Princess Mary was born at Kensington Palace in London on 26 May 1867. Her mother was Princess Mary Adelaide, a daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, and a granddaughter of King George III and first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her father was Francis, Duke of Teck. Due to her parent's financial troubles, Princess Mary spent much of her early life abroad in order to economize, the Tecks returned to London in 1883, living at White Lodge in Richmond Park.
In 1891, Princess Mary, who was liked by Queen Victoria, became engaged to her double second cousin once removed Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, the eldest son of Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Prince Albert Victor was the heir to the throne after his father, bringing Princess Mary and her family to the senior end of the Royal Family. However, a few weeks before the wedding, Prince Albert Victor died of influenza. Nevertheless, Queen Victoria still favored Mary as a royal bride and therefore arranged for her to marry Albert Victor's brother, Prince George, created Duke of York. They were married at St. James's Palace, London, on 6 July 1893.
Princess Mary was devoted to her children and to her public duties. She left her children in the care of a nanny, Charlotte "Lalla" Bill, and taught her children history and music. With her public duties, she was equally devoted, becoming Patron of a number of charities. When her father-in-law became King Edward VII, Prince George and Princess Mary undertook an eight-month tour of the British Empire. No royal had undertaken such a big tour before. Princess Mary broke down in tears at the thought of leaving her children, though they were in the care of their doting grandparents.
In 1910, Edward VII died, and Prince George ascended the throne as George V. Mary thus became Queen. During the First World War, Queen Mary was criticized for her German heritage. The conflict with Germany forced George V to change the name of the Royal House from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor. He also stripped all titles from those members of the Royal Family who fought for Germany. Following the war, Queen Mary continued her public duties and suffered a family tragedy when she lost her youngest son, Prince John. In 1935, King George celebrated his Silver Jubilee, commemorating 25 years of his reign, and Queen Mary accompanied him during the official tours and visits that took place. Queen Mary used her extensive knowledge of history and royal protocol to advise and support her husband on matters of state.
In 1936, King George V died. His death was shortened by an injection of morphine and cocaine, administered by his doctor. Queen Mary supported her son, now King Edward VIII, during his reign. In December, however, the King abdicated the throne because he wished to marry a divorced American commoner, Wallis Simpson.
This put his brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York, in his place as King George VI. King George VI was shy and was at first reluctant to take on his new duties and responsibilities. Queen Mary and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, supported him in his new role. The former King Edward VIII became the Duke of Windsor, went to live in Paris, and had a cool relationship with his family in England. No member of the family attended his wedding to Wallis in 1937, and she was never received by Queen Mary.
During the Second World War, Queen Mary lived at Badminton House, owned by her niece's husband, the Duke of Beaufort. She continued her duties and supported the war effort. Following the war, she returned to her pre-war home, Marlborough House. She continued her public duties in old age, surviving to see her granddaughter, Elizabeth, ascend the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. After suffering from lung cancer (described publicly as "gastric problems"), Queen Mary died of the disease at Marlborough House on 24 March 1953. She lay in state at Westminster Hall before being buried beside her husband at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. She survived her husband by 17 years and outlive three of her children, Prince John of the United Kingdom and Prince George Duke of Kent and King George VI.
Marlborough House
Marlborough House is a mansion in Westminster, London, England. It was built for a royal favourite, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, in 1711. Following her death, it passed to the hands of successive Dukes of Marlborough.
In 1817, it became Crown property. It was used by members of the royal family, including Queen Adelaide. It served as a base for the predecessor of the Royal College of Art, the "National Art Training School". In 1861, Marlborough House was made the Prince of Wales's London residence. It was used by him for the next 40 years, until he became king in 1901. It continued as a royal residence, and was last used by Queen Mary until 1953. After her death, her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, gave the house to the Commonwealth Secretariat, which continues to use it today.
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 955 hectare (2,360 acres) park in outer London. Originally, it was outside London, in Surrey. It is now in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
The park was created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park. It is the largest of London's Royal Parks. It is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. The park is a national nature reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. It is included, at Grade I, on the "Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England".
It is the largest of the eight Royal Parks in London, and is famous for red and fallow deer. It is about three times the size of Central Park in New York (341 hectares or 843 acres).
Notable features in the park include Pembroke Lodge, once the home of the British Prime Minister Lord John Russell. Also in the park is White Lodge, home of the Royal Ballet School and once a royal residence. One house in the park, Thatched House Lodge, is the residence of Princess Alexandra.
The park is fully open to the public, with access by road, bicycles and pedestrians.
Brantridge Park
Brantridge Park is a former royal residence in Balcombe, West Sussex, England. It was owned by Princess Alice, and her husband Alexander Cambridge, the first Earl of Athlone. Following the Athlone's departure to Canada as viceroy and viceregal consort, it was occupied by Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. Beatrice died there in 1945. It is now a hotel operated by Timeshare.
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England. It was in purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1845. The solent reminded by Prince Albert of the Gulf of Naples, but the old house was too small for their needs, and the house was demolished and rebuilt by Thomas Cubitt.
The house became a family home, as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were determined to bring their children up in a natural and loving environment. Within the grounds was a smaller structure, Swiss Cottage, which was where the royal children played and learned practical skills, such as cooking and farming. The children often entertained their parents here, and Queen Victoria used the simplicity of the cottage to deal with personal correspondence.
Following Prince Albert's death in 1861, Osborne became an effective mausoleum in his memory. Queen Victoria used the house as a retreat away from public life. She died there on 22 January 1901, and her son, King Edward VII, gave the house to the nation. It was used as a naval training school, and then a convalescent home for officers. During the Second World War, Adolf Hitler ordered that the estate was not to be bombed because he wanted to use it as a post-war retreat.
Docetism
Docetism is an early Christian teaching that says that Jesus only appeared to have a human body. The term comes from "dokein": "to seem".