George V's Children

About this book

The six children of King George V and Queen Mary all lived to maturity except the youngest Prince John. The eldest who was Prince of Wales and heir to the throne reigned as King Edward VII for less than a year. His infamous romance with Mrs Simpson plunged the country into the abdication crisis and led both of them into a long period of exile. King George VI who reluctantly and unexpectedly ascended to the throne was a shy man handicapped by a speech impediment and a sense of his own inadequacy. However together with his Consort Queen Elizabeth and the Prime Minister Winston Churchill he gave the nation spirited guidance throughout World War II. Both surviving younger brothers served in the armed forces during war-time. Henry Duke of Gloucester was Governor General of Australia from 1944-6 and crowned his military career with promotion to the rank of Field-Marshal. George Duke of Kent an officer in the RAF was tragically killed on active service in 1942. The only sister Mary Princess Royal worked both as a nurse and a royal ambassador abroad. This book tells the story of the family.