Queen Mother at center of new book

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in a 1993 photo.

/ AP

(CBS News) Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, is the subject of a new book, and it's full of revelations about the late royal.

In "The Queen Mother: The Untold Story of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Who Became Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother," which was released last week, author Lady Colin Campbell reportedly claims that Queen Mother was the daughter of her family's French cook and that her daughters, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, were conceived by artificial insemination.

The future Queen Mother married Albert, Duke of York, in 1923. He assumed the British throne as King George VI after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936.

"The Duke of Windsor (King George's brother) had been told by his brother that Elizabeth preferred not to partake of certain aspects of marital life, which he accepted, but they needed children," Campbell said at a press conference last month, according to the Daily Mail. "The two girls were their mother and father's progeny but were conceived by artificial insemination. In aristocratic and royal circles, it was known that Elizabeth did not do sex."

The Jamaican-born aristocrat, 62, stands by her book, according to reports, though her claims have been criticized by others.

One royal author told the Daily Mail the book was "best read as a work of fiction," while CTV News reports royal biographer Hugo Vickers also objected to its contents.

Campbell has written a number of books about members of the royal family, including "The Real Diana," "Diana in Private: The Princess No One Knows" and "The Royal Marriages: What Really Goes On in the Private World of the Queen and her Family."

[weaselwardancer]

Define artificial insemination in the 1920's... Just a troll. Read in stead the authorized biography issued a few years back. Sounds to me like they were very much in love and QE, TQM, was quite the flapper and nightclubber.

[MagnaCartaUK]

Yes, and you made sure she wasn't around and able to respond before dragging yourself and your pile of s--t book out of the sewer. Aristocrat? More like a common, colonial, career-tramp from the slum back-streets of Kingston. Perhaps it's your parentage your parentage that realy worries you. Classless, talentless gold-digger.

[twmat311]

Agree; whatever the true story, attacking a deceased person who can't respond is really low.

[MagnaCartaUK]

Well that's right 'twmat311', it makes the blood boil a little, though I must admit, I could have perhaps avoided profanities. Moreover, it makes Jamaica look bad - and though the island has its problems, it gives a false impression that unfortunately has a habit of sticking. I have friends of Jamaican origin - their parents came over to Britain in the 1950s - they're good, decent people who don't deserve to be tarred with the same brush as this woman. It seems those like her are almost encouraged these days.