Marion Crawford
Encyclopedia
Marion Crawford, CVO
(5 June 1909 – 11 February 1988) was a Scottish nanny
. She was an employee of the British Royal Family
, the nanny of the children of King George VI
and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
, Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II
) and Princess Margaret
who gave her the nickname "Crawfie". Crawford was the named author of the book The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by her Nanny, which told the story of her time with the Royals. After the book was published in 1950, she was banished from court and neither the Queen nor any other Royal Family member ever spoke to her again.
, Fife
and taught at Edinburgh's Moray House Institute. While studying to become a child psychologist, she took a summer job as the governess for Lord Elgin's children. This led her to take a role in the household of Prince Albert, Duke of York
, later George VI, whose wife, the Duchess of York
, was a distant relative of Lord Elgin. After one year the arrangement was made permanent.
Crawford became the governess of Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose of York. Following the abdication of their uncle, King Edward VIII
, in 1936, the Princesses' father became King, and Elizabeth was now the heiress presumptive. Crawford remained in service to the King and Queen, and did not retire until 1948 when the Princess Elizabeth, now aged 21, married The Duke of Edinburgh
, Crawford herself having married two months earlier.
and the United States of America. Shortly afterwards, the publishing house of Bruce and Beatrice Gould contacted Buckingham Palace
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
to seek stories for publication across the Atlantic. Although the approach was refused by the Palace, the British government proved keen on the idea and suggested Marion Crawford, as the recently retired governess of the Princesses.
When the Goulds approached Crawford she first sought permission from Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
), who refused. However, the Goulds persisted and offered Crawford $85,000 for her story. Although Crawford accepted, she asked the contract state that Palace approval would be sought for any stories published. However, the contract allowed the Goulds to publish even if the Palace refused.
in the UK and in the Ladies' Home Journal
in the United States. A book, The Little Princesses sold exceptionally well. Later she would write stories about George V's widow, Mary of Teck
, the new Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. She also put her name to Woman's Own's "Crawfie's Column", a social diary written by journalists several weeks in advance.
from the Royal Family in the year of publication.
As the first servant to cash in on the private lives of the Royals, Crawford was treated severely by the Royal Family, and they never spoke to her again. Despite this, the King and Queen received the Goulds, who published the stories, at Buckingham Palace.
ceremony and the Ascot
races, when in fact they had been cancelled that year because of a strike. As the stories were written in advance, it was too late to stop their publication.
Crawford retired to Aberdeen
. The Royal Family regularly drove past her front door on their way to nearby Balmoral Castle
. However, they never stopped to see the Queen's former governess. When she died aged 78 at Hawkhill House, a nursing home in Aberdeen in 1988, neither the Queen, the Queen Mother nor Princess Margaret sent a wreath.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(5 June 1909 – 11 February 1988) was a Scottish nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
. She was an employee of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, the nanny of the children of King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
) and Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
who gave her the nickname "Crawfie". Crawford was the named author of the book The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by her Nanny, which told the story of her time with the Royals. After the book was published in 1950, she was banished from court and neither the Queen nor any other Royal Family member ever spoke to her again.
Royal governess
Marion Crawford was raised in DunfermlineDunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and taught at Edinburgh's Moray House Institute. While studying to become a child psychologist, she took a summer job as the governess for Lord Elgin's children. This led her to take a role in the household of Prince Albert, Duke of York
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, later George VI, whose wife, the Duchess of York
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, was a distant relative of Lord Elgin. After one year the arrangement was made permanent.
Crawford became the governess of Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose of York. Following the abdication of their uncle, King Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, in 1936, the Princesses' father became King, and Elizabeth was now the heiress presumptive. Crawford remained in service to the King and Queen, and did not retire until 1948 when the Princess Elizabeth, now aged 21, married The Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, Crawford herself having married two months earlier.
Retirement
After the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, they conducted an overseas tour, visiting CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States of America. Shortly afterwards, the publishing house of Bruce and Beatrice Gould contacted Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
to seek stories for publication across the Atlantic. Although the approach was refused by the Palace, the British government proved keen on the idea and suggested Marion Crawford, as the recently retired governess of the Princesses.
When the Goulds approached Crawford she first sought permission from Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
), who refused. However, the Goulds persisted and offered Crawford $85,000 for her story. Although Crawford accepted, she asked the contract state that Palace approval would be sought for any stories published. However, the contract allowed the Goulds to publish even if the Palace refused.
The Little Princesses
Crawford's unauthorised work was published in Woman's OwnWoman's Own
Woman's Own is a British lifestyle magazine aimed at women.Woman's Own was first published in 1932. It is one of the UK's most famous women's magazines and is published by IPC Media....
in the UK and in the Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
in the United States. A book, The Little Princesses sold exceptionally well. Later she would write stories about George V's widow, Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, the new Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. She also put her name to Woman's Own's "Crawfie's Column", a social diary written by journalists several weeks in advance.
Royal reaction
Queen Elizabeth was predictably furious and was quoted as saying: "We can only think that our late and completely trusted governess has gone off her head, because she promised in writing that she would not publish". The first note of displeasure for Crawford came when she failed to receive a Christmas cardChristmas card
A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of Christmas in order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to the Christmas and holiday season. Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding Christmas Day by many people in Western...
from the Royal Family in the year of publication.
As the first servant to cash in on the private lives of the Royals, Crawford was treated severely by the Royal Family, and they never spoke to her again. Despite this, the King and Queen received the Goulds, who published the stories, at Buckingham Palace.
Later life
Crawford's writing career came to a crashing halt when the column to which her name was attached was exposed as a fraud. It carried details of a Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
ceremony and the Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
races, when in fact they had been cancelled that year because of a strike. As the stories were written in advance, it was too late to stop their publication.
Crawford retired to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. The Royal Family regularly drove past her front door on their way to nearby Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her...
. However, they never stopped to see the Queen's former governess. When she died aged 78 at Hawkhill House, a nursing home in Aberdeen in 1988, neither the Queen, the Queen Mother nor Princess Margaret sent a wreath.