George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George), King of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British dominions

b. 1895; d. 1952

Born on 15 December 1895 at York Cottage, Sandringham; second son of George V.

He was educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, and Trinity College, Cambridge, and served in the navy until 1917 when ill health forced him to abandon his naval career. George was created Baron Killarney, Earl of Inverness, and Duke of York on 3 June 1920 and in 1923 he married Elizabeth Angela Marguerite, daughter of the Earl of Strathmore. In the next few years the Duke and Duchess of York made several official visits abroad, including visits to East Africa, the West Indies, Australia, and New Zealand. On the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, George succeeded to the throne on 10 December 1936. His coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937. Through their strongly democratic appeal the King and Queen soon won great popularity, besides restoring the prestige of the Crown. With the Queen he made a seven-week tour of Canada, the USA, and Newfoundland in May and June 1939, meeting with a memorable popular reception. He was the first reigning British sovereign to visit the USA.

Early in the Second World War King George visited the British army in France (4-10 December 1939). Throughout the war the King and Queen remained in London even though Buckingham Palace itself was damaged by air-raids. They made many visits to severely bombed areas in London and to all the main provincial cities which had been attacked. George visited Malta (20 June 1943) to convey his appreciation of the fortitude of the Maltese during their long ordeal, including this in his fortnight's visit to the British armies in North Africa. He visited Eisenhower's headquarters in Normandy, 1944, only ten days after D-Day, and later visited the Italian front and the newly-liberated Channel Islands. He took the salute of the Victory Parade in the Mall (5 June 1946). With the Queen and his two daughters he sailed in HMS Vanguard on the first visit of a reigning monarch to South Africa, arriving in February 1947, and returning to England in May. A further tour to Australia and New Zealand was planned for the spring of 1949, but it was cancelled owing to the illness of the King. In 1951 he opened the Festival of Britain. Later that year, however, he underwent another serious operation.

On 6 February 1952 George died suddenly at Sandringham, to the nation's widespread grief. He had struggled all his life against ill health. Naturally shy and reserved, his sincerity and sympathetic interest in his people had made him loved and respected throughout the Commonwealth. He and Queen Elizabeth had two daughters: Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Duchess of Edinburgh (b. 21 April 1926), who succeeded him as sovereign, and Princess Margaret Rose (b. 21 August 1930).

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