of her life, and she has been described as "arguably the greatest royal spendthrift since the opulent Versailles heyday of Marie Antoinette."
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The Queen Mother's residences included Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and Birkhall on the Balmoral estate
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, had access to five official residences, including Clarence House, Royal Lodge, Birkhall, the Castle of Mey, and a castle in Dover. She spent most of her time at Clarence House and Royal Lodge.
The Royal Lodge, located in the heart of Windsor Great Park, was the private residence of the Queen Mother for over 70 years. It was also the official residence of the Duke of York, leased from the Crown Estate. Within the grounds is a small cottage, Y Bwthyn Bach, gifted to Princess Elizabeth in 1932 by the people of Wales.
After her marriage to the Duke of York in 1923, the Queen Mother and her husband divided their time between 145 Piccadilly in London, Royal Lodge, and Birkhall in Aberdeenshire, on the Balmoral Estate. Birkhall was the longtime home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and is now the residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The Queen Mother visited Birkhall during the Queen's summer holiday at Balmoral.
The Castle of Mey in Caithness was the only residence owned by the Queen Mother, purchased as a private residence. Clarence House, on the other hand, was her London home.
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Frequently asked questions
Queen Elizabeth's mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, also known as the Queen Mum, was known for her steady drinking habits. She would start her day with a glass of Dubonnet and gin before lunch and follow it up with wine during her meal. She would then have a martini or two before dinner and sip on champagne during her evening meal. According to modern standards, she would be considered a heavy drinker, with an estimated alcohol intake of 70 units per week.
Yes, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was known for her extravagant spending and left behind debts of over £7 million when she died in 2002. She maintained a large household, including five royal residences and a staff of over a hundred servants. She also spent substantial amounts on haute couture, jewellery, racehorses, and lavish entertainment.
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's full name was Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon. She was the youngest daughter and ninth of ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, who later became the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland.
Queen Elizabeth became queen consort in 1936 when her husband, King George VI, ascended the throne after his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother lived to be 101 years old. She died in 2002, seven weeks after the death of her younger daughter, Princess Margaret.
