This biography of Queen Mary of Teck, wife of Great Britain's King George V, begins with her summons to Balmoral Castle by Queen Victoria. Things were in motion for Mary (aka May) to be betrothed to Victoria's grandson Prince Albert Victor, known as Eddy. The engagement was short lived due to Eddy's death from influenza. During the period of mourning May and Eddy's brother, George, now heir to the throne, became close and were ultimately married. Upon the death of King Edward VII, George was crowned George V and May his queen consort. Of all the royals of the past century, Queen Mary was the epitome of a queen, always impeccably dressed and draped in jewels, tall, with a regal bearing. She was Queen through World War I and the public relations change of the royal surname from the German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. After her husband's death came the royal crisis of the abdication of Edward VIII (David) and the coronation of George VI (Bertie). Queen May stayed in contact with her exiled son but the relationship was a chilly one at best. Queen Mary lived through a second World War and got to see her granddaughter Elizabeth crowned before her death in 1953.
Personal note: My father had little respect or interest in the European royal families and often made disparaging remarks about how uneducated they were. But he had an uncharacteristic respect for Queen Mary who he referred to as "Good Queen Mary."
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