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The late Queen
Elizabeth II
, then simply Princess Elizabeth, and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, took part in a series of charity royal theater performances that were shown to audiences on Christmas Eve during the Second World War.
The idea of putting on charity Christmas plays was proposed by Princess Margaret in 1941, when she and her sister had to take part in a children's concert at the Royal School.
The actors played in the genre of pantomime - a favorite genre of the British aristocracy.
They had almost no text, but there were songs, many of which the princesses performed as a duet.
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret / Photo: Getty Images
Pantomime "Aladdin" was shown at Windsor Castle.
Christmas pantomimes were performed at Windsor between 1941 and 1944, the first of which was Cinderella, starring both princesses.
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret / Photo: Getty Images
The pantomimes were staged at Waterloo Hall and were written and produced by Hubert Tannard, headmaster of the Royal School in Great Windsor Park, writes rct.uk.
Princess Margaret / Photo: Getty Images
The performers also included local children and friends of the princesses, with occasional help from Windsor-based staff.
The audience was always delighted, and all the money raised from the entry fee went to the Foundation, which provided household items for the British troops: blankets and warm things made of cotton.
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret / Photo: Getty Images
Princess Elizabeth treated these performances with special disdain, because sometimes Prince Philip, her future husband, with whom the princess was already in love, came to see them.
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