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| The Queen Mother in a small part of her extensive garden. |
One thing I’ve learned about cruising: You can’t remember much. It’s one of the reasons I prefer short excursions. I’ve tried the all day and half day trips. I end up tired and longing for a man in a
white coat to approach me by the pool and ask politely, “Shall I make that a
double, sir?” I may remember one or two places well, but the rest fade like fog
in the black of night.
On the other hand, when I find a jewel, every detail sticks
in the memory. Ephesus, Pompeii, the
winding streets and crystal blue water of Cinque Terra. On our last cruise, a couple of our stops
were in the Shetland Islands in the far north of Scotland. Yep, we saw greenery, and got to pet Shetland
ponies, but the thing I remember vividly is The Castle of Mey. Why the name?
Mey is a nearby village. Why is
the castle of such interest? Read on.
If you’ve traveled in Europe you’ve see scores of castles,
big, small, ruins, historic, fanciful, overlooking valleys, and even a model
for Walt Disney’s Disneyland. Each
splendid in its own way, but how much do you remember. Come on, cough up a few details! Not easy, is it. So why would I remember The Castle of Mey?
I’ll begin with a few details about the long and storied
history of the place, although recent history is what really sticks. The castle was built between 1566 and 1572,
but enlarged and changed many times over the years. In 1952 something special happened. By then it was dilapidated and the gardens
fallen into neglect. The U.K.’s most
northern castle was slowly withering away under the onslaught of time. Fortunately, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother,
widow of King George VI who had died a year earlier, fell in love with Mey and bought
the castle and surrounding lands.
Does George VI ring any chimes? His brother, Edward VIII, famously abdicated
to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson. George VI reluctantly accepted
the crown in 1936 and was the King of England throughout the Second World War.
But, let’s get back to the castle. Why would The Queen Mother buy it? Surely the last thing the royals needed was
another castle. Well, yes and no. They own nothing and to very loosely
paraphrase The Queen Mother: I had never owned a home and wanted something
that was mine. Strange words from
someone who everyone assumes wanted for nothing.
I warn you right away that photos inside the castle are not
permitted, probably for security reasons, since Prince Charles calls The Castle
of Mey home for a couple of weeks from the end of July to the first part of
August. I’ve heard it said he comes for
grouse hunting. As a consequence, any photos
I’ve used of the interior are taken from public sources.
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| The Extensive Gardens |
The first thing that caught my attention was the garden. Perhaps it was because on a Lilliputian
scale, I like to call myself a gardener.
These are no little plots, or a couple of tidy rows of blooms. The
castle gardens are vast and segmented. In
the largest part, well-trimmed hedges divide and separate, making every turn in
the path a new and often unexpected delight.
Flowers galore. Row upon row of
vegetables. Wild grasses and more
flowers.
Now that the Queen Mother is gone (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon : 4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) what need is there for
vegetables? I understand the
preponderance of flowers, just for the beautification of the castle and
grounds, but vegetables? Yes, they are
still used when Prince Charles is visiting, and also in the visitors center
café, as well as being sold locally.
When The Queen Mother lived here, she took great delight in gardening
and the plantings, although changed, still reflect the reach of her green
thumb.
What interested
me most was the answer to the question, what was she like? By all accounts, The Queen Mother was a
wonderful person, easily approached and easy to converse with. It’s no wonder she was often called ‘the
smiling Queen.’ In the First World War, she personally cared for wounded
soldiers. After moving to The Castle of
Mey, her social schedule continued unabated.
The dining room and guest bedrooms seldom stayed empty. Nor were the locals neglected. She met many of her neighbors. During a walk by the sea, only 400 meters
away, she met a local lady. They sat on
a bench for a chat and The Queen Mother enjoyed it so much, they resolved to
meet again and did every summer.
In my
estimation, there is much evidence she craved the common touch, a sense of
normalcy after all those years of fulfilling duties and living life in a glass
bowl. The Castle of Mey offered a
respite where she could be comfortable and although it was larger than most
houses, it was home.
Despite her
royal duties, The Queen Mother continued to spend her summer vacations here
from August to October.
You feel the
human touch from the moment you enter.
Not grandiose or the product of an interior decorator, the décor is more
homey than elegant, the kind of place you’d like to sit and read, or play cards
and chat. Even the dining room, while
clearly formal, has a certain hint of informality. Both the interior and the castle grounds pay
homage to a woman of the world who had never lost the human touch, or the need
for it.
There’s another
story of The Queen Mother that plays to her love of people and deep
understanding of human nature. One
evening, some of the guardsmen who protected her played a little joke. They’d purchased a small stuffed “Loch Ness
Monster” and astride each other’s shoulders, they placed ‘Nessie’ on the
curtain rod above the living room drapes.
On discovery, the household staff wondered how they would ever get it
down. But, when The Queen Mother spied
it, she laughed and said it should stay where it is. You can almost picture the twinkle in her
eye. After all, she was awash in close
relatives, male and female, so she well understood that boys will be boys. She accepted that. Relished it in fact.
So, where did I
get all these stories? Google? Bite your jaded tongue. Of those who guide you through the 12 rooms
that are open to the public, most knew The Queen Mother well, serving as
domestic staff, or even delivery boys.
They bring to life the humanity of the royal, yet humble woman who
tended wounded soldiers, raised daughters (one who became Queen), supported her
husband through the rigors of a long, brutal war, yet craved the common
touch. The Castle Mey is a testimony to
that stout heart and gentlewoman, Elizabeth
Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
So, who owns the
castle now? The Castle of Mey Trust, a
registered Scottish charity owns it and is responsible for its upkeep.
By the way, if
you and eleven of your well-heeled friends would like to stay for a long
weekend, the castle is available (all bedrooms except The Queen Mother’s) for
only £50,000 ($66,521) or a bit over $5500 per person.
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| The Queen Mother's bedroom |
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