British Culture - User contributions [en]

Barbara Villiers

2023-01-16T23:28:43Z

Almokawn:

Barbra Villiers (1640-1709).Aka Lady Castlemaine. The first official and at the same time one of the most important mistresses of [[Charles II]].A lady of great ambition for luxury and extravagancy; that managed to reach a position of high power with her witty brains and distinguished beauty.

'''LIFE'''
Born at Saint Margret's West Minister as an only child to William Villiers(second Viscount Grandison) and his wife Marry Bayning (co-heiress of Paul Bayning). Orphaned at the age of three with her and her mother left with nothing to sustain themselves, after her father's death. This lead her mother to marry Charles Villiers her late husband's cousin(second Earl of Anglesey). Her family's loyalty was to king[[ Charles I]] until his execution in 1649 ,then shifted secretly to his son king [[Charles II]], prince of Wales at the time. At the age of 15 Barbra moved to London where she made it a habit to form close relationships with young males members of the royalty .On the 14th of April 1659 at the age of 19 Barbra married Roger Palmer who later became the Earl of Castlemaine thanks to his wife's affair with the king .By the end of that year the two sailed together to Brussels.

'''LOVE AFFAIRS'''
Barbra and her husband Palmer traveled to the Hague to pledge alliance to king [[Charles II]]. By 1660 Barbra and king Charles had already began their affair. The lady of Castlemaine was said to have a great influence on the king that she was claimed to be the real unofficial queen. She had six kids but only five of them were declared by king Charles as his. Her first born was a son that she gave birth to in 1662 the same time she was given the position the lady of the bedchamber ,a title that she was proud of .Through the period of her relationship with the king she has received many gifts including her being made the duchess of Cleveland. Yet being with the king didn't restrain her from having other lovers as did the king. This includes her second cousin John Churchill. After experiencing some turbulences in her relationship with the king she rekindled with him as she is said to have spent an evening with him a week before he died in 1685. The Duchess who was 45 years old at the time ,had a love affair with Cardonell Goodman which resulted in the birth of a son.

'''LAST YEARS AND DEATH'''
In 1705, after her husband Palmer's death, she married Major General Robert Fielding but that marriage wasn't in her favor as her husband's treatment was considered ill and barbarous due to the fact that he was a greedy fortune hunter. In the year of 1909 on the 9th of October in the Walpole house Barbra died at the age of 68 after a sequence of health deterioration signs including dropsy and eventually a heart failure. But never the less the lady still lives on in many portraits, including that of the famous painter Peter Lely, and literature as one of the most powerful beauties of the royalist women. Her story has also been adapted in many modern medias still adapt her story in theater, films, and television.

'''Resources'''
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Palmer,_1st_Duchess_of_Cleveland
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Villiers-Duchess-of-Cleveland
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Barbara-Villiers/

[[Category:Expansion]]

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon

2022-01-28T12:16:37Z

Almokawn:

4 August 1900-30 March 2002. Daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. On 26 April 1923 Elizabeth married Prince Albert, Duke of York, after his second proposal to her.
After the death of King [[George V]] on 20 January 1936, Albert's older brother [[Edward VIII|Edward]] became king. Determined to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, Edward abdicated. Elizabeth became Queen and her husband King [[George VI]].
Together they had two children, [[Elizabeth II|Elizabeth]], the present Queen of Britain, and [[Princess Margaret|Margaret]].

=== '''''AS QUEEN''''' ===

During her period as Queen, Elizabeth was described as a kind-hearted yet dangerous and strong woman. During the royal state touring , The U.S. First Lady Roosevelt said that her Majesty "perfect as a Queen, gracious, informed, saying the right thing & kind but a little self-consciously regal" '''[Rhodes, Benjamin D. (2001), United States foreign policy in the interwar period, 1918–1941, Greenwood, p. 153]'''. On the other hand, during the second world war, Adolf Hitler allegedly called her "the most dangerous woman in Europe" '''[ Langworth, Richard M. (Spring 2002), HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother 1900–2002, The Churchill Centre]''' because of her wide popularity and the effects she had on her people.
One of the most famous stands taken by the Queen, was publicly refusing to leave London or send away her children. she declared "The children won't go without me. I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave" '''[ Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother > Activities as Queen, Official web site of the British monarchy]'''. Instead, the queen spent most of her time visiting the targeted areas and industries in the United Kingdom dressed in '''vibrant colours''' '''[the article on Wikipedia claims that she dressed in pastel colours]''' to represent hope. Her unbreakable spirit supplied support and faith to her people and to her husband until his death on 6 February 1952.
'''Devastated by her husband's death the Queen retired to Scotland''' [Wikipedia]. But that only lasted for a few months. Elizabeth, who was now addressed as the Queen Mother, as her elder daughter now carried the title Queen Elizabeth II, came out of retirement to proceed with her public duties and treated them with equal importance to her public duties when she was Queen Consort.

She was also renowned for her hats and her gin tonics.

=== '''''DEATH''''' ===

On 30 March 2002, at 3.15 p.m. just after a few weeks of her younger daughter's death, the Queen Mother died in her bed with her surviving daughter by her side. Millions of people gathered and spread throughout the route leading to St. George's Chapel, where she was buried next to her husband and daughter, Margret . With her charisma, charms, wits, and vibrant spirit, Elizabeth the mother was able to make herself one of the most popular royal member changing the opinions and popularity of monarchy.

''''''Sources''''''
https://www.royal.uk/queen-elizabeth-queen-mother
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-queen-consort-of-United-Kingdom
https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-76927?mediaType=Article

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon

2022-01-27T20:26:58Z

Almokawn:

Born on the 4th of August in the year 1900 in London to Claude Bowes-lyon and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. On April 26, 1923 Elizabeth married prince Albert , Duke of York after his second proposal to her.
After the death of King George V on January 20, 1936, Albert's older brother Edward became king. Determined to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward passed down the crown to his brother Albert.
The Duchess of York along side her husband,Became the queen and king of great Britain from December 1936 til February 1952. Together they had two children , Elizabeth, The present Queen of Britain, and Princess Margret.

=== '''''AS QUEEN''''' ===

During her period as Queen, Elizabeth was described as a kind-hearted yet dangerous and strong woman. During the royal state touring , The U.S. First Lady Roosevelt said that her Majesty "perfect as a Queen, gracious, informed, saying the right thing & kind but a little self-consciously regal". On the other hand, during the second world war, Adolf Hitler allegedly called her "the most dangerous woman in Europe" because of her wide popularity and the effects she had on her people.
One of the most famous stands taken by the queen mother, was publicly refusing to leave London or send away her children. she declared "The children won't go without me. I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave". Instead, the queen spent most of her time visiting the targeted areas and industries in the United Kingdom , dressed in vibrant colors to represent hope. Her unbreakable spirit supplied support and faith to her people , And to her husband until his death on February 6, 1952.
Devastated by her husband's Death the Queen retired to Scotland, But that only lasted for a few months. Elizabeth, Who was now addressed as the Queen mother, as her elder daughter now carries the title Queen Elizabeth II, came out of retirement to proceed with her public duties as a Queen mother and treated them with equal importance to her public duties when she was Queen consort.

=== '''''DEATH''''' ===

On 30 march, 2002, at 15:15, And just after a few weeks of her younger daughter's death, The Queen mother died in her bed with her surviving daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, by her side. Millions of people gathered and spread through out the route leading to St. George Chapel, where she was buried next to her husband and daughter, Margret . With her charisma, charms, wits, and vibrant spirit, Elizabeth the mother was able to make herself one of the most popular royal member changing the opinions and popularity of monarchy.

''''''Sources''''''
https://www.royal.uk/queen-elizabeth-queen-mother
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-queen-consort-of-United-Kingdom
https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-76927?mediaType=Article

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon

2022-01-27T17:47:03Z

Almokawn:

Born on the 4th of august in the year 1900 in London to Claude Bowes-lyon and his wife Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. On April 26, 1993 Elizabeth married prince Albert , Duke of York after his second proposal to her.
After the death of King George V on January 23, 1926, Albert's older brother Edward became king. Determined to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward passed down the crown to his brother Albert.
The duchess of York thus became the queen of the United Kingdom and the head of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 along side her husband who became the king of great Britain under the regnal name of George VI. Together they had two children , Elizabeth, the present queen of Britain, and Margret.

=== '''''REIGN''''' ===

During her reign as queen, Elizabeth was described as a kind-hearted yet dangerous and strong woman. During the royal state touring , U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, said that Elizabeth was "perfect as a Queen, gracious, informed, saying the right thing & kind but a little self-consciously regal". On the other hand, during the second world war, Adolf Hitler allegedly called her "the most dangerous woman in Europe" because of her wide popularity and the effects she had on her people.
One of the most famous stands taken by the queen mother, was publicly refusing to leave London or send away her children. she declared "The children won't go without me. I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave". Instead, the queen spent most of her time visiting troops, hospitals, factories, and parts of Britain that were targeted by the German Luftwaffe, dressed in vibrant colors to represent a rainbow of hope. Her unbreakable spirit provided moral support to the British public, And to her husband until his death on February 6, 1952.
Devastated by her husband's Death the Queen retired to Scotland, But that only lasted for a few months. Elizabeth, Who began to be styled as the Queen mother to avoid confusion with her elder daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II, came out of retirement to proceed with her public duties as a Queen mother and treated them with the same importance as her public duties when she was Queen consort.

=== '''''DEATH''''' ===

On 30 march, 2002, at 15:15, And just after a few weeks of her younger daughter's death, The Queen mother died in her sleep at the Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park, with Queen Elizabeth II, at her bedside. More than a million people filled the area outside Westminster Abbey and along the route from central London to Elizabeth's final resting place beside her husband and daughter in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. With her charisma, charms, wits, and vibrant spirit, Elizabeth the mother was able to make herself one of the most popular royal member changing the opinions and popularity of monarchy.

''''''Sources''''''
https://www.royal.uk/queen-elizabeth-queen-mother
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-queen-consort-of-United-Kingdom
https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-76927?mediaType=Article