Queen Elizabeth: The night two royal princesses hit the town

Queen Elizabeth achieved “an impossible fantasy” on one extraordinary night with her sister Margaret as a young princess.

The royal sisters in 1946. Picture: Getty Images

It was never going to be a normal childhood for the young princesses, but the war made it

even more extraordinary.

Elizabeth and Margaret spent their teenage years at Windsor, separated from their family, although the public was not made aware of their location, for safety.

The King and Queen stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war – even while it was bombed – and cinemas showed popular newsreels about the Royal Family mucking in – particularly Elizabeth and Margaret, who rolled bandages, collected tin foil and knitted socks to “do their bit” for the war effort.

“They embodied vulnerable domestic affection and hope for the future,” says Robert Lacey.

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret leaving the Royal Agricultural Hall after watching the competitions at the Pony Show. Picture: AFP

The sisters working on paintings in the school room of Buckingham Palace. Picture: Getty

The Queen mother with her daughters and King George during an inspection of the Royal Company of Archers at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. Picture: Fox Photos/Getty

But they did have some fun – the princesses joined the Girl Guides and began a Christmas tradition of staging a pantomime with local children, Elizabeth famously played Prince Charming to Margaret’s Cinderella.

Princess Elizabeth places Princess Margaret’s arm in a sling as part of the Girl Guides in Frogmore, Windsor. Picture: Getty

Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret with their governess Marion Crawford. Picture: Bettmann/CORBIS

Princess Elizabeth with her family on the balcony of the Buckingham Palace. Picture: AFP

In 1945, just before her 19th birthday, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, learning how to service and maintain army vehicles. She was in uniform during the Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) celebrations on May 8, 1945, when she and Margaret slipped away from Buckingham Palace and joined the crowds looking up at the balcony and cheering for the King and Queen.

She sang, danced and even confessed she knocked off a policeman’s helmet.

The pair repeated their adventure on Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), running through the Ritz, wanting to prolong their Cinderella moment in reverse. “The future Queen achieved an impossible fantasy. To be just a face in the crowd, like any other,” says Lacey.

Originally published as Queen Elizabeth: The night two royal princesses hit the town