Long before she became the longest-reigning monarch in British history, Princess Elizabeth took part in Christmas pantomime shows with her little sister, Princess Margaret, at Windsor Castle during the period of the Second World War. The wartime productions, staged between 1941 and 1944, offered a rare glimpse into royal family life during years shaped by rationing, uncertainty and national strain.
The pantomime production was not just for fun but rather had a more serious role to play. The Guardian reports that the pantomime productions at Windsor Castle were organised and conducted, with programs and costumes, and used as a fundraising source in wartime.
