She was born in Possenhofen Castle, her father was Duke Karl Theodor in Bavaria, head of a cadet branch of the Bavarian royal family, and an ophthalmologist.

At her father's clinic, where her mother assisted him as a nurse, Elisabeth obtained exposure to productive labor and to human suffering, unusual for a princess of that time.

They first met in 1897 at the funeral of Elisabeth's aunt Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria, who was also the mother-in-law of Albert's sister Henriette.

Albert was the second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a sister of King Carol I of Romania.

At birth, Albert occupied the third place in the line of succession behind his father and elder brother, Prince Baudouin.

When war broke out in 1914, Queen Elisabeth worked with the nurses on the front and helped establish the Symphony Orchestra of the field army.

From 23 September to 13 November 1919, the Queen, together with the King and Prince Leopold, undertook an official visit to the United States of America.

During a journey in the historic pueblo of Isleta in New Mexico, the King awarded the Order of Leopold to Father Anton Docher.

Queen Elisabeth returned to public life, doing her best to support her son and his family, and resuming her position as first lady of the land.

[3] When Brussels was liberated, she allowed her palace to be used for the headquarters of the British XXX Corps, and presented its commander General Horrocks with its mascot, a young wild boar named 'Chewing Gum'.

[7] Belgian Egyptologist Jean Capart created the Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth in honor of her visit to Tutankhamun's tomb on 18 February 1923.