![[Queen Mother's flag]](../images/g/gb-qeqm.gif)
Last modified: 2010-06-18 by rob raeside
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by Graham BartramFrom: World Flag Database
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The personal flag of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was made up of the
flag of her late husband, King George VI to the
hoist, and the banner of arms of her family, Bowes-Lyon to the fly.
Graham Bartram
Since Edward I it has been the custom for Queens to impale their paternal
arms with the British royal arms, but I think that they were not normally made
up into a banner until the right to fly the Royal Standard was withdrawn from
consorts in about 1907.
David Prothero, 27 April 2002
Her family name is Bowes-Lyon, and the lions in the 1st & 4th quarters
are for the Lyon family, obviously based on the Scottish arms, and the 2nd and
3rd quarters are ermine, with 3 bows (palewise) for Bowes. I believe the
heraldic tradition is that the father's arms are placed in the first quarter,
but Scottish / British tradition for hyphenated names puts the mother's name
first. Of course this was not the Queen Mum's father and mother, but some
ancestors along the line.
Dean McGee, 6 April 2002
The blue lion rampant and double-tressure on white are the arms of the Lyon
family. I believe the double-tressure was granted to Sir John Lyon (1340 -
1382), Thane of Glamis by Robert II, whose daughter, Princess Joanna, John
married, the blue lion being the family's original arms. In Scotland the double-tressure
indicates a close connection with the King, no one else may be granted it. My
great-great-great grandmother was a member of the Lyon family, and all the great
families of Angus are related by marriage. For example the Lyons are related
through marriage to the Grahams (Dukes of Montrose), the Keiths (Earls Marischal),
the Grays (Barons Gray) and the Scrymgeours (Earls of Dundee).
In 1767, John Lyon, 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, married Mary Eleanor
Bowes, daughter and heiress of George Bowes of Streatlam Castle and Gibside,
Durham. Part of the marriage settlement was that John should adopt a new
surname, Bowes Lyon, and that his children would bear the quartered arms (I
believe he himself bore both arms per pale as normal for a husband and wife).
The arms of the Bowes family are ermine, three bows proper per pale. Hence the
Queen Mother's arms, she was the youngest daughter of the 14th Earl of
Strathmore and Kinghorne.
The Queen Mother had a Scottish version of her standard with the Scottish
quartering of the Royal Arms.
Graham Bartram, 20 October 2004
![[Elizabeth, Queen Mother's flag in Scotland]](../images/g/gb_rsqeqms.gif)
image
by Martin Grieve, 24 April 2007After her death, the Queen Mother's flag was flown at half staff over her
residence, Clarence House, until her body was moved from the chapel Royal to the
great hall at Westminster. Then her standard was lowered for the last time as
the cortege passed by her residence.
Manuel L. Quezon III, 15 April 2002
I understand that Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother's standard now is permanently on display in the Castle of Mey, in northern Scotland, over which it used to fly when she was in residence.
A version of her standard is also in Clarence House on The Mall, her former
London residence and now the London residence and office of Prince Charles, her
grandson and his two sons. It is situated in the hallway on the ground floor at
the end furthest from the door, to the right of the stairs. It is not usually
open to the public, but might well be on special occasions in future.
This banner used to hang above her stall in St George's
Chapel, Windsor (Castle) and I believe from my hazy two year old memory that,
because of this, it must be of a different (squarer) proportions to that used
for the standard which is in Scotland and that which was used to cover her
coffin. I also seem to remember it was fringed, as seems to be confirmed by the
excellent photographs of the banners of the present day Knights of the Order
here. (The banner of the Royal Standard above The
Queen's stall is also of different proportion to that used on buildings.)
These banners, together with the sword and helmet for Knights
of the Garter and crown or coronet for women appointed to the order, are removed
upon the death of the person concerned. The banners of Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert (together with their helmets and swords) can be seen in their mausoleum
at Frogmore House, Windsor, hanging high up in the ceiling, either side of their
tombs. Frogmore is usually only open on the May and August UK bank holidays.
Colin Dobson, 18 October 2004
