In 1936, the British monarchy was thrown into crisis when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne less than a year after his father’s death. His decision to give up the crown for Wallis Simpson, an American socialist whose divorce and reputation had made her unacceptable as queen, stunned the nation. Edward was the first and only British monarch to voluntarily relinquish the throne, leaving the role to his younger brother, Albert, who had never expected to become king. Albert, known as Bertie to his family, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary.
Growing up, he struggled with a pronounced stutter and numerous health problems that plagued him from youth. Despite his father’s harsh prediction that Albert would ruin himself in twelve months after his death—a prophecy that proved almost eerily accurate when Edward abdicated in just eleven—Albert was always seen as the spare, not the heir. His older brother’s scandalous romance and eventual abdication altered the course of his life forever. Albert’s early years were marked by a difficult relationship with the sea.
He trained at the Royal Naval College and rose to the rank of midshipman, but he never felt comfortable at sea. In 1914, just three weeks after the outbreak of World War I, he was medically evacuated due to appendicitis. After returning to his ship in 1916, a severe ulcer forced him to leave active duty for good. The sea never suited him, and his Naval career was effectively over before it could truly begin.
Instead, Albert found his place in the skies. He became the first member of the royal family to qualify as a pilot and took command of a squadron. He later flew to France, where he served with the Royal Air Force’s Independent Air Force during the final weeks of the conflict. Though he was never expected to inherit the crown, his royal duties continued to weigh heavily on him, and he remained visibly uncomfortable in the public eye.
In 1920, Albert encountered Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon for the first time since childhood. Elizabeth was an Australian socialite, and while the two developed a close bond, his parents were not pleased with the match. Despite his position as a prince, Albert was given more freedom than any royal before him, but a woman of Elizabeth’s status was considered too improper for the royal family. They continued to see each other in secret for two years before King George V intervened.
Yet, their connection endured. Elizabeth, though hesitant to step into the spotlight, was eventually welcomed into the royal family. She even served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert’s sister, Princess Mary, in 1922. The couple went on to have two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, but public speaking remained a painful challenge for Albert.
His stutter made every speech a struggle, both for himself and for those listening. It was after a particularly grueling speech at the British Empire Exhibition in October 1925 that Albert realized he needed help. Determined to continue his royal duties, he sought assistance for his speech impediment. That help came in the form of Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist who would remain a constant presence in Albert’s life, supporting him before major speeches well into the late 1940s.
By the time Albert became King George VI in December 1936, following his brother’s abdication, Europe was already edging toward war. Unlike Edward VIII, who had been seen as sympathetic to Nazi Germany, George VI was determined to uphold the monarchy’s dignity. He adopted the regnal name George VI to emphasize continuity with his father and to distance the crown from the scandal that had marked his brother’s brief reign. As king, George VI had limited political power.
While he could offer counsel to politicians and serve as a public figurehead, Parliament held the real authority. This became especially significant as tensions grew in Europe throughout the late 1930s. When Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938 after signing an agreement with Hitler, George VI publicly supported him, even inviting Chamberlain to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the royal family. When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, World War II began.
George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, chose to remain at Buckingham Palace during the Blitz, rejecting offers to move to safety. Their decision to stay in London made them symbols of British endurance in the face of danger. On September 13, 1940, less than a week into the Blitz, two German bombs exploded in the palace courtyard, nearly injuring the royal couple, who were in residence at the time. Throughout the war, George VI developed what is widely considered the closest relationship between a monarch and a prime minister in modern British history.
He and Winston Churchill worked together, and while Albert did not hold the power to make decisions in the way Churchill did, the British people valued his presence. The monarchy became the public face of British spirit and determination during the darkest days of the conflict. George VI’s health continued to decline after the war. He had struggled with health problems throughout his life, including stomach issues and the aftereffects of his earlier ailments.
By 1948, a planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed due to a blockage in his right leg, and he never fully resumed his royal duties. Instead, his daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, traveled in his place. In May 1951, George VI opened the Festival of Britain, but his health was failing rapidly. That September, the royal family announced that the king needed a complete rest, leading to the cancellation of official engagements.
Shortly after, doctors discovered a tumor, and half of his left lung was removed. Although he was able to record his Christmas broadcast that year, it had to be prerecorded in sections and later spliced together. He made his last public appearance on January 31, 1952, despite the advice of those closest to him, who had urged him not to go. He insisted, choosing to attend as he wished.
On the night of February 5, 1952, George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham House. His brother’s abdication, the war, and his unwavering dedication to duty had taken their final toll. He was succeeded by his daughter, Elizabeth, who became Queen Elizabeth II, ushering in a new era for the monarchy and the world.