Your Tommy

Windsor Castle, spring 1942

Today I walked through Windsor Great Park by myself. The sun had more heat than I had expected and I had to take my coat off. I walked up to the Copper Horse and laid my coat on the grass, thinking of George. I sat and thought of the day we met up there and the heather he brought me from Scotland. It is now almost dust but I cannot let it go. I sat there for some time imagining him walking towards me through the daffodils which are such a hope of better things to come. I pray for him each and every night. He has been sent abroad – he can’t tell me exactly where. It must be awfully difficult to get his letters out because I receive none for four or six weeks and then several come at once. When this awful business is over we will at last be married and I shall be the most loving of wives.

My parents are the same – stalwart and safe, although my stepfather is getting older and his hip is worse. My mother is knitting madly for the troops – socks and mufflers mostly. Princess Margaret was fascinated when I told her and insisted I taught her to knit. So far, her swift and nimble little fingers have produced five scarves and two pairs of rather ugly socks. Queen Mary is very proud of her but I noted she turned down Margaret’s offer of fingerless mittens! ‘That’s so kind of you, Margaret; however, we must keep the wool for the soldiers.’

The Princesses have such fortitude and resilience. Lilibet is almost sixteen and Margaret twelve. Where does the time go? The war has made them mature beyond their years. They are such good companions, which, considering they have only the grenadier guards and the household around them, is a great thing!

Buckingham Palace, November 1942

My darling,

America’s First Lady has arrived to visit the American troops newly stationed in the United Kingdom, and for us it is a chance to hopefully send the message that we Brits are most grateful and should be liked a little better.

Back in the States, I hear the voters are none too happy with the cost and danger to their men and country. Of course, if it wasn’t for the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbour last year, Roosevelt would never have joined. But he had no choice.

Therefore ‘Operation Sweeten the Americans’, disguised as a Thanksgiving tea party, was launched at BP. Two hundred American officers arrived and were charmed by British hospitality and as many young ladies as we could muster, to cheer the whole thing up.

A certain Mrs Gould managed to gatecrash the event and make a nuisance of herself. She is co-owner of an American periodical called the Ladies’ Home Journal. Some time ago she persuaded Mrs Roosevelt to contribute to the magazine, writing a column called ‘If You Ask Me … Essential advice from the First Lady.’