In this blog we will look at how emotions in The Royal Family evolve. The monarchy today is very different to what it was like in the past with the war generation etc.
Royal men especially were always known as keeping their emotion to themselves but that has evolved through until the modern era to our current King.
Let's start in the Queen Victoria era. In the Victorian Era when Queen Victoria became Queen at 18 years old. Her Mother who kept her in close protection where she would keep Victoria sleeping in the same room as her. As Queen she became headstrong and confident in what she does which her Mother didn't like the fact that she was off doing her own things.
She was very sensitive when it came to certain events especially with cholera where she visited the hospitals and areas surrounding it. Her head dresser Mrs Skerrett sadly died of the disease which devastated her.
When she married Prince Albert and had children it was reported by royal historians that she suffered postnatal depression as she liked making children but wasn't too keen about raising them. After the birth of all of her children her behaviour would change she also had a lot of withdrawal with her children as she didn't have much involvement in her children's activities. Overall Prince Albert was the most present parent by taking over their schooling and playing with them.
After Prince Albert's devastating death in 1861 after the strong support of his wife of 21 years. Victoria sank into a very very deep depression and a prolonged period of mourning which made her hide away from the public for a number of years before she regained confidence in the public eye once again.
After her death in 1901 her son Prince Bertie became King Edward VII he was very sensitive as a child and his father used to favour his other children over him and he and his mother Queen Victoria were very close. When he became king he knew that he would need to use the stiff upper lip and keep calm and carry on. Most photos of him can be seen keeping a cold expression, his children were raised as strong people Edward VII was a disciplinarian who always raised his children as proper Princes and Princesses. King Edward VII never had video recordings of himself or any audio clips either so we can't see any emotion in these footage clips. He passed away in 1910.
One of his sons would soon be known as King George V who also kept a stern expression in various photos. There is video footage of King George V smiling and laughing. George V had 6 children in total and just like his father before him he was a disciplinarian and favoured one child before another. He had 2 eldest sons where he focused on their schooling as they were next in the line of succession. His second youngest son Prince Albert known as Bertie suffered quite badly in his childhood, He was quite shy and he had a stammer.
King George V was the monarch who got his nation through World War 1 and during the War they learned to be positive that that included the members of the royal family. He visited trenches and saw for himself how his soldiers fought during the war. His wife Queen Mary often visited hospitals and supported the nurses and doctors who have assisted to help heal the soldiers who were injured in iv nthe trenches
After King George V passed away the crown went to his eldest son known as King Edward VIII who abdicated because he had feelings for an American divorcee Wallis Simpson and went off to get married to her in France. He left his younger brother Bertie to become King George VI, When George found out that he was to become King he cried on his mother's shoulder Queen Mary.
King George VI was a very sensitive man who had difficult upbringing he had a lot of illnesses when growing up. He used to wear splints on his legs to strengthen them. George also had a terrible stutter which he struggled with his adult life. He had the constant support of his wife Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother) she was the one who got him seeing Lionel Louge a renowned speech therapist who helped him thorough his most famous speeches.
In September 1939 The Second World War broke and The King and Queen had to support the nation and the empire through the war via visits and speeches. The World War Two generation had to again keep their spirits up by singing songs while they were in their air raid shelters. In London it was utter destruction and The King and Queen made sure they visited people who lost their houses during the blitz.
In September 1940 The King and Queen faced reality of Buckingham Palace being bombed while they were in residence. They immediately understood how people felt when their houses were bombed.
Their daughter Princess Elizabeth became Queen after her father's death in 1952. She was not in the country when she became Queen Elizabeth II. She was in Kenya with her husband Prince Philip when it was him who broke the news to his wife and new Queen.
Throughout her life Queen Elizabeth II was a very strong lady who barely showed any emotion during her reign. She had a very happy childhood with 2 very hands on parents as they weren't the next King and Queen as duke and duchess of York.
Queen Elizabeth II had her "strength and stay" Prince Philip who did an amazing job in supporting her. In April 2021 Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99. He died during the Covid-19 pandemic where the country was in lockdown and there were only a limited number of people who could attend funerals.
Because you were only allowed 30 people to attend the funeral and had to be in social bubbles with who you live with Queen Elizabeth II sat on her own at her husband's funeral. It was a very heartbreaking sight and the photo hit people from around the country and the world.
After Prince Philip's funeral Queen Elizabeth II who was not doing very well herself reduced her engagement amount and let her son Charles take up some of her engagements like The State Opening Of Parliament. In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee which celebrates 70 incredible years of a very successful reign.
During her Platinum Jubilee celebrations she was unfortunately unable to attend most of the celebrations due to some ongoing mobility issues. During most of the celebrations it was her son and heir Charles who stood in for her and celebrated her jubilee. On the 5th June 2022 it was the Platinum Jubilee pageant where again Charles was the one who stepped up. However he did speak to his mother before to encourage her to come on the balcony afterwards. She did appear on the balcony and it was her last balcony appearance and she did show some emotion by biting her lip and tearing up.
On the 8th September 2022 about 3 months later after her Platinum Jubilee celebrations she passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle. Her son and heir automatically became King Charles III. King Charles is a very very sensitive man who feels things very deeply.
He did have a very happy childhood with his parents before his mother became Queen. After her accession she and Prince Philip went on loads of tours around the Commonwealth so Charles and his sister Anne were looked after my nannies and their grandmother and auntie.
Growing up he went to school at Gordonstoun School boys school. Charles was bullied for being who he was as heir to the throne.
In 1981 he married Lady Diana Spencer even though he was in love with someone else. During that marriage he was very depressed and in photos of that era he did look very sad and depressed. This marriage ended in separation and divorce in 1996. In August 1997 Diana, Princess Of Wales tragically passed away in a car crash in Paris. Charles was devastated over the loss and was very worried for his two sons one aged 15 and the other aged 12.
In 2002 he lost his grandmother to whom he was incredibly close to. He was very very sad and during the funeral he was showing great pain and sadness and grief. Behind the scenes he has the constant support from Camilla Shand who is a divorcee from Andrew Parker Bowles, he could rely on her to support him through the saddest and most difficult moments of his life.
In 2005 Charles remarried to the only woman he has loved Camilla Shand in a civil ceremony in Windsor followed by a blessing in St George's Chapel on the Windsor Castle Estate. The marriage became the most emotional second royal wedding as he married the love of his life after 40 years since they met.
In 2021 he lost his beloved father who died during the Covid-19 pandemic so very limited guests were able to attend. During the procession he was photographed with tears running down his face. Inside the chapel he sat next to his wife Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall so she can give him support and she was also part of the household bubble with her husband.
In 2022 Charles became King and his wife became Queen. We always thought for a while before he became King that his reign was always going to be an emotional one. In my opinion King Charles III is probably the most emotional monarch that we will have as a nation. Prince William in my opinion he takes after his grandfather Prince Philip when it comes to emotions, Prince Philip had a stiff upper lip approach to life which I think William will follow.
