General Eisenhower spent several months in England preparing for the D-Day Invasion in 1944.
The King and Queen of WWII
In no small part, the decisions and actions of Great Britain’s King George VI (1895-1952) were deeply influenced by the distaste and antipathy about the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936, since the root cause of it was personal and private: marriage to a twice-divorced American woman. The Royal consensus was that the ex-monarch (now re-titled Duke of Windsor) put his personal inclinations above his duties and the country’s welfare.
King George (Edward’s younger brother) had been woefully unprepared for such a monumental leap in both responsibilities and personal visibility, made even more uncomfortable by his lifelong stammer. The bitter example of his brother would color his life.
Those changes naturally had a major impact on the King’s family life, which had always been close and loving. It was vastly different from the remote relationship with his own parents, King George V and Queen Mary. Even in their monarchical positions, George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth took extra pains to keep their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret (13 and 9, when the War began in 1939) protected and well beloved.
Disregarding the suggestions of many Londoners and officialdom to have the young Princesses sent away to safety, the Queen famously said that the girls could not go without her, and she could not go without the King, and the King….would never leave.
The 1940s were a hardship, a tragedy, a despair, and in its own way, an inspiration to the world, as the British people tried to keep calm and carry on bravely, despite everything.
Having their King remain in London (or no farther than Windsor, only 30 miles away), added to the Brits’ affection for him. It also gave the King added confidence.
General Eisenhower
In December 1941, after the Pearl Harbor attack, the entry of the United States as active participants in WWII gave hope to everyone in Great Britain, which by that time was soldiering on alone. Wittingly or unwittingly, much of Europe had caved in to the ruthless Nazi regime.
After two full years of fighting, the USA, along with GB and assorted European nations-in-exile, were under enormous pressure from the Soviet Union, their allies on the eastern front. They finally began massive plans for an invasion on Germany’s western front. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had been instrumental in planning and implementing the North African campaign, was named Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces planning the invasion.
Despite all the various political and military obligations, Ike managed to find a bit of precious downtime in history-rich London and its suburbs. That included a pleasant semi-official visit with King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth.
The British Monarch gave him an open invitation for a private visit to Windsor Castle.
Some time later, Ike, General Mark Clark, and a small party of his staff officers came to “tour” Windsor Castle.
The Non-Meeting of Ike and the Princess
King George sincerely wished for the US Army high-brass to enjoy their brief visit to Windsor without the need for the protocol and tradition demanded by the British monarchy, generally unknown to Americans. Ike and his staff officers had made specific arrangements, but the royal pair were obviously unaware of the visit.
As a matter of fact, the royal family was out on the terrace having tea, when the “possible intrusion” occurred. The King, having met Ike previously, recognized the general and his officers, and wished to allow them the freedom of their visit, and spare them the embarrassment of intruding on the King’s Tea Party.
He and the Queen and the two Princesses quickly dived under the table, or behind a hedge (depending on the source) and kept out of sight while the General’s party passed through.
Of course, once they left, the King resumed his tea, and explained the who-and-why to his family. Princess Elizabeth, now around 17, had only a superficial idea who the General with the odd-sounding last name was. She learned more later once she was permitted (at 18) to don a military uniform and join the Auxiliary Territorial Service as an automobile mechanic. It was an experience she would treasure, and a skill set she would never forget.
A Dozen Years Later
The teenaged Princess Elizabeth was always aware of her position once her father became King. She also knew she was first in line to the throne, and expected to succeed her father as Queen in her own right. She did not know that her accession would be far sooner than she wanted, even though her father was ill, and becoming frail and haggard.
The General with the odd-sounding last name was world-famous by the end of WWII, and people around the world referred to him as “Ike.” He may (or not) have surmised that he might meet the Queen-to-be at some point. He did not anticipate that the two would meet as heads of their respective countries.
But after ducking, waffling and denying any interest in politics for more than 6 years, Ike was finally persuaded to be a candidate for US President in 1952. He won in a landslide. Everybody “liked Ike!” His victory was only a few months after King George VI had died.
In October 1957, Queen Elizabeth and her consort Prince Phillip visited Washington as guests of now-President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower. At some point in the visit, the Queen admitted to the president that she had “seen” him at Windsor Castle from her vantage point under the table (or behind the hedge) when she was still in her teens, and he was still not-quite-the-world-famous General Ike. It has been surmised that they both had a good laugh over it.
Sources:
Judd, Denis – King George – Franklin Watts Publishing – 1983
Korda, Michael – IKE: An American Hero – HarperCollins – 2007
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