The Windsor Diary – Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Marries Albert, Duke of York

April 26, 1923

Westminster Abbey

In a time when royals were expected to marry fellow royals, it was unusual that Prince Albert had a great deal of freedom in choosing a prospective wife. In 1920 he met Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. He became determined to marry her.

Although Lady Elizabeth was a descendant of King Robert the Bruce (Robert I of Scotland) and King Henry VII of England, she was, according to British law, a commoner. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon originally turned down Princes Albert’s proposal in 1921 because she did not want the limitations on her life that being a member of the royal family would bring. She eventually accepted his  proposal on January 1923.  She would have never imagined that she would be Queen.

Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey.

Lady Elizabeth was attended by eight bridesmaids: The Lady Mary Cambridge, The Lady may Cambridge, The Lady Mary Thynn, The Lady Katharine Hamilton, The Hon Diamond Hardinge, The Hon Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, The Hon Elizabeth Elphinstone and Miss Betty Cato.

In a break with tradition, it was decided their wedding would be a public affair at Westminster Abbey instead of at a royal chapel. It is believed this decision was taken to lift the spirits of the nation following the ravages of the Great War (1914 – 1918)

Elizabeth wore a traditional full-length gown with a court train. Designed by Madame Handley. Current fashion was followed in the dropped waist and generally unshaped bodice – a style made popular by Coco Chanel. It was made of an ivory chiffon moirén and loose bodice was enhanced with pearls and silver embroidery.  The lace veil was lent to her by the groom’s mother, Queen Mary and was worn low over the brow, clasping the veil to the bride’s head in a way that echoed the cloche hat every woman was wearing then. The style was described in the contemporary press as “medieval” . She chose a traditional bouquet (which does not appear in her official photographs as she unexpectedly laid it at the Tomb of  the Unknown Warrior on her way into the Abbey; a gesture which every royal bride since has copied, though subsequent brides have chosen to do this on the way back from the altar rather than to it.

Prince Albert wore RAF full dress in the rank of group captain, his senior service rank at the time of his marriage.

Upon their marriage, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York.  She was Queen between 1936 and 1952