BBC ON THIS DAY | 30 | 2002: Queen Mother dies 2002: Queen Mother dies The Queen Mother has died peacefully in her sleep aged 101, Buckingham Palace has announced. The Queen was at her mother's bedside when she passed away at 1515 GMT today at the Royal Lodge, Windsor. The news was announced by Buckingham Palace about two and a half hours later. Prince Charles, who was especially close to his grandmother, is said to be "completely devastated" and is returning early from a skiing holiday in Switzerland with his sons Princes William and Harry. Tibutes Hundreds of people have begun paying their respects for the "fairy tale grandmother" at royal palaces. Tributes have been flooding in from across the world and from all corners of society. Prime Minister Tony Blair led the tributes with a statement from his country retreat of Chequers. "During her long and extraordinary life, her grace, her sense of duty and her remarkable zest for life made her loved and admired by people of all ages and backgrounds, revered within our borders and beyond," he said. Plans for her mourning and burial - which have been in place for many years - have swung into action.

There will be 10 days of national mourning until a ceremonial funeral at Westminster Abbey at 1130 BST on Tuesday 9 April. The Queen Mother's coffin will rest at Windsor for three days and then it will be taken to the Queen's Chapel at St James' Palace. It will be carried in ceremonial procession to Westminster Hall where, after a service, it will lie in state until the eve of the funeral. It will rest on the same spot where her husband King George VI lay in state in February 1952. A contingent of Gentleman at Arms and Yeomen of the Guard will guard it round the clock. The Queen mother will then be laid to rest beside her husband in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The ashes of her daughter, Princess Margaret, who died seven weeks ago, will be interred at the same time. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, 1900-2002. Her Life and Times The Queen Mother as a young girl H.M. Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Early Days Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, was born on August 4th, 1900, at the family home at St Paul's Waldenbury.

Her parents were the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She spent much of her youth at Glamis Castle, the Scottish family seat of the Strathmore family and almost all of her education was at home, although for a short while she spent time at a day school in London. Elizabeth was a keen needlewoman, enjoyed cooking and music as well as the outdoor activities of 'a well-bred gentlewoman' to quote a newspaper of the day. At Glamis she learnt to put duty to others before herself and during the First World War, The Great War, was actively involved in the nursing of injured soldiers from 'the trenches' when Glamis Castle was turned into a military hospital. Although too young to be a nurse she helped in many other ways, often writing letters and playing cards with the patients. She would have experienced personally at a young age the great sadness of losing a member of the family when her brother, Fergus, was killed in battle. Another brother, Michael, was held prisoner for two years. There is no doubt that Elizabeth captured the hearts of the nation the moment she married The Duke of York on April 26th 1923.

This was a little before her 24th birthday, and just three months after their engagement had been announced. During the first part of their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey, Surrey. 1923 It is said that Lady Elizabeth had refused Prince Albert's original proposal of marriage on three earlier occasions but there is no doubt that theirs was a truly happy marriage and now, as The Duchess of York, she gave birth to two children. Princess Elizabeth, (to become HM Queen Elizabeth II) was born on April 21st 1926 and christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, and Princess Margaret Rose who was born on August 21st 1930 and died on 9th February 2002. In 1931 The Duke and Duchess of York, now with two young daughters, were looking for a quiet retreat in the country away from their London home and new-found press interest. They decided upon Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and it is there that the two princesses spent much of their childhood with their parents. It is therefore for over 70 years that special links have existed between Windsor, the late King George VI, our present Queen and The Queen Mother.

Throughout the early years of their marriage, both The Duke and the Duchess worked long and hard on a wide variety of public engagements and projects. For example, they visited factories and industrial centres, he becoming known as the "Industrial Prince". He founded The Duke of York's Camp (associated with the Industrial Welfare Society of which he was President), and he became President also of the National Playing Fields Association, Much of the newsreel footage of the time shows him enthusiastically joining in with all the other participants in a variety of camps for young people from all backgrounds. Both the Duke and the Duchess were keen supporters of the Scouts and Guides, both in the UK and abroad. The Duchess of York visits disabled servicemen with the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, looking at camera. George VI The Early Days as Duke of York The young Prince Albert was an excellent sportsman, having 'the quickest eye for a ball in the family'. He enjoyed golf and especially tennis, playing in the men's doubles at Wimbledon in 1926. He was born at Sandringham on December 14th 1895 and had been educated for the Navy, a career he chose for himself.

He entered the Navy as an ordinary cadet and although he did not excel in other studies, his seamanship was first rate. Examinations, he confessed later usually found him 'at the bottom of the list." But when handling a boat he excelled. Prince Albert saw active service during the First World War aboard HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland. He later suffered gastric trouble and eventually had to undergo an operation for a duodenal ulcer which put paid to his naval career. He transferred to the Royal Naval Air Station at Cranwell to be one of the first officers to be absorbed into the Royal Air Force when the naval arm combined with the Royal Flying Corps. Combining royal engagements with his flying training, he gained his wings in 1919, by all accounts taking his final test in poor weather, contrary to strong advice. At this time Albert specialised in social and industrial work at home, a subject that was a natural interest to him, and not a duty. It must be said that he suffered from a stutter, at times quite serious, and although he did not make friends as readily as his older brother, his concern for living conditions and problems in various parts of the country led people to appreciate his genuine concerns.

In 1920 Prince Albert was created Duke of York and at this time already knew Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. He was obviously in love with her and on several occasions asked her to marry him, but it was to be three years before she accepted his latest proposal, marrying after a three month engagement on April 26th 1923. Queen Mary, wife of George V said of her, "She is not one of these modern girls, thank Heaven!". Throughout the late twenties and thirties the Duke and Duchess of York went about their public duties very conscientiously, and although the Duke did not receive so much press attention as his older brother, his wife and young daughters were regularly featured. Coronation Day, 12th May 1937, and at 4.45 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth make their State Entry into Windsor following the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey in London. The Abdication Crisis The Major Turning Point in the life of The Queen Mother The scenes illustrated here, below the walls of Windsor Castle, marked not only a major turning point in the Queen Mother's life but also for the monarchy in the United Kingdom.

For it was in Windsor Great Park, at Fort Belvedere, not London, that the final momentous climax of the Abdication Crisis was played out, and which led to the Duchess of York's husband becoming King George VI and her to become Queen Elizabeth. A photograph of Fort Belvedere in the early 1900s. The extensive mansion is behind the original tower, shown here. In an 'Instrument of Abdication' dated 10th December 1936, Edward VIII had renounced the throne of England in order to marry Mrs Simpson, an American divorcee. The 'Instrument' reads: I, Edward the Eighth, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Emperor of India, do hereby declare My irrevocable determination to renounce the Throne for Myself and for My descendants, and My desire that effect should be given to this Instrument of Abdication immediately. In token whereof I have hereunto set My hand this tenth day of December, nineteen hundred and thirty six, in the presence of the witnesses whose signatures are subscribed. SIGNED AT The Instrument of Abdication.

(Capitalisation is as the original) The Instrument was signed by Edward VIII and his three brothers, Albert, previously Duke of York and now succeeding as George VI, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Prince George, Duke of Kent. The Abdication was the climax to a major constitutional crisis in the life of the UK giving rise to newspaper headlines such as "The King: Cabinet Crisis" and "The King: Grave Issues". It is also certain that Queen Elizabeth had no desire either for her husband to become king or for her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, to one day inherit the throne. With the Abdication their lives were to change substantially. One can only guess at the conversations between The Duke of York, his wife, and Edward VIII towards the end of 1936 as Edward wrestled with his responsibilities and duties as King and with his love for Mrs Simpson. He had acceded to the throne on 20th January 1936 following the death of George V at Sandringham less than a year earlier.

He had immediately made significant changes to royal procedures, such as being the first monarch to accept that flying had become sufficiently risk-free that it could become routine, and that he should make impromptu visits to the homes of ordinary people as a part of his public duties. He was not however comfortable with the prospect of a lifetime undertaking royal duties, while at the same time he had the impossible constitutional difficulties associated with marrying the divorcee, Mrs Simpson. Towards the end of 1936, as the constitutional crisis deepened, Mrs Simpson obtained a divorce, and although her name had appeared regularly in the Court Circular as a guest at Buckingham Palace, and had cruised with the Duke in the Mediterranean on the yacht 'Nahlin', little had been reported in the English papers. By October, however, reports in the American press caused alarm in London, such that Prime Minister Baldwin discussed the matter personally with King Edward VIII. The problems were many, not least that in the event of a royal marriage, Mrs Simpson would become Queen, a prospect that, as a divorcee, would at that time have been totally unacceptable to the public, the church and parliament, both at home as well as overseas.

As King, Edward was head of the Church of England, 'Defender of the Faith', and was expected and required to uphold religious belief. Marriage to a divorcee was therefore quite out of the question. Only in early December were the stories and rumours finally confirmed by the newspapers in the UK and for 10 days the matter was on everyone's lips. It is said that "The Empire rocked on its very foundations" and, as the crisis gathered momentum, Mrs Simpson left for France. Despite much diplomatic manoeuvering throughout the early days of that month, it eventually became clear to Edward VIII that he had no option but to abdicate, no other acceptable alternatives being open to him. At 10pm on 11th December 1936, Sir John Reith of the BBC came over the airwaves. "This is Windsor Castle," he said. "His Royal Highness Prince Edward". The nation was shocked. Prince Edward!

Then the former king spoke quietly to the waiting world stating that he had abdicated in order to be with "the woman I love." After the broadcast, the BBC closed down for the night and Edward was driven to Portsmouth where the waiting destroyer HMS Fury slipped out of harbour bound for Boulogne with the ex-King on board. On December 14, 1936 he was reported to be in Vienna, Austria, where he was staying with Baroness Rothschild, the newspapers already referring to him as The Duke of Windsor. There is more about Edward VIII, including the Abdication Speech, here. The former Edward VIII seated at a table making a radio broadcast. Whilst this may be a posed photograph, there must be a number of similarities between this and the Abdication broadcast. The microphones are believed to be disguised by the large wooden structures on the desk. Wiring is visible beyond the table. After The Abdication and the War Years In December 1936, The Duke of York had become King George VI and his wife, his Queen Consort.

It is fortunate for the monarchy, and for the United Kingdom, that the queen was the woman she was, and the king the man he was, for, as the next 15 years were to show, they restored the image of the Monarchy and earned the love and respect of the nation, especially in the war years. The King and Queen were a very happy couple, with two delightful daughters, and it is no doubt that the King relied heavily upon the staunch support and encouragement of his Queen in the totally unexpected position they both now found themselves in. They succeeded magnificently and this is primarily due to the influence of Queen Elizabeth. At what point the family became aware of the great challenge that lay ahead of them is unclear, and it may be that Edward VIII's decision to abdicate was taken in a very short time indeed once the pressures became too great. The Duchess of York would doubtless have prayed that her family be spared the huge responsibilities of the monarchy, but it was not to be, so as 1937 dawned, Elizabeth found her 'beloved Bertie', succeeding as King George VI, a situation that it is very likely they both had dreaded.

However, it must also be said that both the King and Queen undertook their new duties with a high degree of responsibility. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive at the foot of Castle Hill, by the statue of Queen Victoria. 12th May 1937 A detail from the first photograph as King George VI and his Queen arrive beside the Queen Victoria Statue, Castle Hill Initially the new King and his Queen were not often seen in public. It was reported at the time that for the first two months of his reign he was, with characteristic thoroughness, learning all he could of his new role, and the expectations of the State. Those appearances that he did make included an exhausting tour of the The British Industries Fair at the White City, with Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, his mother. In March, George VI and Queen Elizabeth were to be seen at the Grand National at Aintree and the next day in Liverpool, where they were greeted enthusiastically. He seemed more assured, losing the nervousness that he displayed as a younger man. George was rising to the requirements of the job, with the substantial support and encouragement of his wife, and the public appreciated his dedication. Queen Elizabeth remained ever popular whilst a dignity and poise crept into her jolly manner.

George VI had a major problem to contend with and that was his obvious stutter when speaking in public. He made great advances in trying to overcome this affliction, and in later years it was all but overcome, but in the first few years of his reign, it weighed heavily on his mind. George was also a smoker, and a heavy one at that. In his youth there was almost no concern over the health implications of smoking, it was totally acceptable, with cigarettes being offered around in every social gathering without a second thought. It was, however, to lead to his early death, compounded by the strain and worry of his position. Even in the early days of his reign George VI's health was not perfect, and Queen Elizabeth knew that he should take things carefully, but even though he retreated to Windsor for much of the time in the period of preparation prior to the Coronation, that did not prevent him from meeting upwards of 30, sometimes 70, people in a day. On 23rd April 1937, St George's Day, George VI unveiled the George V Memorial at the foot of the castle walls at Windsor, where it is said he made his first public speech since becoming king.

[Unveiling Memorial and Speech] The Coronation was by now little more than three weeks away and it was reported by the Daily Express newspaper at the time that "It was an exhausting period, but the King survived it triumphantly and when May 12th arrived, was able to sustain his burden as the central figure in the great pageant of the Coronation with assurance and dignity." In 2003 an illuminating letter was released and is now available to view in The National Archive, ref. PREM1/467. The letter, handwritten by George VI, was sent to The Prime Minister at the time, Neville Chamberlain. It is dated December 14th 1938 and discusses 'my brother in Paris', the Duke of Windsor. In the letter George VI states that he had 'heard from all sides that there was strong feeling amongst all classes that my brother should not return here even for a short visit with the Duchess of Windsor...

it would not be at all wise for him to contemplate such a visit.' George VI goes on to write that 'neither the Queen nor Queen Mary have any desire to meet the Duchess of Windsor and therefore any visit made for the purpose of introducing her to members of the Royal Family obviously becomes impossible.' George VI suggests that this decision would be taken 'in a more kindly manner from you than from me! Believe me, Yours very sincerely, George RI'. In other words, the king is of the view that the Prime Minister should tell the Duke of Windsor not to make plans to come to the UK. The National Archives includes other letters on the subject. Although the strain between the Royal Family and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor could be guessed at, it was kept in the background for many years. In the meantime a new image was fostered of the Royal Family, an image that the public took to wholeheartedly. There is no doubt that Elizabeth and George VI were devoted to each other and their two children and this great affection was appreciated not just by the British, but around the world. After only two years on the throne, George VI and his consort were plunged into war with Germany.

Although many of the Royal Family's relations were German, and indeed the ex-king Edward VIII was known to spend much of his time in Germany, it is absolutely certain that George VI and Elizabeth were unshakably committed to the war effort against the Fascists. They refused to allow their children, the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to leave the UK, "The children won't leave without me, I won't leave without the king, and the king will never leave," Queen Elizabeth said, so although many children were being evacuated to farms and other homes around the country, and even overseas to Canada, they themselves remained at home, either at Windsor or at Buckingham Palace, even though London was under heavy bombing for much of the early part of the war. It was seemingly with delight, certainly relief, when Buckingham Palace received a direct hit and the Royal Family were able to announce, as they toured the East End of London after a night of particularly heavy bombing, that now they knew exactly how the East Enders felt as their home too had been bombed! The Queen Mother told of how she and the King had actually seen the bomb fall, as they were only a matter of a hundred or so metres away.

Their total commitment to royal duties endeared the King and Queen to the public, and this fondness endured long after the death of the King in 1952. Queen Mother walks to St George's Chapel during the Garter Ceremony, 1980 The King's untimely death, when The Queen Mother was only 51, was a devastating blow to her. For a while she understandably wanted to retreat from public life but, with encouragement from Winston Churchill, the then Prime Minister, Queen Elizabeth returned to public life. The fact that she 'reinvented' herself within a few months as The Queen Mother, in support of her daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II, was testimony to her loyalty and devotion to her royal duties, working tirelessly and undertaking countless engagements. In the following 50 years, The Queen Mother undertook engagements both in the UK and overseas and even at the age of 101 was to be seen at a public engagement in Portsmouth aboard HMS Ark Royal, a British aircraft carrier, where she was greeted enthusiastically by the entire ship's company.

Even into her eighties she was undertaking 150 engagements annually, with the attendant 'homework' beforehand, and in her 90s was still actively involved in at least one engagement a week, such was her strong sense of duty. This sense of duty has been passed on to her daughter Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandsons, especially Prince Charles who continues the precedent set by his grandmother, and to whom he was very close. Reactions in Windsor following the death of the Queen Mother Flags on all council buildings were flown at half-mast on the announcement of the death of the Queen Mother on Saturday March 30th 2002 and the Mayor, Cllr John Tryon, sent a message to the Queen conveying the Royal Borough's deepest sympathy. Cllr Tryon said; "We are deeply saddened by the death of the Queen's beloved mother, particularly since it is such a short time after the death of her sister.

"The Queen Mother had long associations with the Royal Borough and, as a mark of the high esteem in which she was held, she was created an honorary freeman in May 1980, an occasion remembered warmly by the many thousands of people who took part in, or witnessed, the memorable occasion. Our thoughts are with the Queen, her family and friends at this very sad time." Funeral Arrangements Her Majesty was laid to rest beside her husband, King George VI, in St George's Chapel following a Royal Ceremonial Funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11.30am on Tuesday, 9th April. Princess Margaret's casket was also moved from the Royal Vault and interred alongside in the vault of the King George VI Memorial Chapel. Immediately following her death Queen Elizabeth's coffin rested in the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor Great Park, draped in her personal Standard, and with a single wreath of pink camelias placed on top. These were taken from the gardens of Royal Lodge. At one point a vigil was mounted by four gamekeepers from Windsor Great Park dressed in traditional 'Windsor Tweed'.

On Tuesday 2nd April, her coffin was taken by road to The Queen's Chapel, at St James's Palace in London where it rested until Friday, 5th April, the day of the Royal Ceremonial Procession to Westminster Hall for the Lying-in-State. The Royal Ceremonial Funeral Procession from the chapel at St. James' Palace to Westminster was a full State Funeral Procession in all but name. State Funerals are reserved for sovereigns, and British statesmen with the request of Parliament, the last such State Funeral being on January 30, 1965, for Sir Winston Churchill, and before that, in 1952 following the death of HM The Queen Mother's husband, King George VI. Strictly speaking, Her Majesty was Queen Consort. In absolutely glorious weather, and watched by crowds numbering almost half a million, her coffin was carried through the streets of London to Westminster Hall, for the Lying-in-State. For four days thereafter members of the public passed through the ancient hall to pay their respects.

From the Friday to the Monday, London enjoyed excellent weather, although cold at night, and at times the queues stretched three miles down-river to a point almost opposite St Paul's at Bankside, now the Tate Modern Art Gallery. This demonstration of respect and affection for the Late Queen caught many by surprise, not least Black Rod, whose responsibilities include State occasions at the Palace of Westminster. He had been planned for the Hall to be closed overnight, but such was the public's desire to file past the catafalque, arrangements were hurriedly made to keep the hall open throughout the night. Despite a chill wind at night, but with warm sunshine during the day, several hundred thousand members of the public witnessed the Lying-in-State. At 6.00am on Tuesday, the doors were closed for the last time. Some newspapers too were taken by surprise, and quite contrary to claims that little notice would be taken of the funeral of an old lady, the public responded in their hundreds of thousands. Public Affection for The Queen Mother There is little doubt that the death of HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, was an occasion of great sadness. Her grace, zest for life and profound sense of duty had been an example to us all.

Little wonder therefore that the public responded in such great numbers to mark her passing. All were aware of the great contribution that she had made to the life of this country and although many of her most significant achievements occurred during the war when she was only in her forties, the public's affection has endured for well over half a century thereafter. This affection has continued in more recent years because she continued to play an active role in public life well into her 101st year. We are justly proud and grateful for her memory. Queen Mother dies aged 101 - Telegraph Queen Mother dies aged 101 6:08PM GMT 30 Mar 2002 THE Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep this afternoon at the age of 101, Buckingham Palace announced today. The Queen was at her mother's bedside when she passed away at Royal Lodge, her Windsor residence. Weakened by a recent bad cough and chest infection, the Queen Mother's condition deteriorated this morning and her doctors were called.

Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen, with the greatest sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately: her beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth, died peacefully in her sleep this afternoon at Royal Lodge, Windsor." The Palace spokesman continued: "Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother had become increasingly frail in recent weeks following her bad cough and chest infection over Christmas. Her condition deteriorated this morning and her doctors were called. "Queen Elizabeth died peacefully in her sleep at 3.15 this afternoon at Royal Lodge. The Queen was at her mother's bedside." Related Articles A way with children 30 Mar 2002 The Queen Mother's coffin is expected to be taken to the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park tomorrow morning. No decision has yet been taken on whether the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family will attend Easter service as planned at St George's Chapel at Windsor tomorrow. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon in London on August 4 1900, was to etch her name on the hearts of the nation as the longest-lived and well-loved Royal.

The fourth daughter and ninth child of Lord and Lady Glamis, she met her future husband Prince Albert at a dance in May 1920. They married at Westminster Abbey in April 1923, and had two children - Elizabeth, now the Queen, and Princess Margaret. When her husband was crowned King George VI on December 12 1936, after the abdication crisis of King Edward VIII, she became the first British-born Queen Consort since Tudor times. Widowed on February 6 1952, she chose to be called Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother when her elder daughter became Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen Mother spent three months in mourning, after which she embarked on a life of public duty, characterised by a grace and energy that made her a favourite with the British public. The first real fears for her health surfaced in May 1993 when a fishbone lodged in her throat. She had surgery under general anaesthetic to remove it at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she spent several days. During the summer of 1994, while on holiday at Balmoral, she injured her right leg and returned to Clarence House at the end of October still suffering.

Doctors advised her to rest the leg which was said to be taking longer than expected to heal. The injury appeared to be a wound which ulcerated. In July 1995, she underwent a successful operation at London's King Edward VII Hospital to remove a cataract from her left eye. The Queen Mother's sight had been deteriorating for some time and, combined with her difficulty walking, had raised concern among royal aides. It emerged that she used a wheelchair in private and walked her dogs, in the grounds of Clarence House, from a golf buggy. The buggy, nicknamed the "Queen Mum Mobile", was seen in public for the first time at the 1995 Sandringham flower show when she was driven around the exhibits by a chauffeur. The Queen Mother's right hip increasingly caused her great pain and discomfort, and she sought doctors' advice on a possible hip replacement operation. Then, on November 15 1995, the 95-year-old Queen Mother was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in Marylebone and underwent a total hip replacement operation the following day. The one-and-a-half hour operation was "completed successfully" and she was said to be "making a good recovery".

Her decision to undergo major surgery and a lengthy recovery period, at the age of 95, underlined the Queen Mother's love of life. Although she carried two sticks when she left hospital after 18 days, the Queen Mother walked unaided down steps to a waiting car. Buckingham Palace said she had recovered "extremely well". Despite her health problems during 1995, the Queen Mother carried out 42 official engagements throughout Britain, and remained fourth in the Royal patronage league - behind the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen and Prince of Wales - heading 349 charities. When, in February 1996, she carried out her first official engagement after the hip replacement, she walked with the aid of only one stick and was said to be free of constant pain. According to her grandson, the Prince of Wales, the Queen Mother was in such high spirits during her summer holiday in Scotland, she even took to the dance floor during a ceilidh. The Queen Mother confounded doubters about her fitness and health in October by walking a mile down a rugged hillside track on the Balmoral estate.

But on January 25 1998, she fell and fractured her left hip at Sandringham Stud. One onlooker said the Queen Mother had appeared to be shaky and that the Queen, who had earlier accompanied her to church, seemed particularly concerned. The Queen Mother underwent major surgery to replace the broken hip at King Edward VII Hospital where two years earlier she had an operation to replace her other hip. But less than seven months later she managed a marathon 40-minute walkabout and buggy ride on the occasion of her 98th birthday. Early in 1999, the 98-year-old Royal suffered a series of nose bleeds and in late-January was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, for cauterisation treatment to stem the bleeding. In 2000, concern mounted when the Queen Mother tripped and stumbled after attending a Garden Society dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel, central London, on October 31. Eyewitnesses said she tripped on her long evening gown while getting into her Daimler car and hit her head. But an official spokeswoman said the elderly Royal was unhurt.

However, at Clarence House later that week, on November 3, the Queen Mother tripped and fell, fracturing her collar bone. She was unattended at the time and was found by a member of her staff. Doctors decided not to put the break, which was on the left-hand-side of her collar bone, in plaster and the Queen Mother was not admitted to hospital. Her condition was said to be "reasonably comfortable", sitting up in bed with her left arm and shoulder in a sling. The injury did not stop the Queen Mother from joining her family at Sandringham for Christmas and the New Year, and attending church. Less than three months before her 101st birthday, she attended the Chelsea Flower Show and appeared to have recovered from her collar bone injury. However, just days before her birthday, the Queen Mother succumbed to a blistering summer heatwave and was said to be suffering "mild heat exhaustion". She was advised to rest and pulled out of a public engagement to lay the foundation stone of Memorial Gates to colonial war dead at Constitution Hill, near Buckingham Palace.

Then, in a surprise development, the Queen Mother was admitted to hospital on August 1 and was given an emergency blood transfusion after being diagnosed as suffering from anaemia. She was taken by car to the King Edward VII Hospital, in central London, and was able to walk unaided up the three steps into the private clinic. Considering her great age, the Queen Mother had been undertaking a hectic round of public and private engagements. On July 13 she had flown 80 miles by helicopter to Walmer Castle, near Deal, Kent, where she spent three nights and carried out official engagements as Warden of the Cinque Ports. She also attended a photocall on behalf of English Heritage and paid a private visit to Dover. On July 16 she flew back to London and began preparations for her next trip by helicopter on July 19 to Sandringham for the Norfolk village's annual flower show the following Wednesday. She spent 90 minutes in the blistering heat, viewing the exhibits, shaking hands and chatting to people. While at Sandringham she hosted a house party, attended church and held a picnic lunch at Holkham beach.

The Queen Mother flew to Windsor on July 27 and, despite feeling tired, insisted on going to Ascot races the following day, Saturday, to see the George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. She had lunch with friends on Sunday and returned to London on Monday, July 30. On July 31, Clarence House announced that the Queen Mother was resting, suffering from mild heat exhaustion. Then, on August 1, she was said to be suffering from anaemia and was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital where she underwent a blood transfusion. Nothing was to prevent the Queen Mother from publicly celebrating her 101st birthday on August 4 and she was joined by her family at the gates of Clarence House in a now traditional scene. Seemingly rejuvenated, the grand old Royal took the salute from troops and boarded the Queen Mum Mobile to meet the thousands of well-wishers. The following week, the Queen Mother flew to Scotland to spend time at her remote Highland retreat, the Castle of Mey. She later moved on to Birkhall at Balmoral and at the beginning of September, while other senior Royals were at the Braemar Highland Games, visited the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for further medical tests.

The following day, looking frail, she attended Sunday service at Balmoral's Crathie Church. Shrugging off rumours of her failing health, she enjoyed her Highland holiday, entertaining guests and savouring the Scottish countryside. Following the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington DC, she joined in prayers at Crathie Kirk for world leaders as they planned a response. She braved freezing temperatures, rain and cold winds to open the Field of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey before attending the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at The Cenotaph two days later. Also in November, at 101 years old, the Queen Mother took on a new job when she resumed the role of Honorary Air Commodore with the reformed crack wartime Number 600 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, in the City of London. "She was as bright as a button and had a remarkable memory," said the squadron's commanding officer, Wing Commander Terry Lynn, after meeting the Queen Mother at a Guildhall reception.

Veteran flight commander Mike Oliver, 80, said: "I was amazed at how she remembered visiting the squadron at Biggin Hill, 50 years ago with Sir Winston Churchill. "She remembered posing for a photograph in the squash court and the lights fusing - we were all sitting there in the dark." Fellow squadron veteran Bob Linford, 77, said: "The Queen Mother even remembered that I gave her a rose on St George's Day in 1955 when she came to inspect the squadron." A persistent cold forced her to miss the Royal Family's 100th birthday party for Princess Alice at Kensington Palace in December and also the Royals' Christmas Day church service at Sandringham. She did not attend other church services during the Royals' New Year stay at Sandringham and was unable to be at the local Women's Institute annual meeting. The Queen Mother, who had not been seen in public for more than two months, was said to be confined to her room with a bug. A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "Queen Elizabeth did not attend today's Women's Institute meeting at Sandringham House.

She is still resting from the bug she caught at Christmas and continuing her recovery." The Queen Mother's last public engagement had been on November 22 when she re-commissioned the aircraft carrier Ark Royal at a ceremony in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Yvonne Browne, vice-president of the Sandringham Women's Institute, said the Queen Mother, president of the WI branch for 65 years, had been due to meet members with the Queen in the ballroom at Sandringham House. But Mrs Browne said an estate official had told members that the Queen Mother was not well enough to attend and the Queen had passed on her mother's apologies. "We were told that the Queen Mother has had a bad cold and she is confined to her room," said Mrs Browne. "She was not feeling strong enough to come this afternoon. She was quite naturally disappointed that she couldn't come because she does look forward to the January meeting very much. "The Queen came to the meeting and she was asked by (the Queen Mother) toconvey her greetings to us.

She hoped that we had a lovely afternoon at Sandringham House." Saturday February 9 2002 was a sad day for the Royal Family and for the Queen Mother in particular when her younger daughter, Princess Margaret, died. Margaret, 71, who had been ill for some time, suffered a third stroke and developed heart problems. Her death was not unexpected but was still a devastating blow for the elderly Queen Mother whose own health was continuing to give cause for concern. The Prince of Wales rushed to his grandmother's side as she began to cope with the bereavement. Queen Mother’s Tiaras | The Royal Watcher Queen Mother’s Tiaras ~ saad719 Happy Birthday to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who would have turned 116 today. My favourite royal was born on August 4, 1900, the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, she married Prince Albert, Duke of York in 1923. The Duke and Duchess of York had two daughters before unexpectedly becoming Sovereigns of Britain, due to his brother’s abdication.

Leading the country during WWII had a serious strain on the Kings health, leading to his death in 1952. As the mother of the new Queen, the Queen Mother, had no defined role. During her widowhood, she became known for her sense of duty, and an ability to enjoy life. She died at the ripe old age of 101 in March, 2002. Throughout her life, Elizabeth wore glittering tiaras. Some were royal heirlooms, while others were made for her. This is a tribute to the Jewel Vault of a beloved monarch… Pinterest Getty Images Originally made as an opal tiara for Queen Victoria in 1853, the opals of the were replaced by rubies by Queen Alexandra.

The tiara, an heirloom of the crown, was a favorite of the Queen Mother who wore it throughout her life, even after the death of the King, when it rightfully belonged to her daughter, leading the present Queen to remark; “Mummy will give them back.” She wore it on the monumental French State Visit of 1938, the landmark 1939 tour of Canada and the US, as well as on occasions throughout her life, as it was one of the tiaras she continued to use in old age. It was seen on Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 in Malta. Pinterest Pinterest The turquoise parure tiara was given as a wedding gift in 1923, from her father-in-law, King George V. As her only major tiara during the 1920s and 30s, the Queen Mother wore this piece regularly for events. Notable occasions when it was worn were during a State Visit to Belgium in the 30s, the Wedding of Crown Prince Olav of Norway to Princess Martha of Sweden in 1929, and the pre-wedding ball of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

The gave the tiara, along with its parure, to her daughter, Princess Margaret, who wore it regularly throughout her life. Pinterest Pinterest The diamond diadem, featuring three wild roses separated by 20 crescent shapes, was made by Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck from jewels inherited from her aunt, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester. The next Duchess of Teck wore the piece at the 1911 Coronation, but sometime later, it passed to Queen Mary, daughter of Princess Mary Adelaide. She gave the piece to the Queen Mother in 1936 upon her husband’s accession. The Queen Mother wore the tiara sparingly throughout her life, and it was inherited by the present Queen in 2002. Currently, the tiara is on loan to the Duchess of Cornwall. BBC NEWS | UK | Queen Mother dies Sunday, 31 March, 2002, 03:12 GMT 04:12 UK Queen Mother dies Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother 1900 - 2002 The Queen Mother has died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 101, with her daughter at her bedside.

She passed away at Royal Lodge, Windsor, at 1515 GMT on Saturday, and the news was announced by Buckingham Palace about two and a half hours later. Sian Backham, aged seven, was among the mourners It came six weeks after her last public appearance, at the funeral of her daughter Princess Margaret. Prince Charles is said to be "devastated", while UK Prime Minister Tony Blair led tributes by saying the Queen Mother had been a symbol of Britain's "decency and courage". The Queen Mother's niece Lady Margaret Rhodes, who was with her when she died, said: "It was a very moving and very sad moment but luckily it was peaceful." Members of the public have left bouquets of flowers at the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences. Mourning period The Queen Mother's coffin is expected to be moved to the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park on Sunday afternoon. A period of family mourning will follow before the coffin is moved to Westminster Hall in central London, so the public can pay their respects in a move not seen since the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965. She was the backbone of our nation.

Her quiet dignity and resilience will always be remembered Joanna Nelson, UK Click here for in depth coverage He will leave Switzerland with Princes William and Harry on Sunday morning and will head straight to Windsor. The Duke of York, who was also abroad, was told the news in Barbados where he was on holiday with his ex-wife, the Duchess of York, and their children. Other members of the Royal Family are already at Windsor, having arrived there for the traditional Easter gathering. Alongside the Queen is the Princess Royal, her husband Timothy Laurence and her two children Zara and Peter, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Blair statement Tributes have been pouring in from world leaders, politicians of all parties, friends, former employees, charities, the sporting world - particularly horse racing - and the Commonwealth. Her sense of duty and remarkable zest for life made her loved and admired by people of all ages and backgrounds Tony Blair Tony Blair led the respects with a statement from his official country residence at Chequers in which he said the whole nation joined with the Queen and Royal Family in mourning.

"During her long and extraordinary life, her grace, her sense of duty and her remarkable zest for life made her loved and admired by people of all ages and backgrounds, revered within our borders and beyond." Peter Sissons: BBC bosses ordered me to downplay the Queen Mother's death | Daily Mail Online comments Peter Sissons was one of the BBC's most distinguished figures, anchoring news programmes for more than 20 years. Now, in his memoirs, he looks back on his long career, from growing up in Liverpool to coping with the Corporation's deep-rooted political bias... When I joined the BBC, I had to take part in an odd ritual. I was told to report to a rather formidable woman, whose precise job title was never relayed to me. I was shown into her presence, to find she was with a gentleman carrying a tape-measure. He was a tailor from Savile Row. The formidable woman explained that every presenter had to have a specially made sombre suit in which to announce the death of a senior member of the Royal Family, should that need arise.

Laid to rest: The Queen Mother's coffin is carried out of Westminster Abbey after her funeral The finished product arrived a week or so later, very old-fashioned, double-breasted and in a heavy worsted. I was amazed. As a news presenter, the last thing you want is a double-breasted suit tangling up your microphone cable and made of material in which you would bake under the studio lights. It was a complete waste of money. The suit was placed in a zip-up bag and hung up in a locked cupboard. I was given a key, and from time to time I would visit my suit, still hanging there, alongside other bagged suits, each carrying the name of a news presenter, some of whom I noticed had long since retired or even passed away. As far as I know, none of those suits was ever worn, and I imagine they are still ­hanging up somewhere in Television Centre, like ghosts from the past. As for what we would actually do in the event of a royal death, the formula was strictly laid down.

On the death of what was called a ‘Category A’ royal, all BBC channels would interrupt their programmes, the national anthem would be played over the fluttering Royal Standard and the news would be solemnly intoned. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share A succession of pre-recorded interviews and obituaries would follow — which were stored in a locked cabinet in the newsroom — and there was a list of suitable interviewees who would drop everything and come into the studio to pay tribute. Essentially, the system didn’t appear to have changed much since the death of George VI in 1952. Every six months or so, we rehearsed all this. A news ­studio was set aside on a Saturday morning and we worked through a fictional scenario. Increasingly, and for obvious reasons, the rehearsals focused on the Queen Mother. We usually pretended that she’d expired after choking on a fish bone — something for which she had form — at her Caithness home, the Castle of Mey. The remoteness of the location posed particular ­technical challenges which our rehearsal was expected to help identify. Drama: BBC newsreader Peter Sissons announces that the Queen Mother has died, on 30th March 2002.

He was later criticised for not wearing a black tie for the event, choosing a burgundy tie instead However, on one occasion we varied the subject. What would we do if the Princess of Wales died? A producer devised a ­suitable scenario, and with uncanny prescience, the story he came up with for the rehearsal was that she had been killed in a car crash on the M4. It was a good exercise and most people involved thought nothing more of it. We could forget Diana. But then, on the morning of August 31, 1997, my bedside telephone rang just after 6am and a senior BBC producer told me that she had been killed in a car crash in Paris. He wanted me in the office to take over from Martyn Lewis, who had been on air since the early hours. None of the rehearsals we’d done could have prepared us for this, the violent and sudden death of the Princess who had been virtually ostracised by the Royal Family. It was by far the most compelling and multi-faceted news story I was ever called upon to handle. Peter Sissons: Anchored news programmes for more than 20 years And what editorial guideline or advice did I get?

A few minutes before I slipped into the presenter’s seat, an editor — knowing my reputation for asking searching questions and pressing for answers — urged me to ‘go easy . . . leave the awkward questions until tomorrow’. So far that day, the ‘story’ had been reasonably straightforward — beautiful and controversial Princess dies in car crash with playboy lover. But shortly after I went on air, everything changed. Diana’s brother Earl Spencer declared publicly that his ­sister’s death was not an accident. She had been killed by the Press and the paparazzi. It was a dramatic moment, and, as I watched it coming over live on the monitor, the advice to play safe passed through my mind and straight out of the window. There were so many questions. What would her death mean to the Royal Family? Would they continue to distance themselves from her? How would that play with the grieving public? It would have been negligent not to continue the debate. Anchoring the BBC coverage for the rest of the afternoon on that momentous day, I missed no opportunity to try to take the story forward. I make these points to ­illustrate the absurdity of ­anyone at the BBC thinking such issues could and should be avoided.

The BBC has a policy on everything, yet, when the chips are down, presenters make up editorial policy as they go along. On that day, every nuance, every question, was mine and mine alone. ­Editorial policy was what I thought fit. Goodbye: The Royal family stand by the Queen Mother's coffin at her funeral service inside Westminster Abbey in April 2002 I was to learn subsequently that if you get it right the BBC will take the credit; if you get it wrong, you are on your own. Three weeks later, the top brass of the BBC took themselves off to a luxury hotel in Cambridge to discuss the Diana coverage, from the first newsflash through the whole extraordinary week of mass grieving to the funeral. HERE'S THE NEWS, I'M A MATE OF THE BEATLES! Friends: A young Peter Sissons, ringed, John Lennon, centre, and Jimmy Tarbuck I was born in Liverpool in 1942 and grew up as part of what would be known as the Beatles generation. As it happened, I knew three of them.

I was at the same primary school as John Lennon and George Harrison (not to mention Jimmy Tarbuck) and the same grammar school as Paul McCartney. Many years later when I was at ITN, I was called to reception to see some visitors who had asked for me. There I found a dozen or more Hare Krishna devotees in their distinctive saffron robes and from among them stepped forward a familiar face. It was George. The Beatles had dabbled in Eastern mysticism, notably with the Maharishi, but Harrison had gone further than the others and lent his practical support to the Hare Krishna temple. He had come to ITN House on a mission — to bring their message to the nation. He greeted me warmly and came quickly to the point. ‘Pete,’ he said, ‘we’ve got a big news story for you, and we want you to get it on tonight’s News At Ten. It has to be the lead story.’ My mind raced. Even if it didn’t make a lead item, ex-Beatles (as they were then, the band having split up) were still big news. So, what was this big story, I asked.

He moved closer, took my arm, looked me in the eye, and said one word — ‘Peace’. Resisting my instinct to say ‘Is that all?’ I asked him to go through the Big Story again. ‘Peace,’ he said again and then repeated it two or three times more. Then he and his friends drifted towards the door and went back into full happy chant as they headed back towards their familiar territory on Oxford Street. No hint of dissatisfaction came from this post-mortem, but what was really puzzling was that neither I nor any other presenter, producer or editor working on that first day was invited to join the discussion or submit their views. Nor were any conclusions that were reached ­conveyed officially to those of us who had actually done the work. Yet, as I was to find out when I drew the short straw on the next royal death, the editorial policy for royal deaths was subsequently reviewed and changed. In 2001, new guidelines were decided upon after a heated internal debate at the very top of the BBC. Realistically, there was only one death on the horizon that the BBC could plan for, that of the Queen Mother.

But the old lady was nothing like as popular inside the BBC as she was in the country, and there was high-level opposition among senior managers to going overboard when she died. Front page of the Daily Mail, April 9, 2002 The deciding factor, apparently, was the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the United States. The controller of BBC1, Lorraine Heggessey, was concerned that coverage of one royal death, when it came, should not seem excessive compared with the thousands who died in America. In a little-noticed speech to a professional body known as the Broadcasting Press Guild, Heggessey said plans for wall-to-wall deferential coverage had been abandoned. Instead, it would be ‘in tune with the times’, and the amount of ­coverage decided only after assessing the depth of public mourning — ‘we will take the temperature on the day’. Rather than giving a lead to the nation — as one might expect — the BBC had decided to see which way the wind was blowing before responding fully to the death of the former Queen. Heggessey’s remarks were not widely reported, and certainly not circulated to the journalistic ­ ­infantry at the BBC.

My reaction was that if there was anything in them, they would be passed down the line to us. They never were. And even if they had been, there was an underlying problem. The new policy, if that’s what it was, didn’t address what we would actually do when the Queen Mother passed away. That became my problem. She died in the afternoon of Saturday, March 30, 2002. And, yet again, I was on duty. In news terms, there wasn’t much happening that day, certainly no hint that, six weeks after her last public appearance, the 101-year-old Queen Mother was fading fast. Not for her the weeks of daily medical bulletins that preceded the death of Winston Churchill. Her time came privately and quietly, and only the closest members of her family were alerted. I was the newscaster that day. (Michael Buerk was on holiday, as he had been when Diana died. I never heard him curse his luck.) I read the bulletin at midday. There then wasn’t much to do until the 5.15pm report. The time began to drag a little.

We prepared the ­normal Saturday early evening ­bulletin, which went out uneventfully at 5.15 and lasted 12 minutes. Guards stand by the coffin of the Queen mother lying in state in Westminster Hall before the funeral as members of the public pay their respect When I got back to my desk from the studio, the atmosphere was suddenly electric. I was told by the weekend editor — a middle-ranking editorial supervisor who usually kept out of the way — that the Queen Mother had died. I would be back on the air very shortly to announce it. I had a black tie ready but I was told not to wear it She had, it turned out, died at 3.15. The first to be told was Jennie Bond, the BBC’s royal correspondent, who was informed by Buckingham Palace on an embargoed basis. She immediately phoned the head of news, then set off from her home in the country, through the Easter Saturday ­traffic, to London. The head of news in turn contacted as many of the BBC’s top tier as he could, emphasising to everyone that the Palace would not make the formal announcement until 5.45, which meant that the BBC could not broadcast the news before then.

Now, any reasonable person would have thought that the editor of the day and the duty newscaster would also have been let in on the secret, so that they could prepare the broadcast they would have to make when the Palace gave the green light. Astonishingly, we were kept in the dark. Popular: The Queen Mother was much-loved by the general public throughout her long life Looking back, I still can’t believe that we were given only 20 minutes notice of such a broadcast, when the BBC had been privy to the knowledge of the Queen Mother’s death for more than an hour and a half. Earlier that afternoon, I had been surprised to glimpse a few of the BBC’s editorial bigwigs in the building, a weekend rarity. I assumed they were having some secret ­meeting when no one was around. It didn’t occur to me that, if something important was happening, they would keep it from the news team. Now we had to move very fast. I went to the make-up room and was done and dusted in record time, and on the way back, with the clock counting down to our transmission, I opened my locker. Inside were four ties. It was not my finest hour, I freely admit.

I looked uncomfortable and I was. The text had some minor errors, the product of the haste in which it was written. I failed to read it fluently, but I blame no one for that but myself. There was a normal striped tie for everyday use and a black tie, of course, plus two ‘sombre’ ones that I kept in case I had to announce some awful disaster and the tie I’d come to work in was considered too colourful. Of the sombre ties, one was deep burgundy, and I took that and the black tie into the newsroom. There I encountered the head of TV news. I was aware of one policy change that had been floated since 9/11 — that the only time a black tie would be worn would be for the death of the monarch — but I needed to be sure. I asked which of my two ties I should wear. There was no hesitation. The most senior figure in the newsroom at that moment ­indicated the burgundy. Then, as I walked towards the newsroom door to go to the studio, the weekend editor caught me up.

‘Don’t go overboard,’ he said, ‘she’s a very old woman who had to go some time.’ At this point, the script was still being written and I hadn’t seen it. If only we’d had that extra hour I could have written it myself. I went into the studio. Still no script. The first time I was going to see it was when it appeared on the autocue. Three, two, one. On air. The ­autocue screen lit up, and I read what was on it. It was not my finest hour, I freely admit. I looked uncomfortable, and I was. The text had some minor errors, the product of the haste in which it was written. I failed to read it fluently, but I blame no one but myself for that. News team: Peter Sissons with Six O'Clock News' colleagues Moira Stuart (left) and Anna Ford soon after he joined the BBC Still, we’d got on air, and things could only get better. The national anthem was played and we were away. But with what? This was the moment that the BBC had talked about and rehearsed for the best part of a decade.

Yet, for editorial guidance, all we had to go on was the vague policy that had filtered down from on high that the whole panoply of black-edged mourning might not be appropriate. After we’d run an eight- or nine-minute obituary, it began to dawn on me that we had very little other pre-prepared material to work with. Thank God for ­Jennie Bond, who arrived and immediately dropped into Queen Mum auto-pilot, filling minute after minute with background and anecdote. But where were the top-drawer interviewees we had been led to believe would be on standby? At last, in my earpiece, I was told we had on the line — not in vision — one of the people closest to the late Queen Mother, her niece who was also a lady-in-waiting. Her name, they told me, was Lady Margaret Rhodes, and they put her on air immediately. (I called her ‘Lady Margaret’, not knowing that they’d got her title wrong and she was plain Mrs Rhodes.) I asked when she had last seen the Queen Mother and she replied: ‘I left at half past three this afternoon.’ From this, I realised that Mrs Rhodes might actually have been at the deathbed.

She confirmed this, and it took me a second or two to take this in. What on earth can I ask now that will not be intrusive or give offence? But the rumours flew that the Palace was furious, not just with the interview but with my burgundy tie. ‘It must have been a very private moment,’ I said. She replied: ‘Yes, it was a very moving and very, very sad moment, but luckily it was wonderfully peaceful.’ I knew that I could be treading on eggshells, but I asked who was there, and she said: ‘I won’t go into that. It was just a few members of the family, but the great thing was that the Queen was there.’ We then talked about the Queen Mother’s ‘tremendous life’ and that was it. In the following days, this interview caused a storm. I was accused of showing no human feeling and of being intrusive and insensitive. Yet Mrs Rhodes was dry-eyed and matter-of-fact throughout. Had she not been, then I would have ended the interview. I also have it on good authority that when she saw the Duke of Edinburgh he congratulated her on her performance.

But the rumours flew that the Palace was furious, not just with the interview, but with my burgundy tie. Some papers focused on the TV coverage, among them the Mail, which accused the BBC of ‘slovenliness, insensitivity and downright tastelessness’. I was shocked. I knew the shortcomings of my Queen Mother broadcast, but I was now the man who insulted her memory by being inappropriately dressed and who trampled on the feelings of the niece who watched her die. I knew that it wasn’t like that, but nonetheless I felt quite lonely. There was one more shock to come. I was at home when the BBC Press office rang. A female voice inquired, ­solicitously, had I seen the papers? I asked what the Press office was saying in reply to inquiries. ‘We are saying,’ she said, ‘that the choice of tie was a decision made by the presenter.’ I can’t remember precisely my reaction, but it was far from polite and it included the name of my lawyer. To their credit, from that moment the BBC made no attempt to dodge their responsibility for the tie I’d worn.

A day or two later the deputy director of news called the coverage of the Queen Mother’s death ‘excellent and absolutely commensurate with the BBC’s standards’. Buckingham Palace also confirmed that the royals had no complaints. Only 130 people phoned the BBC to express their anger at our alleged ‘insensitivity’, compared with 1,500 who complained that too much attention had been paid to the death and that Casualty had been being moved to make way for coverage of it. When a newspaper interviewed Mrs Rhodes about the fuss, she said that in her view I had asked too many questions. Then she generously added. ‘Poor Mr ­Sissons no doubt had a horrible day.’ Well, I’ve had better. Extracted from When One Door Closes by Peter Sissons, published on February 2 by Biteback Publishing at £17.99. © Peter Sissons 2011. To order a copy at £14.99 (p&p free) call 0845 155 0720.

Princess Margaret dies - Telegraph Princess Margaret dies By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter 12:00AM GMT 10 Feb 2002 PRINCESS MARGARET, the Queen's younger sister, died peacefully in her sleep early yesterday aged 71. Her death was being mourned by the Royal Family and the nation last night with the Union flag at half mast over Buckingham Palace. The Princess, who had been in poor health for the past four years , suffered a stroke on Friday afternoon and died at 6.30am yesterday at the King Edward VII Hospital in London with her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, at her side. The announcement of her death was made by Buckingham Palace within two hours. The Telegraph has learnt that there had been a delay to enable the Queen, who was at Buckingham Palace, to telephone the Queen Mother at Sandringham, to break the news. The Queen Mother, who is 101 , was said by Palace officials to be "deeply distraught" at her younger daughter's death. She was comforted by Prince Philip, who had been staying at the Queen's Norfolk estate.

The Queen asked the Prince of Wales to visit the Queen Mother yesterday and he immediately left a weekend with friends to be at his grandmother's side. The Queen, who has spent Friday night at Buckingham Palace where she was working on state papers, had been kept informed of her sister's failing health throughout the night. Related Articles Princess's latest stroke has affected her left side 31 Mar 2001 It is understood that the Queen was told of her sister's death by Viscount Linley: she was said by Palace officials to be "genuinely saddened" last night. The Queen travelled yesterday afternoon to Windsor Castle, where she will oversee the funeral arrangements. Lord Snowdon, whom Princess Margaret married in 1960 and divorced in 1978, was also grieving yesterday. He was told of her death in a telephone call from the hospital from their two children. The private funeral for Princess Margaret will take place on Friday at St George's Chapel, Windsor, at 3pm and will be attended by family and friends. It will not be a state occasion and there will be a memorial service at a later date.

"Princess Margaret had made it clear that she did not want a massive state funeral and did not want wholesale disruption to the lives of the Royal Family," said a Buckingham Palace official. "As such, the Queen's engagements over the next few days will be curbed rather than cancelled." Members of the Royal Family will carry out official engagements, including hosting a visit by President Sampaio of Portugal on Tuesday. However, a reception for Queen's Awards for Enterprise winners tomorrow night has been postponed. Princess Margaret, who was a heavy smoker and drinker, had suffered at least three strokes since 1998 and in recent months had been wheelchair bound and virtually blind. The Princess had developed cardiac problems during the night and was taken from her home at Kensington Palace to the hospital at 2.30am yesterday. Four days before her death, however, she had attended her three-year-old grandson's birthday party and found herself surrounded by playing children. She had returned from the party of Arthur, Lady Sarah Chatto's second son, with a helium balloon tied to her wheelchair. The timing of her death is unfortunate for the Royal Family.

It came three days after the 50th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne and eight days before she is due to begin her Golden Jubilee Commonwealth tour in Jamaica with Prince Philip. Buckingham Palace officials said that the Queen, despite her grief, will put duty first and ensure that there are minimal, if any, disruptions to the celebrations. She is expected to fulfil her plan to fly next Sunday to begin a three-day visit to Jamaica, before going to New Zealand and Australia. Tributes to Princess Margaret came throughout yesterday. Tony Blair was told of the Princess's death by Downing Street shortly before he boarded his aircraft to fly to Sierra Leone from Ghana yesterday morning. On arrival, Mr Blair, wearing a black tie after changing on the plane, said: "I know the whole country will be deeply saddened by Princess Margaret's death. She will be remembered with a lot of affection.

Before she was ill in the last few years, she gave a great deal of service to the country and our thoughts are with the Queen, the Queen Mother and all the Royal Family at this difficult time." The Queen urged Mr Blair to complete his West African tour after hasty consultations between Downing Street and Buckingham Palace confirmed that there were no reasons of protocol for him to return to London. The Prince of Wales, who was told of his aunt's death while staying with friends at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, left for Sandringham to be with his grandmother, who is recovering from a persistent cold. The Prince paid a warm tribute to his late aunt last night and described her as "wonderfully vibrant", although he added that her death, because of her failing health, must have been a "merciful release". Speaking at Sandringham House, the Prince, wearing a black tie, was in sombre mood as he spoke of his "darling aunt" and said it had been "a terribly sad day" for the Royal Family. "The last few years with her awful illness were hard for her to deal with, particularly as she was such a wonderfully vibrant woman with such a free spirit." He recalled many happy times with his aunt.

"She sang like an angel and she had this wonderfully sharp mind," he said. "One of the fondest memories I shall have of her was with her sitting at the piano playing away with a large, very elegant cigarette holder in her mouth. We shall all miss her dreadfully." There was a minute's silent before big sporting events yesterday, including Britain's Davis Cup tennis tie against Sweden in Birmingham, and soccer and rugby matches throughout the country. The British peacekeeping forces in Kabul lowered all their flags to half-mast as did the re-opened British Embassy. Buckingham Palace announced the news of Princess Margaret's death at 8.30am yesterday. "The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately. Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30 in the King Edward VII Hospital. "Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were at her side. Princess Margaret suffered a further stroke yesterday afternoon. She developed cardiac problems during the night and was taken from Kensington Palace to the King Edward VII Hospital at 2.30am. Lord Linley and Lady Sarah were with her and the Queen was kept fully informed throughout the night.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and other members of the Royal Family are being informed." Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's former husband, said: "Both Lord Linley and Lady Sarah are in close touch and informed me about the Princess's death early this morning. We are all extremely saddened." Princess Margaret had a troubled love life: some say she never fully got over the decision not to marry Group Capt Peter Townsend in 1955 because he was a divorcee and such a marriage would have split the Cabinet and the nation. Small, sombre crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace yesterday and many people left flowers and hand-written messages. One tribute left at Kensington Palace read: "Remembered with affection for your beauty and glamour and for your loyalty and service." At 4pm, the Princess's coffin, draped with a Royal Standard, was taken by hearse from the King Edward VII Hospital to Kensington Palace where it will rest in the Princess's apartment. "This is to enable the Princess's family and close friends to pay their respects privately," said a Buckingham Palace spokesman.

"Early next week the Princess's coffin will be moved to the Queen's Chapel at St James's Palace where it will remain until the day before the funeral." A book of condolence will open tomorrow at the Princess's birthplace, Glamis Castle, Angus, the Queen Mother's family home.

Question: How old was the Queen Mother when she died in March 2002?
Answer: 101