British Royal PoDs -- Elizabeth II

So I started watching The Crown on Netflix; a few episodes in, and I already have several AH questions:
  • What if George VI had died in surgery a few months before his OTL death (September 1951)?
  • More generally, would anything have changed if Elizabeth II had started her reign under a Labour Government instead of with PM Winston Churchill?
  • Could the Royal Family have plausibly taken the name "Mountbatten" instead of keeping Windsor? (Or, for that matter, stayed at Clarence House?)
  • Was there potential for the Crown to become involved in pushing Churchill to retire sooner?
  • What if Princess Margaret married Peter Townsend?
What do you guys think? I'm not saying any of these things would be necessarily earth shattering in how they'd change from OTL, but it might be interesting.
 
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Presumably before bearing Charles (November 1948); or likely before the wedding a year prior.

I was thinking before George VI dies. In fact, Elizabeth passing away before her father might exacerbate his illness due to the stress and grief, and cause an even earlier demise for him. Margaret would be even more unprepared to rule, and it is likely that the Queen Mother runs the show in the background with Queen Margaret (maybe she calls herself Queen Mary II for history's sake?) only appearing at state functions.

Edit: I can imagine a scandal wherein Margaret is engaged to be married to some wealthy person or another, but has an affair with Peter Townsend.
 
(maybe she calls herself Queen Mary II for history's sake?)
Nitpick, in that scenario, she'd be Mary III, as we've had a Mary II.

Given the long (not entirely deserved, but that's a discussion for another thread) shadow cast be Mary I, I think she'd avoid the name. I think that she'd probably stick with Margaret, although that could start start a discussion about regnal numbers in Scotland, depending on whether people count the Maid of Norway as Maggie I.
 
Nitpick, in that scenario, she'd be Mary III, as we've had a Mary II.

Given the long (not entirely deserved, but that's a discussion for another thread) shadow cast be Mary I, I think she'd avoid the name. I think that she'd probably stick with Margaret, although that could start start a discussion about regnal numbers in Scotland, depending on whether people count the Maid of Norway as Maggie I.

I feel pretty stupid, because I knew the first Mary was Mary I - it just didn't occur to me that there had already been a Mary II! How strong was Scottish nationalism at the time? I think that would have an effect on whether she became Queen Margaret or Queen Margaret II.
 
I feel pretty stupid, because I knew the first Mary was Mary I - it just didn't occur to me that there had already been a Mary II! How strong was Scottish nationalism at the time? I think that would have an effect on whether she became Queen Margaret or Queen Margaret II.
Well, seeing as the maid never set foot in Scotland, there's a debate as to whether she gets a number or not. I'm not sure that all Scots nationalists fall cleanly on one side of the line, to be honest. It's merely academic, but it would become an awful lot more important if another one hove into view.

As for forgetting Mary II, it's not that difficult to understand. She's normally just the appendage to William III, even if she was the reason he had any claim to the co-monarchy.
 

EMTSATX

Banned
Just as an aside, I'm very much enjoying "The Crown". I am one of those annoying Anglophile American's that love the Royal family. I have loved Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second all my life. I would hope Charles will abdicate and allow William to become King. I just do not want the Duchess of Cornwall to be Queen.

Mary I gets a bad rap.

I am sure we all forget William and Mary were coregents.
 
For Princess Margaret to marry Peter Townsend you'd need a major change - the Princess would have to decide that she wanted to after all. It's a myth she was blocked from doing so. The Queen was not happy with the idea but the Cabinet had accepted it and were prepared to put the necessary legislation to Parliament.
 
If Prince Charles, succeeded his grandfather George V as King Charles III in 1952, would this make sence as his regent council:
- Prince Philip (as his father, he has the strongest claim to his sons power)
- Mary, Dowage-Queen and King's Grandmother.
- Clement Attlee (Labour's senior politician)
- Winston Churchill (Conservative senior politician, nominated by Anthony Eden)
 
What if Princess Margaret married Peter Townsend?
On this, and FWIG, it's very possible that this marriage could have happened before the story of their relationship broke in the press. OTL, once the story broke, there were people freaking out that such a marriage could "endanger the monarchy"; then again, plenty of people said that sending Townsend away "endangered the monarchy", so maybe it's not especially relevant either way. In any case, I can't help but think having it happen won't have some noticeable cultural effects.
 
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So I started watching The Crown on Netflix; a few episodes in, and I already have several AH questions:
  • What if George VI had died in surgery a few months before his OTL death (September 1951)?
  • More generally, would anything have changed if Elizabeth II had started her reign under a Labour Government instead of with PM Winston Churchill?
  • Could the Royal Family have plausibly taken the name "Mountbatten" instead of keeping Windsor? (Or, for that matter, stayed at Clarence House?)
  • Was there potential for the Crown to become involved in pushing Churchill to retire sooner?
  • What if Princess Margaret married Peter Townsend?
What do you guys think? I'm not saying any of these things would be necessarily earth shattering in how they'd change from OTL, but it might be interesting.

Ousting Churchill was always possible, the problem was that the Royal family admired him and didn't want him out. Until he really couldn't continue.

The first three could intertwine depending on just how early George VI dies. If Churchill isn't in power, it's entirely possible that the Queen is a bit less deferential to the government. That could result in her staying at Clarence House, Buckingham Palace having only been the sovereign's home since Victoria.

The House of Mountbatten isn't happening, as in real life it was Queen Mary that shut that down. But it's always possible the Queen could dig in her heels and insist Margaret keep her man and her title. Despite all the hypocritical piety in Cabinet, at the end of the day Edward VIII was forced out because of himself, not his lover. The situations were not similar .
 
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