Queen Elizabeth II was once a problem child when it comes to learning the French language and verbs. It was revealed that the now longest-reigning monarch in British history once threw a tantrum when she was a young princess, and it resulted in a major hair disaster to the palace staff.
Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's former governess Marion Crawford revealed in her book, The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood, her memories of the young royals' childhood particularly the personalities of the two. Crawford said, like normal kids, Elizabeth and Margaret do argue.
Crawford claimed Margaret is often the naughty one while Elizabeth is a very clever child. One of the two, she said the future Queen was the one with the temper. Elizabeth, however, usually manages to keep it under control.
The former royal nanny also mentioned that Elizabeth has high respect with authority. The young princess seldom rebels against authority, but when she does, she shows it in a very determined manner.
Take, for instance, on one occasion where she showed her frustration while learning the French language under a certain mademoiselle. The teacher asked the then future Queen to write columns of verbs. While trying to complete the task, Elizabeth gave up and threw a tantrum out of frustration.
Crawford, also known as Nanny Crawfie to Elizabeth and Margaret, recounted how the young princess poured a bowl of ink over her head. It looks like the hours and hours of writing verbs drive the young royal crazy.
"Lilibet, goaded by her boredom to violent measures, had picked up a big ornamental silver inkpot and, without saying anything, tipped it over her head. There she sat, with ink trickling down her face and dyeing her golden curls blue," she wrote. Elizabeth is called "Lilibet" by her close family members.
Crawford served as Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's nanny in the 1930s until 1953 when she published the book. She was the first staff of the royal household to cash in on the private lives of the royal family. In return, it costs her a stiff price.
Crawford was ostracised by the royal family. They never spoke to her again after the book was published. BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained in the book's foreword that the royal family cut ties with Crawfie as if she had committed treason. The book was reissued in 2003 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
