QUEEN'S BABY PICTURES RELEASED TO CELEBRATE HER 84th BIRTHDAY

PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED PICTURES OF THE QUEEN AS A BABY HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO COINCIDE WITH HER 84th BIRTHDAY TODAY. THE PHOTOGRAPHS FORM PART OF AN EXHIBITION OF THE WORK OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER MARCUS ADAMS, WHICH OPENS AT WINDSOR CASTLE ON SATURDAY. THE 56 IMAGES ON DISPLAY INCLUDE PICTURES OF THEN PRINCESS ELIZABETH WHICH WERE TAKEN TO BE SENT TO HER MOTHER AND FATHER, THE FUTURE KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, WHILE THEY WERE ON A SIX-MONTH TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. AMONG THE COLLECTION IS A POIGNANT LETTER FROM THE PRINCESS'S NANNY, CLARA KNIGHT, WHICH REFLECTS HOW MANY LANDMARKS OF THEIR YOUNG DAUGHTER'S LIFE THE THEN DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK MISSED WHILE THEY WERE ON TOUR. THE NOTE, WRITTEN ON 8.MARCH.1927, READS: 'IF MUMMY LOOKS INTO MY WIDE OPEN MOUTH WITH A LITTLE MAGNIFYING GLASS SHE WILL SEE MY TWO TEETH. ELIZABETH IS QUITE WELL & HAPPY!' LISA HEIGHWAY, CURATOR OF THE EXHIBITION, SAID: 'THE DUCHESS OF YORK WAS CERTAINLY UNHAPPY AT THE TIME ABOUT THE IDEA OF LEAVING HER CHILD FOR SO LONG, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT IF YOU READ HER DIARY ENTRIES. SO WHILE THE ROYAL COUPLE WERE AWAY THE PRINCESS WAS PHOTOGRAPHED DURING FOUR SITTINGS SO THAT THE PICTURES COULD BE SENT ON TO THEM. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT COMFORT TO THE DUCHESS. AT THE TIME, IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IF A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY WENT AWAY FOR LONG PERIODS THEIR CHILDREN WOULD BE LEFT AT HOME, AND NO-ONE WOULD MAKE A FUSS, WHEREAS TODAY IT WOULD PROBABLY BE FROWNED UPON. CERTAINLY WHEN THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES WENT TO AUSTRALIA WHEN PRINCE WILLIAM WAS TINY THEY TOOK HIM ALONG.'