IIRC, that photo was taken in 1933. We have the benefit of hindsight, but things were very different in 1933.
Germany was a backwater, still mired in debt and poverty imposed by the Versailles Treaty of 1918. Berlin was a well-known den of sin, having a reputation not all that dissimilar to Thailand's now, where you could go there and literally get anything you wanted. Gay sex, orgies, any type of kink or perversity you wanted could all be hand. Poverty was rampant, so prostitution both male and female were widespread. Decent society people like the royals looked at this as a mess that needed to be cleaned up. Hitler rose to power on promises of doing just that (and he kept those promises in the extreme).
Fascism was a very fashionable form of government. Nationalism was seen as patriotic. The idea of collective sacrifice for the good of the nation resonated. People trusted government and we willing to get behind charismatic strongmen who promised to wield power to solve crises. Keep in mind this is 2 years into the Great Depression which had worldwide effect. Franco in Spain, Mussolini in Italy, Tojo in Japan, Hitler in Germany would all rise out of this cry for law, order, and a return to prosperity. FDR appropriated a LOT of aspects of fascism as well. He stole all the gold by EO in 1933. He was neck deep in debt funding massive "make-work" projects all over the country. He greatly expanded the scope and scale of the federal government, concentrating power in the Executive. The Income tax was raised sky high during this period to an extremely progressive system. Fascism and fascist-like ideas were very common and widely supported all over the world. Not unlike the early popularity of cocaine in the 1910s, people didn't understand the dangers yet.
Hitler had literally just come to power when this picture was taken. This is prior to the widespread state-sponsored thuggery of the SA, prior to the domestic terrorism of the SS, prior to the yellow star mandates and the state-mandated discrimination, 5 years prior to the annexation of Austria and the Sudatenland, and 6 years before the start of the war. Liz Truss just took power, so what is everyone doing? They're all saying "let's give her a chance." Same with Hitler at this point.
She wasn't yet the Queen either. She was a kid. If anything this reflects the attitudes of the people around her more than any clear-eyed assessment of her own.
IIRC, that photo was taken in 1933. We have the benefit of hindsight, but things were very different in 1933.
Germany was a backwater, still mired in debt and poverty imposed by the Versailles Treaty of 1918. Berlin was a well-known den of sin, having a reputation not all that dissimilar to Thailand's now, where you could go there and literally get anything you wanted. Gay sex, orgies, any type of kink or perversity you wanted could all be hand. Poverty was rampant, so prostitution both male and female were widespread. Decent society people like the royals looked at this as a mess that needed to be cleaned up. Hitler rose to power on promises of doing just that (and he kept those promises in the extreme).
Fascism was a very fashionable form of government. Nationalism was seen as patriotic. The idea of collective sacrifice for the good of the nation resonated. People trusted government and we willing to get behind charismatic strongmen who promised to wield power to solve crises. Keep in mind this is 2 years into the Great Depression which had worldwide effect. Franco in Spain, Mussolini in Italy, Tojo in Japan, Hitler in Germany would all rise out of this cry for law, order, and a return to prosperity. FDR appropriated a LOT of aspects of fascism as well. He stole all the gold by EO in 1933. He was neck deep in debt funding massive "make-work" projects all over the country. He greatly expanded the scope and scale of the federal government, concentrating power in the Executive. The Income tax was raised sky high during this period to an extremely progressive system. Fascism and fascist-like ideas were very common and widely supported all over the world. Not unlike the early popularity of cocaine in the 1910s, people didn't understand the dangers yet.
Hitler had literally just come to power when this picture was taken. This is prior to the widespread state-sponsored thuggery of the SA, prior to the domestic terrorism of the SS, prior to the yellow star mandates and the state-mandated discrimination, 5 years prior to the annexation of Austria and the Sudatenland, and 6 years before the start of the war. Liz Truss just took power, so what is everyone doing? They're all saying "let's give her a chance." Same with Hitler at this point.
She wasn't yet the Queen either. She was a kid. If anything this reflects the attitudes of the people around her more than any clear-eyed assessment of her own.