This day in history: September 13. On this day in history, in 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed Buckingham Palace. During World War II, King George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth were present at Buckingham Palace when the Luftwaffe carried out an air raid on Buckingham Palace during the London Blitz. During the attack, the palace was hit by five explosives, two of which hit the inner courtyard and one hit the Royal Chapel. Their Majesties were still safe and sound, and insisted on remaining some time in London, as they had planned from the first.

During a time of national crisis, the King and Queen became symbols of hope for their war-torn country, and it was in their example that they evolved into symbols of sacrifice, bravery and resilience. When the Blitz began, many palace officials strongly encouraged the king and queen to evacuate the royal family, or at least their daughters, to safety. Queen Elizabeth thought the idea unthinkable and famously said,

The children will not leave without me, I will not leave without the King, and the King will never leave.

The Queen finally relented and allowed Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret to be transferred to the relative safety of Windsor Castle. The King and Queen remained at Buckingham Palace and frequently visited the worst-hit areas of the country to offer comfort and support. After the attack on Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth was heard saying that she could now "look straight to the East End".

Following the attack on September 13, 1940, there were several more attacks on Buckingham Palace, but time and time again the Queen refused to be intimidated, which was a huge encouragement to a war-weary Britain. She won more love and affection from the British people.

It is not difficult to understand why Hitler considered her the most dangerous woman in Europe. She probably never received higher praise than the obvious people who adored her.

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