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George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952.
Jun 5, 2024 · George VI, British king from 1936 to 1952 who was a symbol of courage and strength for his people during World War II, partly by battling his stammer. He assumed the throne on December 11, 1936, after his brother Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson of the United States.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
George VI became King unexpectedly following the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, in December 1936. A conscientious and dedicated man, he worked hard to adapt to the role into which he was suddenly thrown.
- His name was inspired by his birthday. Prince Albert, the future George VI, was born on 14 December 1895. This was an inconvenient coincidence for the royal family, since 14 December was the date on which his great-grandfather and namesake Prince Albert had died decades before.
- He fought at one of the greatest naval battles of all time. On 31 May 1916, Britain and Germany clashed at the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the Great War.
- The Queen Mother turned him down. The course of British history would have turned out very differently if the young Albert didn’t attend a party thrown by a certain Lord and Lady Farquhar in 1920.
- He played at Wimbledon. An avid tennis player, George VI has the distinction of being the only member of the royal family to play at Wimbledon. It happened in 1926, when the then-prince competed in the doubles tournament alongside his friend and equerry Louis Greig.
Sixty-eight years ago this month, King George VI died and left behind a legacy as a ruler who upheld the crown through scandal and war — despite never wanting to ascend to the throne. And, of...
On 6 February 1952, George VI, King of the United Kingdom, died at the age of 56, at Sandringham House, after a prolonged cancer. His state funeral took place on 15 February 1952. A period of national mourning commenced and his eldest daughter and successor, [a] Queen Elizabeth II, was proclaimed the new monarch by the Accession Council.
George VI. Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary and was born on 14th December 1895 on the Sandringham estate. On the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in December 1936 he was proclaimed King and took one of his middle names, George, on succeeding to the throne.
