Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 90th Birthday Mug

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, born on 4 August, was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was also the last Empress of India until the British Raj was dissolved in August 1947. After her husband died, she was officially known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Born into a family of British nobility, Elizabeth came to prominence in 1923 when she married Prince Albert, Duke of York, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. The Duchess undertook a variety of public engagements and became known for her consistently cheerful countenance. The 1936 abdication of Edward VIII, to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, forced her husband to ascend the throne as King George VI. Elizabeth then became queen consort and she accompanied her husband on diplomatic tours to France and North America before the start of the Second World War. During the war, her seemingly indomitable spirit provided moral support to the British public. After the war, her husband's health deteriorated, and she was widowed in 1952 at the age of 51. Her eldest daughter, Elizabeth, then aged 25, became the new queen.

She remained a popular member of the Royal family, even when other royals were suffering from low levels of public approval. She continued an active public life until just a few months before her death in March 2002 at the age of 101.