WW2 Diary Of Windsor Castle 1944 Part 1 Of 3 By Brigadier Beckett

For sale is an Incredible WW2 Diary Of Windsor Castle For The Year 1944 By Brigadier Christopher Beckett. This diary was also used by channel 5 for the documentary series “Inside Windsor castle, A royal residence.” This diary also comes with a folder of 191 pages titled “current events lectures given by col Crombie army college 1935-36” done by brigadier Christopher Beckett when he was studying at army college. Some links can be found at the bottom of the listing to see every page of this diary. 

Christopher Beckett was 29 years of age when he wrote this diary. In 1944 he was stationed at Windsor castle, were unsure on what his role was but he kept a good record of all the important figures that entered the castle, along with what Princess Elizabeth II got up to aged 18 when she first joined the army. A little bit about brigadier Christopher Beckett can be seen below. 

Brigadier Christopher John Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe, OBE, DL (16 September 1915 – 6 July 2003), was a soldier, company director, landowner and peer of the realm. Grimthorpe had a distinguished military career, retiring from the Army in 1968 as a brigadier.

He was Colonel Commanding the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers from 1955 to 1958 and Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps Western Command from 1961 to 1964. He was deputy commander of HQ Malta and Libya from 1964 to 1967 and served as an ADC to the Queen.

In retirement he was a Deputy Lieutenantfor North Yorkshire from 1969 and Colonel of the 9th/12th Lancers from 1973 to 1978.

The diary has been done in a wartime stationary office book. The front page of the diary is marked “The Convent Diary 1944, RHQ Redshaw, C J Beckett.” We believe the title the convent has been done as light humour, as Windsor castle was a safe haven and had a different way of life to the rest of Britain. Windsor castles code name during World War Two was RHQ Redshaw which meant royal head quarters Redshaw. 

This diary states on Saturday 1st of January 1944 and ends with December 18th 1944. However on December 15th Christopher Beckett was transferred from Windsor castle to GH Gibraltar. Where he says he’s very sad to be leaving. 

The diary mentions all the names of all the important guests at Windsor castle, meals prepared for king George vi and Princess Elizabeth, going on outings, sport matches, film premiers, places the royals liked to visit, meetings held between king George vi with not just British army officials, American, Russian, Chinese, Spanish etc. meetings between daily telegraph occurred often. This diary has so much research potential. 

As the war progressed, Princess Elizabeth championed more aspects of wartime life and resilience. In 1943, she was photographed tending her allotments at Windsor Castle as part of the government’s “Dig for Victory” campaign, in which people were urged to use gardens and every spare piece of land to grow vegetables to help combat food shortages. Before the Second World War, Britain had relied on food imports from across the world, but when the war started, shipping was threatened by enemy submarines and warships. This resulted in food shortages and led to rationing of foods such as meat, butter cheese, eggs, and sugar. On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Princess Elizabeth undertook her first inspection of a military regiment during a parade at Windsor Castle. She had been given the role of honorary colonel of the Grenadier Guards, which symbolized her military involvement in the war effort. When Princess Elizabeth turned 18 in 1944, she insisted upon joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women’s branch of the British Army. For several years during the war, Britain had conscripted women to join the war effort. Unmarried women under 30 had to join the armed forces or work on the land or in industry. King George made sure that his daughter was not given a special rank in the Army. She started as a second subaltern in the ATS and was later promoted to Junior Commander, the equivalent of Captain.

Some of the notable people that visited the castle on the following dates, please note this doesn’t include all the entries as there is an entries for everyday; 

January 1st 1944 Lt Gen Harding arrived for lunch and left at 13:15. For Italy. Field Marshal Allan Francis Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MC (10 February 1896 – 20 January 1989).

Monday 3rd of January TRH (there royal highness) prince and Princess Hélène of Orléans came to watch a film by Judy garland with lady Elizabeth. (This isn’t the only occasion where royals and high ranking military officials came over for tea and a film). Another instance on Wednesday the 5th of January at 19:45 shows the premier of Star Spangled barman at the castle. 

On the 6th of January 1944 meeting with Sir Douglas Harris a member of the Palestine government's executive council and a veteran and well respected colonial office officer. Sir Douglas met with French admirals at 10:30am. 

February 1944 Sunday the 6th a meeting with king George vi and general major Montgomery and other officers took place, with a sandwhiches and drinks held at 22:00 royal artillery party along with a band and concert. 

On the 23rd of April 1944 Sir Eubule John Waddington, GBE, KCMG, KCVO (9 April 1890 – 18 January 1957) visited at 08:30. Where he had breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner that day.

January 23rd Sunday 1944, at “15:00 Chinese mission arrived, General yang, major general wang, colonel hoo, colonel Chang, lieutenant colonel lang…” they then had dinner with “major general, king George vi, lieut Harris, (Chinese mission names mentioned above) etc. this all has relations to the Dixie Mission. 

Notable dates in the diary, there are many more, please see photos & video for more details;

April 21st 1944 lady Elizabeth’s birthday. Princess Elizabeth was 18 in 1944, and she had back to back meals brekfast, lunch, tea and dinner in house 3 and 4 at Windsor castle with major generals, colonials, brigadier generals etc. all very high ranking officials of the British army. 

Thursday the 1st of June, lunch between king George VI, Princess Elizabeth, General Miguel Ponte, major generals, and other military officials. This day was described as “a heavy day, ponte’ and all arrived at 13:10 stayed to lunch, film at 15:15 at theatre royal “Tunisia victory” all back to yea, then all the mount for admiral sherns party, deflated 18;45!!”. 

Sunday 4th of June 1944, a cricket match was held with king George VI and the admiral, was described as an “excellent day” with “6 of the sailors bowled out.” 

On June 6th 1944 marked in the diary as “invasion day”, breakfast was in room 5, lunch in room 3 between king George VI and the navy, tea in room 3 with king George bud and the royal artillery, dinner in room 5. All likely discussing how D-day was going. 

On Thursday the 30th of November (Churchill’s birthday) his excellency king George VI attended a Scotch party in the evening, where it’s said “the king had to much to eat and went to bed early.” 

Beckett also makes comment to many of the royals and high ranking military officials characters which is humerus and most likely would have been frowned upon at the time!  

Many mentioned of lady Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth ii) visiting the beach, yotch clubs, parties, film premiers etc. This diary is incredibly interesting to read with so much research potential. 

A series of top secret meetings were held at the castle over the year many of them mentioned in this diary and who were involved in these meetings. Many military meetings, meetings with other royals etc. 

Queen Elizabeth ii refered to as the princess and lady E is mentioned at least 100 times in this diary. It’s well worth a read! 

So that all the pages of this diary can be seen it’s been spread over three listings on my website and links can be found below; 

Part 1 first 29 pages;

https://www.atlasantiques.co.uk/en-GB/royal-family-memorabilia/ww2-diary-of-windsor-castle-1944-part-1-of-3-by-brigadier-beckett/prod_22307

Part 2 pages 30 to 58 

https://www.atlasantiques.co.uk/en-GB/royal-family-memorabilia/ww2-diary-of-windsor-castle-1944-part-2-of-3-by-brigadier-beckett/prod_22308

Part 3 remaining pages and some photos from the army college folder;

https://www.atlasantiques.co.uk/en-GB/royal-family-memorabilia/ww2-diary-of-windsor-castle-1944-part-3-of-3-by-brigadier-beckett/prod_22311

We’ve also uploaded a video of all the pages that you can pause one at a time to read each of the pages for if you would like to view it that way. 

This diary really does offer a different side to the royals during wartime. It talks about the parties, how much food was on offer, the events the royals attended etc. A different side to history and well worth a read. 

This is an incredibly chance to own a diary that was at Windsor castle in 1944 following the royal family and military officials into daily life, which shows a different and fun side to the ruling elite. This is a true piece of history with so much research potential. 

This will be sent via special delivery and dispatched within one working day. Happy to post internationally too.