Wikipedia

George VI

For other uses, seeGeorge VI (disambiguation).

George VI(Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) wasKing of the United Kingdomand theDominionsof theBritish Commonwealthfrom 11 December 1936 untilhis deathin 1952. He was also the lastEmperor of Indiafrom 1936 until theBritish Rajwas dissolved in August 1947, and the firsthead of the Commonwealthfollowing theLondon Declarationof 1949.

George VI
Head of the Commonwealth[a]
George VI in the uniform of a field marshal
George VI in 1938
King of the United Kingdom
and theBritish Dominions
Reign11 December 1936 –6 February 1952
Coronation12 May 1937
PredecessorEdward VIII
SuccessorElizabeth II
Emperor of India
Reign11 December 1936 –15 August 1947[b]
PredecessorEdward VIII
SuccessorPosition abolished
BornPrince Albert of York
(1895-12-14)14 December 1895
York Cottage,Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Died6 February 1952(1952-02-06)(aged 56)
Sandringham House,Norfolk, England
Burial15 February 1952
Royal Vault,St George's Chapel
26 March 1969
Spouse
​
​
(m.1923)​
Issue
Detail
Names
Albert Frederick Arthur George
House
FatherGeorge V
MotherMary of Teck
ReligionProtestant[c]
SignatureGeorge's signature in black ink
Education
Military career
Service/branch
Years of active service1913–1919
Battles/wars
King George VI's voice
Speech onVictory in Europe Day
Recorded 8 May 1945

The future George VI was born during the reign of his great-grandmotherQueen Victoria;he was named Albert at birth after his great-grandfatherPrince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gothaand was known as "Bertie" to his family and close friends. His father ascended the throne asGeorge Vin 1910. As the second son of the king, Albert was not expected to inherit the throne. He spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother,Edward,theheir apparent.Albert attended naval college as a teenager and served in theRoyal NavyandRoyal Air Forceduring theFirst World War.In 1920, he was madeDuke of York.HemarriedLady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyonin 1923, and they had two daughters,ElizabethandMargaret.In the mid-1920s, he engaged speech therapistLionel Logueto treat hisstutter,which he learned to manage to some degree. His elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII aftertheir father diedin 1936, butEdward abdicatedlater that year to marry the twice-divorced American socialiteWallis Simpson.Asheir presumptiveto Edward VIII, Albert became king, taking theregnal nameGeorge VI.

In September 1939, theBritish Empireand most Commonwealth countries—but not Ireland—declared waronNazi Germany,following theinvasion of Poland.War with theKingdom of Italyand theEmpire of Japanfollowed in 1940 and 1941, respectively. George VI was seen as sharing the hardships of the common people and his popularity soared.Buckingham Palacewas bombed duringthe Blitzwhile the King and Queen were there, and his younger brotherthe Duke of Kentwas killed on active service. George became known as a symbol of British determination to win the war.Britain and its allieswere victorious in 1945, but the British Empire declined. Ireland hadlargely broken away,followed by theindependence of India and Pakistanin 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India in June 1948 and instead adopted the new title of Head of the Commonwealth. He was beset by smoking-related health problems in the later years of his reign and died atSandringham House,aged 56, of acoronary thrombosis.He was succeeded by his elder daughter, Elizabeth II.

Early life

edit
Four kings:Edward VII(far right); his son George, Prince of Wales, laterGeorge V(far left); and grandsons Edward, laterEdward VIII(rear); and Albert, later George VI (foreground),c.1908

Albert was born atYork Cottage,on theSandringham Estatein Norfolk, during the reign of his great-grandmotherQueen Victoria.[1]His father was Prince George, Duke of York (laterKing George V), the second and only surviving son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (laterKing Edward VIIandQueen Alexandra). His mother, the Duchess of York (laterQueen Mary), was the eldest child and only daughter ofFrancis, Duke of Teck,andPrincess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck.[2]His birthday, 14 December 1895, was the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfatherAlbert, Prince Consort.[3]Uncertain of how the Prince Consort's widow, Queen Victoria, would take the news of the birth, the Prince of Wales wrote to the Duke of York that the Queen had been "rather distressed". Two days later, he wrote again: "I really think it would gratify her if you yourself proposed the nameAlbertto her. "[4]

The Queen was mollified by the proposal to name the new baby Albert, and wrote to the Duchess of York: "I am all impatience to see thenewone, born on such a sad day but rather more dear to me, especially as he will be called by that dear name which is a byword for all that is great and good. "[5]Consequently, he wasbaptised"Albert Frederick Arthur George" atSt Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringhamon 17 February 1896.[d]Formally he was His Highness Prince Albert of York; within theroyal familyhe was known informally as "Bertie".[7]The Duchess of Teck did not like the first name her grandson had been given, and she wrote prophetically that she hoped the last name "may supplant the less favoured one".[8]Albert was fourth in line to the throne at birth, after his grandfather, father and elder brother,Edward.

Albert was ill often and was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears".[9]His parents were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was the norm in aristocratic families of that era. He had astutterthat lasted for many years. Although naturallyleft-handed,he was forced to write with his right hand, as was common practice at the time.[10]He had chronic stomach problems as well asknock knees,for which he was forced to wear painful corrective splints.[11]

Queen Victoria diedon 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. Prince Albert moved up to third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother.

Military career and education

edit
At an RAF dinner, 1919

Beginning in 1909, Albert attended theRoyal Naval College, Osborne,as a navalcadet.In 1911 he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to theRoyal Naval College, Dartmouth.[12]When his grandfatherEdward VII diedin 1910, his father became King George V. Prince Edward became Prince of Wales, with Albert second in line to the throne.[13]

Albert spent the first six months of 1913 on the training shipHMSCumberlandin theWest Indiesand on the east coast of Canada.[14]He was rated as amidshipmanaboardHMSCollingwoodon 15 September 1913. He spent three months in the Mediterranean, but never overcame his seasickness.[15]Three weeks after the outbreak of World War I he was medically evacuated from the ship to Aberdeen, where his appendix was removed bySir John Marnoch.[16]He wasmentioned in dispatchesfor his actions as a turret officer aboardCollingwoodin theBattle of Jutland(31 May – 1 June 1916), the great naval battle of the war. He did not see further combat, largely because of ill health caused by aduodenal ulcer,for which he had an operation in November 1917.[17]

In February 1918 Albert was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at theRoyal Naval Air Service's training establishment atCranwell.With the establishment of theRoyal Air ForceAlbert transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force.[18]He served as Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell until August 1918,[19]before reporting for duty on the staff of theRAF's Cadet BrigadeatSt Leonards-on-Seaand then atShorncliffe.[20]He completed a fortnight's training and took command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing.[21]He was the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot.[22]

Albert wanted to serve on the Continent while the war was still in progress and welcomed a posting toGeneral Trenchard's staff in France. On 23 October, he flew across the Channel toAutigny.[23]For the closing weeks of the war, he served on the staff of the RAF'sIndependent Air Forceat its headquarters inNancy, France.[24]Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the Continent for two months as an RAF staff officer until posted back to Britain.[25]He accompaniedKing Albert I of Belgiumon his triumphal re-entry into Brussels on 22 November. The prince qualified as an RAF pilot on 31 July 1919 and was promoted tosquadron leaderthe following day.[26]

In October 1919, Albert attendedTrinity College, Cambridge,where he studied history, economics and civics for a year,[27]with the historianR. V. Laurenceas his "official mentor".[28]On 4 June 1920 his father created himDuke of York,Earl of InvernessandBaron Killarney.[29]He began to take on more royal duties. He represented his father and toured coal mines, factories, and railyards. Through such visits he acquired the nickname of the "Industrial Prince".[30]His stutter, and his embarrassment over it, together with a tendency to shyness, caused him to appear less confident in public than his older brother, Edward. However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He played atWimbledonin theMen's DoubleswithLouis Greigin 1926, losing in the first round.[31]He developed an interest in working conditions, and was president of theIndustrial Welfare Society.His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds.[32]

Marriage

edit
See also:Wedding of Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
The Duke and Duchess of York (centre, reading programmes) atEagle Farm Racecourse,Brisbane, Queensland, 1927

In a time when royalty were expected to marry fellow royalty, it was unusual that Albert had a great deal of freedom in choosing a prospective wife. An infatuation with the already-married Australian socialiteLady Loughboroughcame to an end in April 1920 when the King, with the promise of the dukedom of York, persuaded Albert to stop seeing her.[33]That year, he met for the first time since childhoodLady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon,the youngest daughter of theEarlandCountess of Strathmore.He became determined to marry her.[34]Elizabeth rejected his proposal twice, in 1921 and 1922, reportedly because she was reluctant to make the sacrifices necessary to become a member of the royal family.[35]In the words of Lady Strathmore, Albert would be "made or marred" by his choice of wife. After a protracted courtship, Elizabeth agreed to marry him.[36]

Albert and Elizabeth were married on 26 April 1923 inWestminster Abbey.Albert's marriage to someone not of royal birth was considered a modernising gesture.[37]The newly formedBritish Broadcasting Companywished to record and broadcast the event on radio, but the AbbeyChaptervetoed the idea (although theDean,Herbert Edward Ryle,was in favour).[38]

On thecover ofTime,January 1925

From December 1924 to April 1925, the Duke and Duchess touredKenya,Uganda,and theSudan,travelling via theSuez CanalandAden.During the trip, they both wentbig-game hunting.[39]

Because of his stutter, Albert dreaded public speaking.[40]After his closing speech at theBritish Empire ExhibitionatWembleyon 31 October 1925, one which was an ordeal for both him and his listeners,[41]he began to seeLionel Logue,an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently.[42]Subsequently, he was able to speak with less hesitation.[43]With his delivery improved, Albert opened the newParliament HouseinCanberra,Australia, during a tour of the empire with his wife in 1927.[44]Their journey by sea to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji took them via Jamaica, where Albert played doubles tennis partnered with a black man,Bertrand Clark,which was unusual at the time and taken locally as a display of equality between races.[45]

The Duke and Duchess had two children:Elizabeth(the future Elizabeth II, called "Lilibet" by the family) who was born in 1926, andMargaretwho was born in 1930. The close family lived atWhite Lodge, Richmond Park,and then at 145Piccadilly,rather than one of the royal palaces.[46][47]In 1931, theCanadian prime minister,R. B. Bennett,considered Albert forGovernor General of Canada—a proposal that King George V rejected on the advice of theSecretary of State for Dominion Affairs,J. H. Thomas.[48]

Reign

edit

Reluctant king

edit
Main article:Abdication of Edward VIII

King George V had severe reservations about Prince Edward, saying "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in twelve months" and "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne."[49]On 20 January 1936,George V diedand Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. In theVigil of the Princes,Prince Albert and his three brothers (the new king,Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester,andPrince George, Duke of Kent) took a shift standing guard over their father's body as itlay in state,in a closed casket, inWestminster Hall.

As Edward was unmarried and had no children, Albert was theheir presumptiveto the throne. Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edwardabdicatedin order to marryWallis Simpson,who was divorced from her first husband and divorcing her second. Edward had been advised byBritish prime ministerStanley Baldwinthat he could not remain king and marry a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. He abdicated and Albert, though he had been reluctant to accept the throne, became king.[50]The day before the abdication, Albert went to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child."[51]

On the day of Edward's abdication, theOireachtas,the parliament of theIrish Free State,removed all direct mention of the monarchfrom theIrish constitution.The next day, it passed theExternal Relations Act,which gave the monarch limited authority (strictly on the advice of the government) to appoint diplomatic representatives for Ireland and to be involved in the making of foreign treaties. The two acts made the Irish Free State a republic in essence without removing its links to the Commonwealth.[52]

Across Britain, gossip spread that Albert was physically and psychologically incapable of being king. No evidence has been found to support the contemporaneous rumour that the government considered bypassing him, his children and his brother Prince Henry, in favour of their younger brother Prince George, Duke of Kent.[53]This seems to have been suggested on the grounds that Prince George was at that time the only brother witha son.[54]

Early reign

edit
Crown coinwith George in profile, 1937
Painting of the Coronation in 1937

Albert assumed theregnal name"George VI" to emphasise continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy.[55]The beginning of George VI's reign was taken up by questions surrounding his predecessor and brother, whose titles, style and position were uncertain. He had been introduced as "His Royal Highness Prince Edward" for the abdication broadcast,[56]but George VI felt that by abdicating and renouncing the succession, Edward had lost the right to bear royal titles, including "Royal Highness".[57]In settling the issue, George's first act as king was to confer upon Edward the title "Duke of Windsor"with the style" Royal Highness ", but theletters patentcreating the dukedom prevented any wife or children from bearing royal styles. George VI was forced to buy from Edward the royal residences ofBalmoral CastleandSandringham House,as these were private properties and did not pass to him automatically.[58]Three days after his accession, on his 41st birthday, he invested his wife, the newqueen consort,with theOrder of the Garter.[59]

Cover of the 7 May 1937 edition ofRadio Times,drawn byC. R. W. Nevinson,marking the first coronation to be broadcast, and partially televised, live

George VI's coronationat Westminster Abbey took place on 12 May 1937, the date previously intended forEdward's coronation.In a break with tradition, Queen Mary attended the ceremony in a show of support for her son.[60]There was noDurbarheld in Delhi for George VI, as had occurred for his father, as the cost would have been a burden to theGovernment of India.[61]RisingIndian nationalismmade the welcome that the royal party would have received likely to be muted at best,[62]and a prolonged absence from Britain would have been undesirable in the tense period before the Second World War. Two overseas tours were undertaken, to France and to North America, both of which promised greater strategic advantages in the event of war.[63]

The growing likelihood of war in Europe dominated the early reign of George VI. The King was constitutionally bound to support British prime ministerNeville Chamberlain'sappeasementofHitler.[11][64]When the King and Queen greeted Chamberlain on his return from negotiating theMunich Agreementin 1938, they invited him to appear on the balcony ofBuckingham Palacewith them. This public association of the monarchy with a politician was exceptional, as balcony appearances were traditionally restricted to the royal family.[11]While broadly popular among the general public, Chamberlain's policy towards Hitler was the subject of some opposition in theHouse of Commons,which led historian and politicianJohn Griggto describe George's behaviour in associating himself so prominently with a politician as "the most unconstitutional act by a British sovereign in the present century".[65]

FranklinandEleanor Rooseveltwith King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, on theUSSPotomac,9 June 1939

In May and June 1939, theKing and Queen toured Canadaand the United States; it was the first visit of a reigning British monarch to North America, although George had been to Canada prior to his accession. FromOttawa,George and Elizabeth were accompanied by Canadian prime ministerMackenzie King,[66]to present themselves in North America asKing and Queen of Canada.[67][68]Both Mackenzie King and the Canadian governor general,Lord Tweedsmuir,hoped that George's presence in Canada would demonstrate the principles of theStatute of Westminster 1931,which gave full sovereignty to theBritish Dominions.On 19 May, George personally accepted and approved theletter of credenceof the new U.S. ambassador to Canada,Daniel Calhoun Roper;gaveroyal assentto nine parliamentary bills; and ratified two international treaties with theGreat Seal of Canada.The official royal tour historian,Gustave Lanctot,wrote "the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality" and George gave a speech emphasising "the free and equal association of the nations of the Commonwealth".[69]

The trip was intended to soften the strongisolationisttendencies among the North American public with regard to the developing tensions in Europe. Although the aim of the tour was mainly political, to shore up Atlantic support for the United Kingdom in any future war, the King and Queen were enthusiastically received by the public.[70]The fear that George would be compared unfavourably to his predecessor was dispelled.[71]They visited the1939 New York World's Fairand stayed with PresidentFranklin D. Rooseveltat theWhite Houseand athis private estateatHyde Park, New York.[72]A strong bond of friendship was forged between Roosevelt and the royal couple during the tour, which had major significance in the relations between the United States and the United Kingdom through the ensuing war years.[73][74]

Second World War

edit
King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Elizabeth with RAF personnel during World War II

Following theGerman invasion of Polandin September 1939, the United Kingdom and the self-governing Dominionsother than Irelanddeclared war onNazi Germany.[75]The King and Queen resolved to stay in London, despite Germanbombing raids.They officially stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war, although they usually spent nights atWindsor Castle.[76]The first night of the Blitz on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in theEast End.[77]On 13 September, the couple narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there.[78]In defiance, the Queen declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel we can look the East End in the face."[79]The royal family were portrayed as sharing the same dangers and deprivations as the rest of the country. They were subject toBritish rationingrestrictions, and the U.S. first ladyEleanor Rooseveltremarked on the rationed food served and the limited bathwater that was permitted during a stay at the unheated and boarded-up Palace.[80]In August 1942, the King's brother, the Duke of Kent, was killed on active service.[81]

With Field MarshalBernard Montgomery(right), near the front lines in the Netherlands, October 1944

In 1940,Winston Churchillreplaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister, though personally George would have preferred to appointLord Halifax.[82]After the King's initial dismay over Churchill's appointment ofLord Beaverbrookto the Cabinet, he and Churchill developed "the closest personal relationship in modern British history between a monarch and a Prime Minister".[83]Every Tuesday for four and a half years from September 1940, the two men met privately for lunch to discuss the war in secret and with frankness.[84]George related much of what the two discussed in his diary, which is the only extant first-hand account of these conversations.[85]

Throughout the war, George and Elizabeth provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites, munitions factories, and troops. George visited military forces abroad in France in December 1939, North Africa andMaltain June 1943,Normandyin June 1944, southern Italy in July 1944, and the Low Countries in October 1944.[86]Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance.[87]At a social function in 1944, theChief of the Imperial General Staff,Field MarshalAlan Brooke,revealed that every time he met Field MarshalBernard Montgomery,he thought Montgomery was after his job. George replied: "You should worry, when I meet him, I always think he's after mine!"[88]

In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during theVictory in Europe Daycelebrations. In an echo of Chamberlain's appearance, the King invited Churchill to appear with the royal family on the balcony to public acclaim.[89]In January 1946, George addressed theUnited Nationsat its first assembly, which was held in London, and reaffirmed "our faith in the equal rights of men and women and of nations great and small".[90]

Empire to Commonwealth

edit
With Clement Attlee (left) at Buckingham Palace, July 1945

George VI's reign saw the acceleration of the dissolution of theBritish Empire.The Statute of Westminster 1931 had already acknowledged the evolution of the Dominions into separatesovereignstates. The process of transformation from an empire to a voluntary association of independent states, known as theCommonwealth,gathered pace after the Second World War.[91]During the ministry ofClement Attlee,British Indiabecame the two independent Dominions ofIndiaandPakistanin August 1947.[92]George relinquished the title ofEmperor of India,[93]and became King of India and King of Pakistan instead. In late April 1949, the Commonwealth leaders issued theLondon Declaration,which laid the foundation of the modern Commonwealth and recognised George asHead of the Commonwealth.[94][95][96]In January 1950, he ceased to be King of India when it became a republic. He remained King of Pakistan until his death. Other countries left the Commonwealth, such asBurmain January 1948,Palestine(divided between Israel and the Arab states) in May 1948 and the Republic of Ireland in 1949.[97]

In 1947, George and his family toured southern Africa.[98]The prime minister of theUnion of South Africa,Jan Smuts,was facing an election and hoped to make political capital out of the visit.[99]George was appalled, however, when instructed by the South African government to shake hands only with whites,[100]and referred to his South African bodyguards as "theGestapo".[101]Despite the tour, Smuts lostthe election the following year,and the new government instituted astrict policy of racial segregation.

Illness and death

edit
Main article:Death and state funeral of George VI

The stress of the war had taken its toll on George's health,[102][103]made worse by his heavysmoking,[104]and subsequent development oflung canceramong other ailments, includingarteriosclerosisandBuerger's disease.A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after George developed an arterial blockage in his right leg, which threatened the loss of the leg and was treated with a rightlumbar sympathectomyin March 1949.[105]His elder daughter and heir presumptive, Elizabeth, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated. The delayed tour was re-organised, with Princess Elizabeth and her husband,Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,taking the place of the King and Queen.

George was well enough to open theFestival of Britainin May 1951, but on 4 June it was announced that he would need immediate and complete rest for the next four weeks, despite the arrival ofHaakon VII of Norwaythe following afternoon for an official visit.[106]On 23 September 1951,his left lung was removedin a surgical operation performed byClement Price Thomasafter a malignant tumour was found.[107]In October 1951, Elizabeth and Philip went on a month-long tour of Canada; the trip had been delayed for a week due to George's illness. At theState Opening of Parliamentin November, theLord Chancellor,Lord Simonds,read the King'sspeech from the throne.[108]The King'sChristmas broadcastof 1951 was recorded in sections, and then edited together.[109]

On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, George went toLondon Airport[e]to see Elizabeth and Philip off on their tour to Australia via Kenya. It was his last public appearance. Six days later, at 07:30GMTon the morning of 6 February, he was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk.[111]He had died in the night from acoronary thrombosisat the age of 56.[112]His daughter flew back to Britain from Kenya as Queen Elizabeth II.[113]

From 9 February George's coffin rested in St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, beforelying in stateat Westminster Hall from 11 February.[114]His funeral took place atSt George's Chapel, Windsor Castle,on the 15th.[115]He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until he was transferred to theKing George VI Memorial Chapelinside St George's on 26 March 1969.[116]In 2002, fifty years after his death, the remains of his widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of his younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who both died that year, were interred in the chapel alongside him.[117]In 2022, the remains of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were also interred in the chapel.[118]

Legacy

edit
See also:Cultural depictions of George VI
Statue byWilliam McMillan(1955) atCarlton House Terrace,Westminster

In the words ofLabourMember of Parliament(MP)George Hardie,the abdication crisis of 1936 did "more for republicanism than fifty years of propaganda".[119]George VI wrote to his brother Edward that in the aftermath of the abdication he had reluctantly assumed "a rocking throne" and tried "to make it steady again".[120]He became king at a point when public faith in the monarchy was at a low ebb. During his reign, his people endured the hardships of war, and imperial power was eroded. However, as a dutiful family man and by showing personal courage, he succeeded in restoring the popularity of the monarchy.[121][122]

TheGeorge Crossand theGeorge Medalwere founded at the King's suggestion during the Second World War to recognise acts of exceptional civilian bravery.[123]He bestowed the George Cross on the entire "island fortress of Malta"in 1943.[124]He was posthumously awarded theOrder of Liberationby the French government in 1960, one of only two people (the other being Churchill in 1958) to be awarded the medal after 1946.[125]

Colin Firthwon anAcademy Award for Best Actorfor his performance as George VI in the 2010 filmThe King's Speech.[126]

Titles, honours and arms

edit
Main article:List of titles and honours of George VI

As Duke of York, Albert bore theroyal arms of the United Kingdomdifferenced with alabelof three pointsargent,the centre point bearing an anchorazure—a difference earlier awarded to his father, George V, when he was Duke of York, and then later awarded to his grandsonPrince Andrew, Duke of York.As king, he bore the royal arms undifferenced.[127]

Coat of arms as Duke of York
Coat of arms as King of the United Kingdom
Coat of arms in Scotland
Coat of arms in Canada

Issue

edit
Name Birth Death Marriage Children
Date Spouse
Elizabeth II 21 April 1926 8 September 2022 20 November 1947 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Charles III
Anne, Princess Royal
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon 21 August 1930 9 February 2002 6 May 1960
Divorced 11 July 1978		 Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon
Lady Sarah Chatto

Ancestry

edit
See also:Descendants of Christian IX of Denmark

Notes

edit
  1. ^From April 1949 until his death in 1952.
  2. ^George VI continued as titular Emperor of India until 22 June 1948.
  3. ^As monarch, George VI wasSupreme Governor of the Church of England.He was also a member of theChurch of Scotland.
  4. ^His godparents were:Queen Victoria(his great-grandmother, for whom his grandmother thePrincess of Walesstood proxy); theGrand DukeandGrand Duchessof Mecklenburg (his maternal great-aunt and great-uncle, for whom his grandfather theDuke of Teckand his paternal auntPrincess Maud of Walesstood proxy);Empress Frederick(his paternal great-aunt, for whom his paternal auntPrincess Victoria of Walesstood proxy); theCrown Prince of Denmark(his great-uncle, for whom his grandfather thePrince of Walesstood proxy); theDuke of Connaught(his great-uncle); theDuchess of Fife(his paternal aunt); andPrince Adolphus of Teck(his maternal uncle).[6]
  5. ^Renamed Heathrow Airport in 1966.[110]

References

edit

Citations

edit
  1. ^Rhodes James, p. 90; Weir, p. 329
  2. ^Weir, pp. 322–323, 329
  3. ^Judd, p. 3; Rhodes James, p. 90; Townsend, p. 15; Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 7–8
  4. ^Judd, pp. 4–5; Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 7–8
  5. ^Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 7–8
  6. ^The Times,Tuesday 18 February 1896, p. 11
  7. ^Judd, p. 6; Rhodes James, p. 90; Townsend, p. 15; Windsor, p. 9
  8. ^Bradford, p. 2
  9. ^Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 17–18
  10. ^Kushner, Howard I. (2011), "Retraining the King's left hand",The Lancet,377(9782): 1998–1999,doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60854-4,PMID21671515,S2CID35750495
  11. ^abcMatthew, H. C. G.(2004), "George VI (1895–1952)",Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.), Oxford University Press,doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33370(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  12. ^Bradford, pp. 41–45; Judd, pp. 21–24; Rhodes James, p. 91
  13. ^Judd, pp. 22–23
  14. ^Judd, p. 26
  15. ^Judd, p. 186
  16. ^"Royal Connections",Aberdeen Medico-Chirugical Society,archivedfrom the original on 17 January 2019,retrieved16 January2019
  17. ^Bradford, pp. 55–76
  18. ^Bradford, p. 72
  19. ^Bradford, pp. 73–74
  20. ^Darbyshire, Taylor (1929),The Duke of York,Hutchinson & Company Limited, p. 51,archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2023,retrieved19 March2023
  21. ^Wheeler-Bennett, p. 115
  22. ^Judd, p. 45; Rhodes James, p. 91
  23. ^Wheeler-Bennett, p. 116
  24. ^Boyle, Andrew(1962), "Chapter 13",Trenchard Man of Vision,St James's Place London: Collins, p. 360
  25. ^Judd, p. 44
  26. ^Heathcote, Tony (2012),The British Field Marshals: 1736–1997: A Biographical Dictionary,Casemate Publisher,ISBN978-1783461417,archivedfrom the original on 29 July 2016,retrieved18 March2016
  27. ^Judd, p. 47; Wheeler-Bennett, pp. 128–131
  28. ^Wheeler-Bennett, p. 128
  29. ^Weir, p. 329
  30. ^Current Biography 1942,p. 280; Judd, p. 72; Townsend, p. 59
  31. ^Judd, p. 52
  32. ^Judd, pp. 77–86; Rhodes James, p. 97
  33. ^Henderson, Gerard (31 January 2014),"Sheila: The Australian Ingenue Who Bewitched British Society – review",Daily Express,archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2015,retrieved15 March2015;Australian Associated Press (28 February 2014),A Sheila who captured London's heart,Special Broadcasting Service,archivedfrom the original on 6 November 2017,retrieved14 March2015
  34. ^Rhodes James, pp. 94–96; Vickers, pp. 31, 44
  35. ^Bradford, p. 106
  36. ^Bradford, p. 77; Judd, pp. 57–59
  37. ^Roberts, Andrew (2000),Antonia Fraser(ed.),The House of Windsor,London: Cassell & Co., pp. 57–58,ISBN978-0-304-35406-1
  38. ^Reith, John(1949),Into the Wind,London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 94
  39. ^Judd, pp. 89–93
  40. ^Judd, p. 49
  41. ^Judd, pp. 93–97; Rhodes James, p. 97
  42. ^Judd, p. 98; Rhodes James, p. 98
  43. ^Current Biography 1942,pp. 294–295; Judd, p. 99
  44. ^Judd, p. 106; Rhodes James, p. 99
  45. ^Shawcross, p. 273
  46. ^Judd, pp. 111, 225, 231
  47. ^"White Lodge, Richmond Park"(PDF),London Borough of Richmond upon Thames,archived(PDF)from the original on 31 March 2023,retrieved30 March2023
  48. ^Howarth, p. 53
  49. ^Ziegler, p. 199
  50. ^Judd, p. 140
  51. ^Wheeler-Bennett, p. 286
  52. ^Townsend, p. 93
  53. ^Bradford, p. 208; Judd, pp. 141–142
  54. ^Howarth, p. 63; Judd, p. 135
  55. ^Howarth, p. 66; Judd, p. 141
  56. ^Judd, p. 144; Sinclair, p. 224
  57. ^Howarth, p. 143
  58. ^Ziegler, p. 326
  59. ^Bradford, p. 223
  60. ^Bradford, p. 214
  61. ^Vickers, p. 175
  62. ^Bradford, p. 209
  63. ^Bradford, pp. 269, 281
  64. ^Sinclair, p. 230
  65. ^Hitchens, Christopher(1 April 2002),"Mourning will be brief"Archived28 October 2017 at theWayback Machine,The Guardian,retrieved 1 May 2009
  66. ^Library and Archives Canada,Biography and People > A Real Companion and Friend > Behind the Diary > Politics, Themes, and Events from King's Life > The Royal Tour of 1939,Queen's Printer for Canada, archived fromthe originalon 30 October 2009,retrieved12 December2009
  67. ^Bousfield, Arthur; Toffoli, Garry (1989),Royal Spring: The Royal Tour of 1939 and the Queen Mother in Canada,Toronto: Dundurn Press, pp. 60, 66,ISBN978-1-55002-065-6,archivedfrom the original on 18 March 2021,retrieved21 September2020
  68. ^Lanctot, Gustave(1964),Royal Tour of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Canada and the United States of America 1939,Toronto: E.P. Taylor Foundation
  69. ^Galbraith, William (1989),"Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1939 Royal Visit",Canadian Parliamentary Review,12(3): 7–9,archivedfrom the original on 7 August 2017,retrieved24 March2015
  70. ^Judd, pp. 163–166; Rhodes James, pp. 154–168; Vickers, p. 187
  71. ^Bradford, pp. 298–299
  72. ^The TimesMonday, 12 June 1939 p. 12 col. A
  73. ^Swift, Will (2004),The Roosevelts and the Royals: Franklin and Eleanor, the King and Queen of England, and the Friendship that Changed History,John Wiley & Sons
  74. ^Judd, p. 189; Rhodes James, p. 344
  75. ^Judd, pp. 171–172; Townsend, p. 104
  76. ^Judd, p. 183; Rhodes James, p. 214
  77. ^Arnold-Forster, Mark(1983) [1973],The World at War,London: Thames Methuen, p. 303,ISBN978-0-423-00680-3
  78. ^Churchill, Winston(1949),The Second World War,vol. II, Cassell and Co. Ltd, p. 334
  79. ^Judd, p. 184; Rhodes James, pp. 211–212; Townsend, p. 111
  80. ^Goodwin, Doris Kearns(1994),No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II,New York: Simon & Schuster, p. 380
  81. ^Judd, p. 187; Weir, p. 324
  82. ^Judd, p. 180
  83. ^Rhodes James, p. 195
  84. ^Rhodes James, pp. 202–210
  85. ^Weisbrode, Kenneth (2013),Churchill and the King,New York: Viking, pp. 107, 117–118, 148, 154–155, 166.ISBN978-0670025763.
  86. ^Judd, pp. 176, 201–203, 207–208
  87. ^Judd, p. 170
  88. ^Reagan, Geoffrey (1992),Military Anecdotes,Guinness, p. 25,ISBN978-0-85112-519-0
  89. ^Judd, p. 210
  90. ^Townsend, p. 173
  91. ^Townsend, p. 176
  92. ^Townsend, pp. 229–232, 247–265
  93. ^Published by Authority (18 June 1948),"A proclamation by the King, 22 June 1948",Supplement to the Belfast Gazette - Official Public Record(1408): 153,archivedfrom the original on 5 September 2021
  94. ^London Declaration 1949(PDF),Commonwealth Secretariat,archived(PDF)from the original on 27 September 2012,retrieved2 April2013
  95. ^S. A. de Smith (1949), "The London Declaration of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers, April 28, 1949",The Modern Law Review,12(3): 351–354,doi:10.1111/j.1468-2230.1949.tb00131.x,JSTOR1090506
  96. ^Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family: A Glorious Illustrated History,Dorling Kindersley, 2016, p. 118,ISBN9780241296653
  97. ^Townsend, pp. 267–270
  98. ^Townsend, pp. 221–223
  99. ^Judd, p. 223
  100. ^Rhodes James, p. 295
  101. ^Rhodes James, p. 294; Shawcross, p. 618
  102. ^King George VI,Official website of the British monarchy, 12 January 2016,archivedfrom the original on 1 December 2017,retrieved18 April2016
  103. ^Judd, p. 225; Townsend, p. 174
  104. ^Judd, p. 240
  105. ^Rhodes James, pp. 314–317
  106. ^"The King to rest",The Times,5 June 1951,archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2021,retrieved21 December2021
  107. ^Bradford, p. 454; Rhodes James, p. 330
  108. ^Rhodes James, p. 331
  109. ^Rhodes James, p. 334
  110. ^About Heathrow Airport: Heathrow's history,LHR Airports, archived fromthe originalon 3 October 2013,retrieved9 March2015
  111. ^1952: King George VI dies in his sleep,BBC, 6 February 1952,archivedfrom the original on 7 October 2010,retrieved29 May2018
  112. ^Judd, pp. 247–248
  113. ^The day the King died,BBC, 6 February 2002,archivedfrom the original on 30 May 2018,retrieved29 May2018
  114. ^"Repose at Sandringham",Life,Time Inc, p. 38, 18 February 1952,ISSN0024-3019,archivedfrom the original on 3 June 2013,retrieved26 December2011
  115. ^Zweiniger-Bargielowska, Ina (2016), "Royal death and living memorials: the funerals and commemoration of George V and George VI, 1936–52",Historical Research,89(243): 158–175,doi:10.1111/1468-2281.12108
  116. ^Royal Burials in the Chapel since 1805,Dean & Canons of Windsor, archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2011,retrieved15 February2010
  117. ^"Mourners visit Queen Mother's vault",BBC News,10 April 2002,archivedfrom the original on 7 December 2008,retrieved2 March2018
  118. ^"Your complete guide to the Queen's funeral",BBC News,19 September 2022,archivedfrom the original on 9 September 2022,retrieved19 September2022
  119. ^Hardie in the British House of Commons, 11 December 1936, quoted in Rhodes James, p. 115
  120. ^Letter from George VI to the Duke of Windsor, quoted in Rhodes James, p. 127
  121. ^Ashley, Mike(1998),British Monarchs,London: Robinson, pp. 703–704,ISBN978-1-84119-096-9
  122. ^Judd, pp. 248–249
  123. ^Judd, p. 186; Rhodes James, p. 216
  124. ^Townsend, p. 137
  125. ^List of Companions(PDF),Ordre de la Libération, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 March 2009,retrieved19 September2009
  126. ^Brooks, Xan (28 February 2011),"Colin Firth takes the best actor crown at the Oscars",The Guardian,archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2022,retrieved17 August2022
  127. ^Velde, François (19 April 2008),"Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family",Heraldica,archivedfrom the original on 17 March 2018,retrieved22 April2009
  128. ^Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh,ed. (1973),"The Royal Lineage",Burke's Guide to the Royal Family,London: Burke's Peerage, pp.252, 293, 307,ISBN0-220-66222-3

General and cited sources

edit
edit
Listen to this article(37minutes)
This audio filewas created from a revision of this article dated 12 July 2014(2014-07-12),and does not reflect subsequent edits.
(Audio help·More spoken articles)
George VI
Born:14 December 1895Died:6 February 1952
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of the United Kingdomand the BritishDominions
1936–1952 		Succeeded by
Emperor of India1
1936–1947 		Partition of India
Masonic offices
Preceded by Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
1936–1937 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Air commodore-in-chiefof theAuxiliary Air Force
1936–1952 		Succeeded by
New title Head of the Commonwealth
1949–1952
Air commodore-in-chiefof theAir Training Corps
1941–1952 		Succeeded by
Notes and references
1.Indian Empiredissolved 15 August 1947. Title abandoned 22 June 1948 ("No. 38330".The London Gazette.22 June 1948. p. 3647.)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_VI&oldid=1235615747"