‘Excellent. Show her in, and perhaps we could have some tea?’

P-T nodded, before leaving the room. A moment later Crawfie entered, looking a little anxious.

‘Come along in and sit down.’ Tommy offered her a seat.

‘Thank you for seeing me.’

‘Always a pleasure. How can I help you?’

Crawfie took a deep breath and let her words spill out. ‘George and I want to finally get married.’

Tommy peered at her. ‘I see.’

‘I told Queen Mary this morning because she has always been such a support over the last fifteen years and I felt I could discuss it with her. But when I told her, she said that I couldn’t leave the family now because they wouldn’t manage without me. I’m sorry.’ Crawfie pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘As you know, George and I have waited so long, I had rather hoped that this time …’ She wiped her eyes again.

Tommy sat back in his chair. ‘And you thought, by telling Queen Mary first, she might pave the way to the Queen’s consent?’

‘I suppose I did.’

P-T came in with two cups of tea. P-T glanced quietly at Crawfie’s tearstained face, but Tommy gave a warning look she recognized as an order to say nothing and leave quietly.

When they were alone, Tommy poured the tea. ‘Now you drink this, and tell me all about your fiancé.’

Through a few more tears and a little nose blowing, Crawfie told him. ‘A major, eh? Jolly good. Gordon Highlanders, too. And he saw action, you said?’

‘He fought in the Great War – he is a little older than me, you know – and was made Major then. As you know, he worked with a relief agency, organizing essential supplies to those made homeless or sick. Unfortunately he was invalided out with malaria.’

‘Malaria? Remind me, where was he stationed?’

‘Italy.’

He picked up his pen and jotted down these details, then asked, ‘And how do you think I could help you?’

‘I would like to make an appointment to see the Queen on an urgent, important and most personal matter.’

Buckingham Palace, 12^th July 1947

The Queen listened as Crawfie put her case.

‘So you see, ma’am, we have waited all these years to be married because I never wanted to leave you or the Princesses. It has been my duty and my honour to serve Your Majesties, and to have left would be very unfair on the Princesses when they most needed me.’

The Queen put her head to one side, in thought. ‘I suppose you would be thinking of leaving us when you marry? You must see that this would be most inconvenient. A change at this late stage for Margaret would be undesirable.’

‘I assure you I do not wish to upset your plans. For the time being, I would be happy to live and work at the Palace, even after my marriage. But my work here will soon no longer be required. Princess Elizabeth will be married and Princess Margaret is almost seventeen.’