I happened to stumble on this program, the first episode of a series, on the Smithsonian Channel and am very glad I did because it gave some insight in the family of King George V and Queen Mary, who reigned from 1910 to 1935. I am an avid fan of royalty, particularly the British House of Windsor. My strong impression of this episode is how it goes beyond the public events of the era with an insider look at their private thoughts gleaned from letters written to Princess Mary by her four brothers - the Prince of Wales and the three Dukes of York, Kent and Gloucester. Another brother, John, died at age 14 and his life is somewhat of a mystery. After viewing this show, his short life took on more meaning for this viewer.
Princess Mary was the eldest child of George and Mary and became the Princess Royal in the 1930's, a role she continued until her death in the 1960's. She was the sixth in line to the throne, after her five brothers and the fifth after the death of John. Princess Mary was groomed as an ornament of the family, the one who was supposed to live the fairytale life, and whose marriage in the early 1920's was the first public wedding for the Royals. This landmark wedding led to many more public weddings aimed to solidify the role of the monarchy with the British public.
George and Mary were determined to enhance the status of the monarchy. World War I was a watershed moment for the monarchs in Europe with the fall of one royal house after another. The King and Queen were determined and obligated to avoid such a calamity and all the fallout that would result. Princess Mary was to play a pivotal role in that effort. The program didn't comment on her personal feelings but implies that she accepted her role, although it is questionable how happy she was. She married a man 13 years her senior, a wealthy English noble - not a foreign prince, as had been the tradition of the British Royals until that time. The letters that were written by the four brothers showed a great affection for Mary, their sole sister. Along with Mary and their parents, the brothers were expected to reposition and enhance the monarchy.
It is common knowledge that the Prince of Wales was a playboy and also spoke out on public issues, often in a way that embarrassed the Royal Family. In his correspondence he showed his dissatisfaction with his straitjacket role. Of course he did reach a point as king where he had to abdicate the throne to marry a divorced woman. This was more or less predicted by his father King George V. The Duke of Kent, the fourth in line for the throne was his kindred spirit and even more unorthodox in his behaviour. He led a lifestyle that was little known to the public as was also the case with the Prince of Wales. He was thought to have been a cocaine user or even worse, an addict. The Duke of Kent had sexual liaisons with both men and women although his correspondence with Princess Mary did not mention any of his behaviour. However, like his older brother was very uncomfortable with his role as an ambassador for the family. Two other brothers - the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of York were the more conventional ones. The Duke of Gloucester loved military life and stayed out of trouble. The Duke of York, later George VI, was a model of what the King and Queen wanted in their children. He and his wife Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon were attentive to their duties and their two daughters were the favourites of King George and Queen Mary.
The youngest prince was John, who died young. He was kept out of the public eye because he was thought to be an embarrassment to the family. He was epileptic and apparently had a mental impairment. John's schooling ended when he was only 11 and he was sent to live with his grandmother, Queen Alexandra, in Norfolk at her Sandringham Estate. Queen Mary arranged for local children to come and visit. His father the King felt sorry for him and kept his distance. John was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 11. His death at age 14 was grieved, although the family believed it was for the best. John was not unloved but his story is a sad one. It seems he was kept out of the public eye, particularly as the disability grew worse in his last few years. About 20 years ago, he was the subject of a movie called The Lost Prince. I would like to learn more of John's short life, given the difficult period for the monarchy and how John's life might have been more normal.
Not a lot is told about the private lives of the family that is credited with saving the monarchy. However, we lack the full story of the toll it took on each of them. There was a strong public feeling against the Royals at the end of the First World War (1914-18). The Labour Party scored resounding successes in the 1922 election and the social fabric was under further strain with the national strike in 1926. Nevertheless, the monarchy did survive. The dedication of the king and queen to their public duties no doubt was at the expense of their children's upbringing.
I enjoyed this documentary for its probing into the private lives of the Royal Family and for bringing the story to the public.
