How Queen Elizabeth Made Queen Mother ‘Weep’ Before Going On Royal Tour

The Queen Mother was very emotional at the thought of leaving Queen Elizabeth II because she and her husband had to embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

In the biography “Queen Mother: The Official Biography,” royal author William Shawcross revealed that as the Queen Mother’s departure grew closer, she became more and more miserable. If it were up to her, she wouldn’t have left her eldest daughter under the care of nannies.

Shawcross said that the late royal became more emotional after seeing Her Majesty drinking milk from her bottle, playing, and being naughty which made her look very adorable.

“On the morning they had to leave, she awoke and rose early. Feeling very miserable at leaving the depart, Alah Knight brought the baby downstairs for the final goodbye… The Duchess was very emotional… Watching Princess Elizabeth play with the buttons of her father’s uniform ‘quite broke me up,’” the royal author said.

“The Duke was miserable too and felt that his daughter ‘will be so grown up when we return.’ The Duchess knew she had to drag herself away and so she ‘drank some champagne & tried not to weep,’” he added.

While the Queen Mother and Prince Philip were away, the monarch’s nanny, Clara “Alah” Knight oversaw the royal’s daily routine. The nanny also gave the Queen Mother regular updates regarding her adorable daughter.

In a letter dated March 8, 1927, Alah sent a letter to the Queen Mother accompanied with a photo of the Queen. The nanny revealed that Her Majesty’s two front teeth are already growing. She also said that Her Majesty is a well and happy baby.

Several years later, the Queen followed in her mom’s footsteps of leaving her children under the care of their nanny. After she was crowned as Queen, Her Majesty and Prince Philip embarked on a six-month royal tour. Prince Charles and Princess Anne were left with the former’s rock, Mabel Anderson.