Marking 125 Years Since the Birth of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother provided essential support to two monarchs during her lifetime – first her husband, George VI, and then her eldest daughter, Elizabeth II. Upon the death of her grandfather, Elizabeth’s father inherited the title of the Earl of Strathmore and she subsequently became Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As a teenager, Lady Elizabeth assisted in caring for wounded soldiers during the First World War as her home, Glamis Castle, became a hospital.

Acquainted with the Royal Family through family connections, Lady Elizabeth and the Duke of York (then the second son of George V, the British monarch) became engaged in early 1923 and married on 26 April 1923 at Westminster Abbey in London.

As she entered the Abbey, Lady Elizabeth laid her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, which has since become a tradition for royal brides. After her marriage, Lady Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and on 21 April 1926, she gave birth to her first child, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, who later became Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1936, the Duke of York became king following his elder brother’s unexpected abdication. The new monarch took the name George VI, whilst his wife became Queen Elizabeth.

Alongside her husband, Queen Elizabeth toured Britain during the Second World War to boost public morale and became so pivotal to the United Kingdom’s wartime propaganda that, it was said, Adolf Hitler considered her the ‘most dangerous woman in Europe’. Upon the death of her husband in 1952, Queen Elizabeth continued to dutifully provide unwavering support and assistance to the new British monarch, her eldest daughter Elizabeth.

Paying Tribute to the Matriarch of the Royal Family

Marking 125 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the commemorative coin struck to honour this anniversary is exclusively available as part of the 2025 Annual Sets. The coin features a reverse design depicting a portrait of The Queen Mother by artist Richard Guyatt, which formed part of the design struck on the coin marking her 80th birthday in 1980.

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