Queen’s Mother

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 159, 8 July 1938, Page 8

Queen’s Mother

NOTED DUTCH ANCESTOR The death of the Countess of Strathmore, mother of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, in her 76th year, has removed a lady who maintained the highest traditions of the older English and Scottish nobility. Very little social limelight ever fell upon her, even after she and the Earl became associated by marriage with the Royal Family, but no figures in the ocottish peerage have been more revered north of the Tweed, and specially by the inhabitants of their country of Forfarshire, and the tenants of the estate surrounding the famous Glainis Castle.

The countess belonged to a family which has played a not inconsiderable part in English history. A daughter of the Rev. C. W. F. Cavendish-Bentinck, a grandson of the third Duke of Portland, she was a descendant of Hans William Bentinc-k, a Dutchman of noble birth, who was, perhaps, moro than any other individual, responsible for the safe installation of William of Orange on the throne of England. Picturesque Career Bentinck, who belonged to a noble family in the Duchy of Guelder, was page of honour and, later, confidential adviser to William, and in 1677 was sent to England to solicit on his master’s behalf, the hand of Mary daughter of James, Duke of York, later James 11. When James was forced to flee from the throne and William was invited to succeed him, Bentinck superintended the arrangements for the expedition. Given various high posts at court, he was granted in 1689 the earldom of Portland, which had become extinct the previous year. He fought with distinction as a lieuten-ant-general at tho Battle of the Boyne, and later at Landcu and Namur, and helped to arrange the Peace of Ryswick. In later life he carried out a number of important diplomatic missions. Descent From Royalty Bentinck married in England and his children divided their allegiance, some Bottling in Holland and attaining distinguished careers. His eldest son, who inherited the title, was granted a dukedom. On marrying a daughter of the Duke of Devonshire, the third duke was allowed by special Act of Parliament to adopt his wife's surname, Cavendish, as a prefix to his own. This Duke of Portland was twice Primo Minister of England, in 1783 and again from 1807 to 1809, and one of his sons, Lord William Cavendish-Bentinck, was Governor-Gen-eral of India from 1827 to 1835.

It was once said with doubtful accuracy that if the Countess of Strathmore had been born a boy she would have become Duko of Portland. A point of greater interest is that on tho distaff side sho was a descendant of King Edward 111. of England. The Earl, for his part, could trace the descent of the Bowes-Lyon family to a daughter of Robert 11. of Scotland. When their youngest daughter, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, married tho Duko of York the match thus seemed to all historically-minded Scotsmen a by no means unequal alliance, since tho bride had Scottish royal blood in her veins and could claim an English royal ancestor, in common with her husband. Simple Country Life Before her marriage to the earl at the age of IS the countess had been simply brought up, and the rest of her life, in spite of rank and title, was spent in a homely fashion, for the most part in the country. Tall and good-look-ing, with remarkable dignity and grace of bearing, she aided her husband in his many duties as a Scottish and English landholder, and later as Lord Lieutenant of Forfarshire. The task of bringing up her large family of six sons and four daughters kept her fully occupied for many years. The household divided its lime between Glainis, the Scottish seat of the family, and St. Paul's, Waldenbury, near Welwyn, about 25 miles from London, where the future Queen, youngest but one of the children, sxicnt most of her girlhood. Although Lady Elizabeth attended a school in London for two years, most of her education was carried out at home, her mother being chief governess. It was a tribute to the countess' own culture that her daughter became proficient in French and German and mastered many other accomplishments, at tho same time gaining a wide and discriminating knowledge of tho arts. GJamis War Hospital When the Great War broke out four of the sons—all v'ho arc of military age—joiued the colours and tho family moved uorth to GJamis, which was converted into a hospital. Lady Elizabeth, who was only 15, was too young to become a nurse, but she worked hard in many other ways, under her mother's very capable direction. New Zealand soldiers who spent their convalescence there camo away with the happiest memories of the Strathmore household, all the members of which won their regard and admiration. The war dealt the countess a heavy blow in tho death of her fourth son, Fergus, who was killed in action in 1915. Another son was wounded and a long time as a prisoner of war iu Germany.

In 1921 King George and Queen Alary, accompanied by tho Duke of York, paid a visit to Glainis, being the first reeigning sovereigns to do so since Charles 11. Her mother being then seriously ill, Lady Elizabeth acted very capably as hostess. The visit was the beginning of a lasting friendship, and, when the Princess Royal was married in February, 1922, Lady Elizabeth was ono of the bridesmaids. Her own engagement to the Duke followed in January, 1933, and (ho marriage took place in the following April.

When the carl and tho countess celebrated their golden wedding in 1931, they received many gifts, including two pieces of gold plate from the King and Queen, and their portraits, by the celebrated painter Philip de Laszlo, given respectively by their children and the tenants of the Scottish estates. The last public appearance made by the countess was on the proud occasion of the Coronation last year. She and the earl viewed the ceremony from honoured places in (he Royal box within the Abbey.