Queen Mother Elizabeth dies in sleep at 101

Posted 8:59PM on Saturday 30th March 2002 ( 23 years ago )

LONDON - The Queen Mother Elizabeth, a symbol of courage and dignity during a tumultuous century of war, social upheaval and royal scandal, died in her sleep Saturday, Buckingham Palace said. She was 101 years old. After years of frailty and ill health, the queen mother died at Royal Lodge, Windsor, outside London, the Palace said. She was beloved by generations of Britons despite ups and downs in the popularity of the royal family. Her death came seven weeks after the death of her younger daughter, Princess Margaret, at age 71. Queen Elizabeth II was at her mother's side when she passed away. The queen mother had been rarely seen in recent months because of her failing health. Life of the Queen Mother The queen mother ``had become increasingly frail in recent weeks following her bad cough and chest infection over Christmas,'' said a Palace spokesman, who was not named in keeping with tradition. She was best known to younger generations as the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and grandmother of Prince Charles. Remarkably sprightly despite her age, the queen mother was a fixture at royal occasions, delighting in mixing with the public and greeting people who flocked to meet her. But those who were young when German bombs rained down on London in 1940 remembered her as the queen who endured the blitz with them and visited their shattered homes. The last years of her life were overshadowed by unhappiness and scandal within the royal family, as three of her six grandchildren divorced. The divorce of Princes Charles from Princess Diana and her death in 1997 in a car crash in Paris shook the British monarchy to its core amid widespread anger that the popular princess had been spurned by the royal family. The queen mother helped to shore up the throne, her quiet demeanor and public appearances helping to restore confidence in the royal family. Britain's main television and radio channels interrupted regular programs with news of the death, which came during the four-day Easter holiday. National figures and ordinary people from all walks of life united in expressing admiration and grief for the queen mother. Prime Minister Tony Blair said the queen mother was a symbol of Britain's ``decency and courage'' and the whole nation would join with the royal family in mourning her death. ``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. Former prime minister Margaret Thatcher said the queen mother was ``a wonderful queen and an extraordinary person'' whose death was ``an irreplaceable loss to the whole nation.'' Thatcher's successor, former Prime Minister John Major said: ``The queen mother has been a benevolent influence in the lives of generations of Britons ... our country is the richer for her life and the poorer at her death.'' President Bush issued a statement of condolences from his Texas ranch. ``Laura and I were deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. On behalf of the American people, we send our heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and to the people of the United Kingdom, for this tremendous loss. She was a pillar of strength and inspiration to many people all over the world.'' The queen mother's body was expected to be moved to the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park on Sunday morning. Funeral plans were expected to be announced Sunday with the ceremony scheduled to take place in Westminster Abbey in London. Her body is expected to lie in state at Westminster Hall in the House of Commons for four days to allow the public to pay their respects.

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