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George VI

King of the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1952 · United Kingdom · Historical Figures · Lived 1895 to 1952 · aged 56

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The king who never expected to reign. Thrust onto the throne when his brother abdicated to marry a divorcée, he steadied Britain through its darkest war with a stutter he fought to control and a resolve the public came to trust.

PoliticiansHistorical FigureRoyaltyTennisPoliticsUnited KingdomEurope20th Century

A life in dates

1952Died6 February 19521951Albert MedalAward1948Monarch of the Dominion of CeylonOffice1948-19521947Monarch of New ZealandOffice1947-1952Monarch of the Dominion of PakistanOffice1947-19521946Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of WilliamAward1942Monarch of AustraliaOffice1942-19521940“In order that they should be worthily and promptly recognised, I have decided to create, at once, a new mark of honour for men and women in all walks of civilian life.”In their words24 September 1940Announcement made on 24 September 1940, establishing the George Cross medal to reward civilian acts of the highest courage.

1939“We are not a family, we are a firm.”In their wordsOn the Royal family, quoted by A. B. Baxter in Destiny Called to Them (Oxford University Press, 1939)

1938Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostlesAward1936Monarch of CanadaOffice1936-1952Monarch of the United KingdomOffice1936-19521927Royal Victorian ChainAward1920Knight of the Order of the ElephantAwardDuke of YorkOffice1920-19361917Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class with SwordsAward1916Knight of the GarterAward1895Born14 December 1895

Also in Deutsch

Photos 12

Edward VII (far right); his son George, Prince of Wales, later George V (far left); and grandsons Edward, later Edward VIII (rear); and Albert, later George VI (foreground), c. 1908Edward VII (far right); his son George, Prince of Wales, later George V (far left); and grandsons Edward, later Edward VIII (rear); and Albert, later George VI (foreground), c. 1908At a Royal Air Force dinner, 1919At a Royal Air Force dinner, 1919The Duke and Duchess of York (centre, reading programmes) at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland, 1927The Duke and Duchess of York (centre, reading programmes) at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland, 1927On the cover of Time, January 1925On the cover of Time, January 1925Portrait by Sir Gerald Kelly. The Imperial State Crown is on the right.Portrait by Sir Gerald Kelly. The Imperial State Crown is on the right.Cover of the 7 May 1937 edition of Radio Times, drawn by C. R. W. Nevinson, marking the first coronation to be broadcast, and partially televised, liveCover of the 7 May 1937 edition of Radio Times, drawn by C. R. W. Nevinson, marking the first coronation to be broadcast, and partially televised, liveFranklin and Eleanor Roosevelt with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, on the USS Potomac, 9 June 1939Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, on the USS Potomac, 9 June 1939

In their own words 4

,
George VI
,
4 statements, newest first

  1. In order that they should be worthily and promptly recognised, I have decided to create, at once, a new mark of honour for men and women in all walks of civilian life.

    Sep 24, 1940, Announcement made on 24 September 1940, establishing the George Cross medal to reward civilian acts of the highest courage., Own words

  2. We are not a family, we are a firm.

    1939, On the Royal family, quoted by A. B. Baxter in Destiny Called to Them (Oxford University Press, 1939), Own words

  3. You've been pretty unlucky with the weather, Mr Piper.

    On seeing John Piper's dark views of Windsor Castle painted during the last war. Given in Times Literary Supplement, 7 October 1994, page, Own words

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Awards

Albert Medal1951
Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of William1946
Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostles1938
Royal Victorian Chain1927
Knight of the Order of the Elephant1920
Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class with Swords1917
Knight of the Garter1916
Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
Companion of the Liberation
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
War Cross
Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Grand Cross of the Sash of the Three Orders
Inter-Allied Victory Medals
Order of the Redeemer
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Thistle
Order of St Patrick
Order of the Bath
Order of Merit
Companion of Honour
Order of the Star of India
Distinguished Service Order
Imperial Service Order
Military Order of Italy
Order of Leopold
Order of the Star of Ethiopia
Order of the Phoenix
Royal Order of the Seraphim
Order of Saint-Charles
Order of the Royal House of Chakri
Order of Saints George and Constantine
Order of Pahlavi
Order of al-Hussein bin Ali
Order of the Supreme Sun

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George VI

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About this person

Born Albert in 1895, second son to the future George V, he grew up in his elder brother Edward's shadow - trained for the navy, served in the First World War, married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and worked with therapist Lionel Logue to manage a debilitating stutter. When Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936 to wed Wallis Simpson, Albert became George VI, a king by accident. He guided the British Empire through the Second World War from September 1939, sharing the hardships - Buckingham Palace bombed during the Blitz, his brother the Duke of Kent killed on service - and emerging as a symbol of national determination through victory in 1945. The empire crumbled after: India and Pakistan independent in 1947, the title of Emperor relinquished in 1948. Plagued by smoking-related illness, he died of a coronary thrombosis at Sandringham in February 1952, leaving the crown to his daughter Elizabeth.

Country
United Kingdom
Category
Historical Figures
Type
Historical Figure
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1895 to 1952 · aged 56

In common with George

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Historical Figures from the United Kingdom 4

Francis Drake72.9Catherine Howard71.8Charles I of England74.0Mary, Queen of Scots71.1

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