The Queen’s Medical Emergency

Various headlines from newspapers around the United Kingdom

The country’s monarchs have often made a trip to Leeds, especially when duty is required to open a building. For example, Queen Victoria visited to open Leeds Town Hall in 1858 and Queen Elizabeth II to open the Royal Armouries in 1996.

However, when King George V and Queen Mary came to Leeds on 23^rd August 1933 to open the newly built Leeds Civic Hall, the day was almost ruined by a medical emergency.

Queen Mary and King George V on the balcony at Leeds Civic Hall. Photo published by Yorkshire Evening Post on 21st October 1927.

Whilst journeying to open the new hall, the Royal carriage jarred loose a piece of grit from the road that landed in the Queen’s eye! Feeling great discomfort, the Queen braved the remainder of the journey to the Civic Hall, before she first made notice of the pain to Lord Moynihan, an ex-President of the Royal College of Surgeons, who was a part of the royal entourage.

Lord Moynihan immediately communicated to Leeds Infirmary, and he was quickly joined in his first aid efforts by Dr Allison, resident surgical officer and Mr J Benson, resident ophthalmic officer. Together they removed the speck and applied lotion to the Queen’s eye.

The Queen recovered quickly, and the day continued as planned, albeit one hour behind schedule. There were also no later ill effects, with the Coventry Evening Telegraph (yes, this made nationwide news!) reporting the following day that “She was astir early to-day, and was walking in the grounds of Harewood House shortly after breakfast”.

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