George VI

NAME Albert Frederick Arthur George (later George VI)

WHAT FAMOUS FOR King George VI is most famous for leading the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth through World War II, his unexpected ascension to the throne following his brother Edward VIII's abdication, and his significant personal struggles with a stammer, which he largely overcame.

BIRTH King George VI was born on December 14, 1895, at York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. His birth coincided with the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather Prince Albert, Prince Consort. He was baptised "Albert Frederick Arthur George" at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham on February 17, 1896.

FAMILY BACKGROUND He was the second son of King George V (then Prince George, Duke of York) and Queen Mary (then Victoria May, the Duchess of York, formerly Mary of Teck). At birth, he was fourth in line to the throne after his grandfather, father, and elder brother Edward. His paternal grandparents were the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, while his maternal grandfather was Francis, Duke of Teck.

The photo below shows 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. 1908

CHILDHOOD Albert's childhood was notably difficult and unhappy. He suffered from various physical ailments including knock knees, for which he wore corrective leg braces, and he was naturally left-handed but forced to write with his right hand. 

His relationship with his parents was challenging - his father King George V was described as harsh and critical, while affection from his mother was not always reciprocated. 

He developed a severe stammer around age eight and was described as often ill, easily frightened, and prone to tears and tantrums. Albert was reportedly bullied and abused by his nannies for several years before anyone discovered the mistreatment. (1)

EDUCATION Prince Albert received a private education, as was customary for royal children, with tutors at home. His academic abilities were considered average.

He attended the Royal Naval Academy at Osborne, graduating last in his class in the final exam. Prince Albert then progressed to the Royal Navy Academy at Dartmouth. 

After the war, he attended Trinity College, Cambridge, for one year where he studied history, economics, and civics. At Cambridge, he was remembered for being fined 6/8d for smoking in the street while wearing academic dress.

CAREER RECORD Albert began his career as a midshipman in the Royal Navy. 

1920 He was created Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney, and began taking on royal duties. 

1936 He became King on December 11, 1936, following his brother's abdication, and reigned until his death in 1952.

APPEARANCE George VI was of average height and had a relatively slender build. He had fair hair, which thinned over time, and a distinctive, earnest expression. Photographs often show him wearing glasses. 

Formal portrait, 1938

FASHION As a member of the Royal Navy and later as King, George VI adhered to the formal dress codes of the era. He was often seen in military uniforms, especially during the war, and well-tailored suits for civilian engagements. He favoured traditional British menswear, reflecting a conservative and dignified style.

CHARACTER King George VI was naturally diffident, anxious, and shy, but possessed tremendous bravery, enterprise, and a strong sense of duty. He was described as sensitive, conscientious, and dedicated. His personality was shaped by his difficult childhood, making him prone to emotional outbursts and self-doubt. However, King George demonstrated remarkable courage and perseverance throughout his life, particularly in overcoming his speech impediment and fulfilling his unexpected role as monarch.

SPEAKING VOICE Albert's most defining characteristic was his severe stammer, which developed around age eight. He could barely pronounce certain letters, particularly "k," and simple sentences could take him over a minute to complete. His stuttering made public speaking extremely difficult and embarrassing. In 1926, he began working with Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helped him manage his impediment through breathing exercises and other techniques. While he never completely overcame his stammer, he improved significantly enough to fulfill his royal dutiess and to deliver crucial wartime speeches with greater fluency. His voice, once hesitant, developed a clear, if sometimes still slightly strained, quality.

SENSE OF HUMOUR King Georg was said to appreciate practical jokes and had a dry sense of humour among his close family and friends.

RELATIONSHIPS Albert married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on April 26, 1923, at Westminster Abbey. She had initially refused his proposals twice in 1921 and 1922 before accepting on January 13, 1923. Their marriage was considered highly successful and modernizing, as Elizabeth was not of royal birth. 

The newly formed British Broadcasting Company (BBC) had wanted to broadcast the wedding live on the wireless (radio). However, the idea was vetoed by the Chapter of Westminster Abbey, largely due to concerns from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Herbert Edward Ryle. He feared people might be listening in less reverent settings, such as pubs, and might not show proper respect, like standing for "God Save The King" (which was then the national anthem).

They had two daughters: Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II), born in 1926 and nicknamed "Lilibet," and Margaret, born in 1930. The family lived at White Lodge, Richmond Park, and later at 145 Piccadilly rather than in royal palaces. King George VI once said of his daughters: "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy".

His relationship with his elder brother, Edward VIII, became strained following the Abdication Crisis.

MONEY AND FAME As a prince and later as King, George VI was financially secure, supported by the Civil List. His fame grew immensely after his ascension and particularly during World War II, when he became a symbol of national unity and defiance. Despite his fame, he remained a private and unassuming individual.

FOOD AND DRINK  King George VI’s tastes were shaped early on by royal tradition, which leaned toward plain, restrained fare. Influenced by his father, George V, and his mother, Queen Mary, he developed a preference for simple comfort foods. He reportedly enjoyed mashed potatoes and apple dumplings—dishes his father had also favored. Amusingly, he was fond of tomato ketchup and even granted it a royal warrant, securing its place at the royal table.

At his 1937 coronation dinner, he chose traditional dishes like chicken in a plain sauce and Scottish salmon, demonstrating his preference for comfort and tradition over culinary extravagance. This culinary conservatism extended to other royal events, where menus typically reflected familiar British fare rather than elaborate or foreign-inspired offerings.

During World War II, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth remained at Buckingham Palace and followed the same rationing restrictions imposed on their subjects. Their compliance was both practical and symbolic, reinforcing a sense of shared national endurance. The royal kitchens made do with whatever was available, and meals remained simple and unpretentious throughout the war years. (2)

Food also played a memorable role in royal diplomacy. On June 11, 1939, during a highly publicized visit to the United States, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended a picnic hosted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The menu included American staples such as hot dogs, Virginia ham, green salad, and strawberry shortcake. This casual setting marked a landmark moment in informal statecraft, but it was the hot dogs that captured international attention. Her Majesty, unsure of how to eat one, asked the President for guidance. Roosevelt responded cheerfully: “Very simple. Push it into your mouth and keep pushing it until it is all gone.” Nonetheless, the Queen chose to eat her hot dog with a knife and fork. The press had a field day with the incident—it made the front page of The New York Times, and hot dogs gained a sudden international reputation as a symbol of American informality and charm. (3)

In terms of drinking habits, George VI was moderate. Alcohol was part of royal life, and he would occasionally toast with wine or champagne, but he was never known for excess. Far more significant, however, was his smoking habit. He began smoking young, and the pressures of wartime leadership only deepened the addiction. He chain-smoked heavily, believing, as some did at the time, that cigarettes might help control his stammer.

This reliance on tobacco had grave consequences. While his alcohol intake remained moderate, his chronic smoking contributed to the development of lung cancer, arteriosclerosis, and other health issues. In 1951, a portion of his lung was surgically removed at Buckingham Palace. Despite this, he continued to carry out duties until his death.

MUSIC AND ARTS George VI had an appreciation for the arts, as evidenced by his role as President of the Fine Arts Commission. He enjoyed attending concerts and patronizing various artistic institutions. King George and his family regularly attended plays and ballets

LITERATURE King George VI was a reader, and as was common for the monarchy, he would have been informed on current affairs through newspapers and official documents.

NATURE He had a love for the countryside and enjoyed outdoor pursuits, particularly shooting and fishing. The Sandringham Estate, with its vast grounds, was a favourite retreat, allowing him to connect with nature.

PETS The Royal Family traditionally kept dogs, and George VI was no exception. He and his family were known to have several dogs, including Labradors and Corgis.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Prince Albert was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He played at Wimbledon in the Men's Doubles with Louis Greig in 1926, losing in the first round. During a 1927 tour, he played doubles tennis partnered with a black man, Bertrand Clark, in Jamaica, which was considered unusual at the time and taken as a display of racial equality. 

He also went big-game hunting during tours of Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan with his wife.

King George's other known hobbies included gardening and pigeon-keeping, which he shared with his family

He had a strong interest in the welfare of young people, evident in his patronage of youth organizations and the Duke of York's Camps.

SCIENCE AND MATHS As King, he would have been kept abreast of scientific advancements relevant to national defence and industry

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, George VI had a significant role in the nation's spiritual life. He was a devout Anglican with a deep Christian faith.

During World War II, when Britain faced seemingly insurmountable crises, King George VI called the nation to prayer. There were seven National Days of Prayer over the course of the conflict. These acts are widely credited with unifying the population, inspiring hope, and — in the view of many at the time and since — coinciding with remarkable reversals in Britain’s fortunes. 

His personal philosophy was deeply rooted in duty, service, and moral uprightness, principles instilled in him from a young age and reinforced by his religious faith.

REIGN King George VI wasn’t supposed to be king at all. Born Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor—just the sort of name that sounds like it comes with a butler and a boarding school—he was the shy, stammering second son of King George V. His elder brother, Edward VIII, was dashing, popular, and entirely unsuited to the job. So when Edward chucked the crown to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée of considerable charm and no noble blood whatsoever, poor Bertie found himself king. It was December 1936, and Britain, which hadn’t quite recovered from the Great War or the Great Depression, suddenly had a monarch with a stammer, a nervous disposition, and absolutely no desire to rule.

To underscore a sense of continuity (and possibly to reassure everyone that he wouldn't run off with an actress), Albert became George VI—a name that rang of ships, steely gazes, and good British bread pudding. Fortunately, he had two secret weapons: a dogged sense of duty and his wife, Elizabeth, who radiated confidence and charm like a paraffin heater in a cold drawing room. Together, they steadied the monarchy in one of its shakiest hours.

George VI was crowned on May 12, 1937, a date originally reserved for his brother Edward VIII.  The coronation was a lavish affair full of tradition, trumpets, and long-winded oaths involving the defence of the faith and the upholding of justice, ideally while wearing very heavy robes. But the most curious thing about the event, apart from how thoroughly uncomfortable everyone looked, was that it was televised—or at least as televised as anything could be in 1937.

Roughly 10,000 people had access to a working television set at the time, which is roughly the same number of people who today tune in to watch curling at 3 a.m. The BBC, whose television service was barely a year old, broadcast the event live from Alexandra Palace using a single camera. This camera, and its accompanying cable, had to be unplugged and replugged and shuffled about like a particularly fussy pet just to follow the action, such as it was.

Painting of the Coronation in 1937

Then came World War II, which is the sort of thing that tends to put a bit of stress on a royal schedule. George VI became a quietly heroic figure, stubbornly refusing to leave Buckingham Palace even when it was bombed—twice. On one memorable occasion in 1940, he and the Queen were nearly blown up in their own courtyard. Rather than flee, they visited air raid shelters, factories, and bombed-out neighborhoods in the East End. Londoners loved him for it.

He worked closely with Winston Churchill, which must have been exhausting given Churchill’s tendency to talk for hours and quote Latin. George also found time to invent two medals—the George Cross and George Medal—for acts of civilian bravery. He awarded the George Cross to the entire island of Malta, a rather generous gesture considering the thing was about the size of a modest picnic blanket and had just endured relentless Axis bombing.

Through it all, the King battled his stammer. With the help of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue—who, unlike most Australians at court, was not a horse—he managed to deliver wartime speeches that rallied a nation. It was a triumph of will, breath control, and the remarkable power of the pause.

As if war weren’t enough, the postwar years brought the rapid unraveling of the British Empire. In 1947, India and Pakistan became independent, and George VI lost his title of Emperor of India. A couple of years later, Ireland left the Commonwealth, and Burma and Palestine also ceased to be under British rule. The whole business was a bit like watching your prized stamp collection being quietly taken apart.

Still, George adapted. In 1949, the London Declaration transformed Britain’s sprawling empire into the Commonwealth of Nations, and George became its first head—a rather grand title for someone whose former empire had just voted with its feet.

By now, the King’s health was failing. He’d smoked like a chimney since his youth—ironically, partly in the belief it would help with his stammer. Instead, it helped give him lung cancer. He underwent surgery in 1949 and again in 1951, losing part of his lung while still living at Buckingham Palace, a procedure conducted by a surgeon named Clement Price Thomas,.

Despite this, George insisted on waving off his daughter Elizabeth at London Airport in January 1952 as she left for a royal tour. It was the last time they saw each other. A few days later, the King died in his sleep at Sandringham of a coronary thrombosis. He was just 56.

When he died, the entire country seemed to stop. Cinemas closed. The BBC cancelled all programs except the news. Sporting events were suspended. His funeral, the first royal funeral to be televised, drew over 300,000 mourners to Westminster Hall.

He was succeeded, of course, by his daughter, Elizabeth II, who would go on to become one of the longest-serving monarchs in history. But George VI had done something just as impressive: he had rescued the monarchy from a constitutional near-catastrophe, led a nation through its darkest war, and transformed Britain from imperial overlord to elder statesman of a club of former colonies.

And he did it all with a stammer, a quiet resolve, and, let us not forget, the distinction of being the first British king to eat a hot dog on American soil—though his wife, unimpressed by Roosevelt’s cheerful instructions to “just push it into your mouth,” insisted on using a knife and fork. The press loved it. The monarchy, improbably, endured.

POLITICS As King, George VI had a constitutional role in politics. He initially supported Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy toward Germany and Italy. When Chamberlain was forced to resign in May 1940, the King wished to appoint Edward Frederick Lindley Wood to the premiership but was induced to select Winston Churchill instead. He subsequently developed a close working relationship with Churchill, meeting with him regularly during the war.

SCANDAL The most significant "scandal" associated with his life was not of his making but deeply impacted him: the Abdication Crisis of 1936, when his elder brother, King Edward VIII, chose to abdicate the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced American socialite. This event thrust George VI into a role he never expected or desired.

MILITARY RECORD Albert served in the Royal Navy during World War I aboard HMS Collingwood and saw action at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. 

He later transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1919 and became the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot. He served as Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service's training establishment at Cranwell and later on the staff of the RAF's Independent Air Force in France.

His military experience gave him a valuable understanding of the armed forces, which proved crucial during World War II.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS George VI faced numerous health challenges throughout his life. As a child, he suffered from knock knees, gastric problems, and frequent illnesses. At one stage he had his legs strapped into wooden splints every night because the royal doctors were concerned that his legs weren’t growing straight. His stammer was likely exacerbated by childhood trauma and stress. (4)

After his participation in the Battle of Jutland, Prince Albert did not see further combat, largely because of ill health caused by a duodenal ulcer, for which he had an operation in November 1917.

George VI was a heavy smoker, which contributed to smoking-related health problems in his later years. He died of a coronary thrombosis (likely related to lung cancer) at age 56.

HOMES George VI was born at York Cottage, Sandringham, and died at Sandringham House. As Duke of York, he lived at White Lodge, Richmond Park, and later at 145 Piccadilly. 

As King, he resided at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and other royal residences. 

He was forced to purchase Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House from his brother Edward as these were private properties.

TRAVEL As Duke of York, Albert undertook several significant tours including Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan (1924-1925), and Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji (1927).  

The photo below shows The Duke and Duchess of York (centre, reading programmes) at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland, 1927

As King, he made state visits to France (1938) and North America (1939), becoming the first British monarch to enter the United States. During World War II, he traveled more than 50,000 miles around Britain visiting troops and bombed areas.

DEATH King George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham House on February 6, 1952, at 7:30 GMT, from a coronary thrombosis at age 56. He had seen his daughter Elizabeth and Prince Philip off on their Commonwealth tour just six days earlier, which was his last public appearance. 

His body initially rested at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, then lay in state at Westminster Hall before his funeral at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on February 15, 1952.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA King George VI has been portrayed in numerous films and television productions, most notably in the Oscar-winning 2010 film The King's Speech, where Colin Firth won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal. 

Other portrayals include those in The Crown (by Jared Harris), Hyde Park on Hudson (by Samuel West), and various documentaries.

 His life and reign continue to be subjects of biographical works and documentaries.

ACHIEVEMENTS Guided Britain through WWII

Became a symbol of unity and resistance

Strengthened the monarchy post-abdication

Oversaw the start of decolonization

Helped bring the monarchy into the modern era with public engagements and televised events, including his coronation and funeral

Sources: (1) The Life and Times of King George VI  (2) So Yummy (3) Encyclopaedia of Trivia; Hot Dog (4) Encyclopaedia of Trivia; George VI of the United Kingdom