▁of ▁Prince ▁Albert , ▁Duke ▁of ▁York , ▁and ▁Lady ▁Elizabeth ▁Bow es - L y on ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁at ▁West min ster ▁Ab bey . ▁ ▁Court ship ▁and ▁propos als ▁Prince ▁Albert , ▁Duke ▁of ▁York — " B ert ie " ▁to ▁the ▁family — was ▁the ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁King ▁George ▁V . ▁He ▁was ▁second ▁in ▁line ▁to ▁succeed ▁his ▁father , ▁behind ▁his ▁elder ▁brother ▁the ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales . ▁He ▁initially ▁proposed ▁to ▁Elizabeth ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁but ▁she ▁turned ▁him ▁down , ▁being ▁" af raid ▁never , ▁never ▁again ▁to ▁be ▁free ▁to ▁think , ▁speak ▁and ▁act ▁as ▁I ▁feel ▁I ▁really ▁ought ▁to ". ▁When ▁he ▁declared ▁he ▁would ▁marry ▁no ▁one ▁else , ▁his ▁mother , ▁Queen ▁Mary , ▁visited ▁G lam is ▁to ▁see ▁for ▁herself ▁the ▁girl ▁her ▁son ▁wanted ▁to ▁marry . ▁She ▁became ▁convinced ▁that ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁" the ▁one ▁girl ▁who ▁could ▁make ▁Bert ie ▁happy ", ▁but ▁never theless ▁refused ▁to ▁inter f ere . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁court ed ▁by ▁James ▁Stuart , ▁Albert ' s ▁equ er ry , ▁until ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁prince ' s ▁service ▁for ▁a ▁better - pa id ▁job ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁oil ▁business . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁a ▁br ides ma id ▁at ▁the ▁wed ding ▁of ▁Albert ' s ▁sister