World War II Created the character of Elizabeth

Elizabeth, who was 13 when the conflict began, remained in England despite the German bombardment.

As with most of its subjects, II. World War II Queen. It was decisive for Elizabeth’s future.

He was 13 when the conflict began, and the six-year war would mark the beginning of his public role as heir to the British throne.

The royal family – the king, queen and their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret – were also a powerful symbol of the values ​​with which England and its allies fought against the Nazi dictatorship of Adolf Hitler in Germany.

Politicians and advisers recommended that the girls be transferred to Canada, an idea that did not please the Queen Anne.

“The children will not go unless I go,” said Queen Elizabeth. “I will not leave unless their father is gone, and the king will not leave the country under any circumstances.”

In October 1940, as Britain was hit by the worst wave of German bombings, Elizabeth gave her first public radio address.

It was a speech aimed at British children sent to North America to escape the horrific bombings, but it served as a message to win the sympathy of the American public in favor of the country’s entry into the war.

“We kids are at home, full of joy and courage,” she said.

We try to do everything we can to help our brave sailors, soldiers and airmen. “We’re also trying to take on our own share of danger and sadness for the war,” he said.

The stay of Elizabeth and Margaret in the country was seen as an important factor in raising the nation’s morale.

bomb

The furthest from the center of the bombings, where the king’s daughters were transported, was Windsor Castle. “We went for a weekend and stayed for five years,” they said.

But they were close enough to London to see the sky lit by the intense bombardment of the capital. Once a bomb fell near the castle.

The sisters were accompanied by their parents most nights and weekends, and their studies were carried on by private tutors.

In 1942, Princess Elizabeth participated in her first public engagement: she oversaw a British Army infantry regiment, where she was an honorary colonel.

For many, what it meant to serve the country that marked their reign was shaped by the dramas of those war years.

In the final year of the conflict, Elizabeth joined the British Army Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service.

He was registered as Elizabeth Windsor’s second aide and spent three weeks learning basic mechanics and truck driving along with other novices.

A royal woman attended a “with other people” course for the first time.

A few months later the war was over. Thousands of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace to celebrate Victory Day in May 1945.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill joined the royal family on the palace balcony, and the two princesses mingled with the crowds in the streets.

Forty years later, the queen would look back on that day.

“After we passed Green Park, we shouted ‘We want the King’. I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life,” he said.