Possible Husbands for Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II)

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Were there any other candidates for Princess Elizabeth's hand?

Thanks!

 

[Mirabel]

I don't think so; I read she met him when she was very young, and George VI had reservations because he didn't want his daughter to marry the first man she'd met.
He insisted they wait, but they were determined and got their way in the end.

I never heard that she ever thought about anyone else.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Thanks!
That's what I have always read as well... but was just wondering if I had missed something along the way. I actually saw a show on PBS that said she and Prince Philip were actually engaged secretly for a while before they announced it to the public.

 

[ashelen]

was this married for love? or arranged?

 

[IloveCP]

Some people say that Elizabeth was in love but not Philip.However some say he grew to love her.

 

[EmpressRouge]

was this married for love? or arranged?

It was definitely a love match. Supposedly, Elizabeth fell in love with Philip when the royal family visited Dartmouth Naval College where Lord Mountbatten arranged for his nephew to escort the princess. It was likely they had met before but were too young to have made an significant impression.

While Elizabeth only had eyes for Philip, other aristocrats were mentioned as suitable candidates. The only one I know of was the William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, son and heir of the 10th Duke of Devonshire. He would marry Kathleen Kennedy, a sister of President John F. Kennedy, in 1944 but tragically died in Belgium from sniper fire four months later. His younger brother Andrew inherited the title to become the 11th Duke of Devonshire.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Wow! Thanks for the info EmpressRouge - I had no idea about Lord Hartington connected to Princess Elizabeth.

 

[MissJanet]

However some say he grew to love her.

I cannot imagine that a man like Prince Phillip would possibly be able to make a living as a consort if he wouldn't deeply love his wife and therefor accept his role like he did for so long now.

 

[Kataryn]

I read not long ago that Louis Mountbatten pushed Philip in Elizabeth's direction and that otherwise she might have married Lord Porchester (who is rumoured to be Andrew's father...).who was then the heir of the Earl Of Carnarvon and later became the 7th Earl.

 

[olebabs]

Is she not happy with the one she's got? I guess after 65 years one needs a change Sorry but I laughed a bit at the title of this thread

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Thanks Roseroyal and Kataryn! I hadn't heard either of those, either!

 

[roseroyal]

I read in one of the Diana books( Diana Chronicles, Diana by Sarah Bradford, Diana the rise and fall of the house of Spencer by Anne Edwards, The Queen and Di by Ingrid Seward, etc), cannot remember which one, or it could have been Elizabeth Behind Closed Doors by Nicolas Davies or The Royal Marriages, by Lady Colin Campbell, that Diana's father the 8th Earl Spencer was considered by the King and Queen.

 

[Nice Nofret]

The King and the Queen weren't to enthusiastic about Prince Phillip as a son in law - so they gave Elisabeth the opportunity to meet the elegible young men of her generation, as Prince Phillip was out of the way for two years (or so) in the east s.w. . But apparently for Elisabeth only Philip would do

 

[free2rhyme]

I think this topic is 64 years too late.................

 

[Nice Nofret]

I think this topic is 64 years too late.................

Quite so

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

I think this topic is 64 years too late.................

That may be...... but it was something that I was curious about and there is not much printed on the subject.... so I assumed I could ask here and get some feedback. My bad.....

 

[free2rhyme]

That may be...... but it was something that I was curious about and there is not much printed on the subject.... so I assumed I could ask here and get some feedback. My bad.....

You don't have to take it too seriously, we were just joking. There probably isn't much written on the subject because The Queen (Princess Elizabeth) never considered anyone else but Philip. She had her mind made up at the age of 13. That's not to say other people (including her parents) didn't have other ideas.............but in the end I think it's safe to say that The Queen made a good choice.

 

[Daria_S]

I think I read in Lacey's book that Elizabeth spent a lot of time socializing with the young guards, who were sons of nobles/aristocrats, and that her paternal grandmother, Queen Mary wished that her circle of acquaintances would improve. He also mentioned some names of young men (the guards) that were seen as potential and acceptable suitors.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Thanks for all the info, y'all.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I wonder what kind of person Elizabeth was to fall in love at 13 and to have actually made the right decision. Most people twice that age fall in love and end up getting it wrong.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I wonder what kind of person Elizabeth was to fall in love at 13 and to have actually made the right decision. Most people twice that age fall in love and end up getting it wrong.

A very strong woman who knew her own mind.

She reminds me of my mother in that regard - Mum was 15 when she meet my father and she went home that evening and told her parents exactly that. They didn't marry for a number of years but she was right - she knew who she wanted and she loved no other man - ever.

 

[MARG]

I wonder what kind of person Elizabeth was to fall in love at 13 and to have actually made the right decision. Most people twice that age fall in love and end up getting it wrong.

With her family's history she must have known she had to get it right from the time she was old enough to understand what marriage was. Whilst her uncle moved in society circles with international socialites, divorce was never a big thing within the Aristocracy (smitten David notwithstanding). There were "other alternatives".

Philip had to be equally smitten IMO, as with his family's history he had a good idea of what his future would look married to the heir to the throne as opposed to continuing his Royal Navy career, in theory at least, so I think they just hit the jackpot and as, they both came from relatively happy and loving families, they were predisposed to expect a "happy marriage".

65 years of hard work later we see still, a quietly loving couple who have survived, having never given in to the latest "touchy feely" belief that the only happy couples are those given to frequent PDA's to satisfy the a voracious public and media mawkish interest.

 

[shari-aree]

Is she not happy with the one she's got? I guess after 65 years one needs a change Sorry but I laughed a bit at the title of this thread

Me too!
I thought "hang on a minute - what has happened that we haven't heard about!!!"

Alas, it is an interesting thought.
I heard HM was 13 or 14 when they met, and that was it for her

 

[shari-aree]

I read not long ago that Louis Mountbatten pushed Philip in Elizabeth's direction and that otherwise she might have married Lord Porchester (who is rumoured to be Andrew's father...).who was then the heir of the Earl Of Carnarvon and later became the 7th Earl.

Is that the Carnavon's of Highclere Castle AKA "Downton Abbey" on TV?

I've never heard of a Rumor about Andy ... As they have gotten older I think Andrew & Edward look more like their Mum, with Charles & Anne looking more like Dad ... IMO of course!

 

[Lumutqueen]

Is that the Carnavon's of Highclere Castle AKA "Downton Abbey" on TV?

I'm sure that's just how the Earl wants his historical family seat described as, the setting for Downton Abbey.

Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnavon.

 

[Midwestern Mom]

Well from what has been said over the years, they certainly had their personal trials and problems with each other. I think the difference is they made the commitment to stick it out and have done so.

Nowdays if you don't feel the 'love' the same as you did when you were first together or have problems getting along for awhile people run off to the divorce courts instead of making the commitment to work it out.


MM

 

[shari-aree]

I'm sure that's just how the Earl wants his historical family seat described as, the setting for Downton Abbey.

Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnavon.

Very true - the long line behind the current head-of-the-house would probably be horrified
However, the current Family could only be pleased ... after all the TV Series is bringing in 6 times as many visitors, interest is peaked around the world - not just the UK,(without the show many of us wouldn't even know it existed!), and all of this adds up to enable the estate to continue.
If when I read/hear Carnavon I will always think of DA ... because I looked for information on the estate & have now added it to my list of "must see's".

 

[LauraS3514]

And I think of the 5th Earl, who funded the expedition that discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, and his grandson, who was The Queen's racing manager.

 

[shari-aree]

And I think of the 5th Earl, who funded the expedition that discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, and his grandson, who was The Queen's racing manager.

Yes - I read about that too!
Apparently He & His Dog died at the same time in different countries ... which was attributed to the King Tut curse!! - very spooky

 

[fascinator]

I wonder what kind of person Elizabeth was to fall in love at 13 and to have actually made the right decision. Most people twice that age fall in love and end up getting it wrong.

I understand that she was quite taken with his looks, as Victoria had been when she met Albert.