The Crown often depicted Queen Elizabeth II as a standoffish mother who put more time into the throne than her family, but she was a lot warmer than the series gave her credit. Like any working mother knows, it takes effort to balance work and home. Now imagine how much more difficult that balance becomes when your job is running one of the most powerful nations in the world. While it's true that Queen Elizabeth II didn't have the luxury of being a present mother all of the time, she was still a loving and caring mom (and even Meghan Markle defended her as being "wonderful" during her recent tell-all interview with Oprah). While she relied on the help of nannies and staff to take care of her children while she was attending to royal duties, she still looked forward to the evenings she had alone with her kids. She taught her daughter how to horseback ride, and even went on maternity leave for 18 months after the birth of her third child. She was a playful mom who liked to crack jokes, make holidays special, and play with her children when her schedule allowed. Ahead is what we really know about Queen Elizabeth II as a mother. One thing for certain is that she always valued her family.
