The course of British royal history may have almost been derailed before Queen Elizabeth II was even born.
On January 12, the Daily Mail told the story of the Queen Mother’s near-fatal accident while pregnant with her first child – a moment that, according to new information uncovered by the outlet, could have radically altered the future of the monarchy.
Nearly a century ago, The New York Times reported that the then Duchess of York, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was injured in a car accident on January 28, 1926. Her car collided with another motorist who cut between her car, “throwing the Duchess to the ground. She was slightly shaken but otherwise unhurt.”
What was not made public at the time was that the Duchess was 25 years old and expecting a child, the future Queen Elizabeth II. According to the Daily Mail, British politician Chips Channon later learned from Buckingham Palace that “she almost had a miscarriage!” »
The outlet claimed the palace “did its best to minimize the crush”, although the incident reportedly left the duchess severely shaken. A few months later, on April 21, 1926, she gave birth by cesarean section at her parents’ London home to Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.
