George 6, king of England, lived a long and very exciting, but difficult life. He was born into this world not for the throne, and when he had to take the post of ruler, he was very upset. This material will tell about the difficult fate of a monarch who did not like his work.
Family story
King George 6 of Great Britain belongs to the Windsor Dynasty. It was started by the previous monarch, the father of the aforementioned ruler. Thus, he tried to get rid of the German root in the Saxe-Coburg-Gothic clan. The changes were caused by the First World War, when the Fourth Union became the enemy of England, where Germany occupied a significant niche.
During the riots and changes in the political elite, many monarchical families suffered. Kings, kings and princes were thrown off the thrones, killed. However, the British courtyard elite managed not only to remain in ruling posts, but also to strengthen their status.
During the First World War, power in the country belonged to George 5.
He was the youngest son of King Edward 7 and second in line for the throne. But his older brother did not live to see the coronation, therefore, in 1911, George 5 headed the state. His wife was the potential bride of the deceased, Maria Tekskaya, with whom he became close after the funeral. The royal couple had six children. The firstborn was Edward 8. A year after him, on December 14, 1895, the second son and future king, George 6, were born.
Pets
The family did not live very happily. The monarch madly loved his wife Maria. But the children did not receive the necessary parental affection and attention.
Contemporaries called the sovereign an illiterate, rude and callous man. He devoted all his free time to his favorite hunting and stamp collecting. But when the First World War thundered, he went to the front. His eldest sons also served in the army.
The wife of King George 5, Maria Tekskaya, categorically forbade drinking alcohol at court during the war. In fact, this prohibition did not affect the financial side of life, but it was of great importance to the whole people.
The first lady noted that aristocrats will support their subjects in harsh times and will share with ordinary people the pain and poverty of the war. While her husband and sons Edward 8 and Georg 6 fought, she worked in a hospital. Together with her, the ruler brought other court ladies. When one of the young ladies said she was tired, the queen told her: "The British elite does not know exhaustion and loves hospitals."
Indifference of parents
King George 5 received a military education and spent all his childhood in the Navy. He was sure: in order for the heirs to grow up as respectable and courageous people, they need strict upbringing.
The Queen devoted some time to her own children. Maria Tekskaya was also not spoiled with love and tenderness. The girl was the eldest in the family and often took care of her younger brothers. The crumbs' parents took her with them to orphanages, hospitals and hospitals. Therefore, from childhood, she recognized the importance of humanitarian work. She did not abandon this mission, becoming the queen. Maria gave her own children to the education of nannies and governesses. She herself saw them twice a week. Consequently, George 6, like his brothers and sisters, grew up without parental affection.
Some of the descendants of this couple have noted terrible, immoral behavior. So, for example, the third son, Henry, used drugs and was homosexual. The fourth child, George, the Duke of Kent, was addicted to alcohol. And the youngest boy John suffered from epilepsy, and his parents sent him away from the yard. The child died alone.
Hard childhood
In aristocratic families of children, nannies and servants are raising. Such a fate did not pass over George 6, who at birth was called Albert. After it turned out that the baby was fed poorly. Because of this, the boy earned an ulcer. He often had nervous breakdowns. Later, the child began to stutter. Instead of treatment and a comforting word, the father mimicked his son, and this made him even more vulnerable.
Mother was not distinguished by affection. Once it seemed to her that the boy had crooked legs. The limbs were inserted into special iron tires, which were supposed to fix the defect. Such treatment was pointless, difficult and painful.
In addition, George 6 wrote only with his left hand. The biography, especially the childhood of the king, consisted of setbacks and disappointments. But subsequently left-handedness contributed to his sporting achievements.
Children sometimes did not see their parents for six months. Business trips and a cold English character prevented them from getting closer. But the Prince received warmly from his grandfather Edward 7. The children loved this man, he reciprocated.
Later, a profane teacher was hired for the two eldest sons. Little Albert was trying to study, but he could not master science. The kid did not have the makings of learning foreign languages.
Nevertheless, by order of the parents, the children entered the maritime school. With low marks, but the prince nevertheless began to study.
Harsh youth
But instead of turning from a boy into a confident man, as his father wanted, the child felt even more uncertainty. Peers laughed at Albert due to stuttering and poor marks, and this aggravated the disease even more. Therefore, he constantly engaged in lessons additionally.
But the teachers said that the young man suffered all the suffering in silence and never complained. He had a clear mind and good manners. But not everything was so sad. There are documents confirming that the boy was once punished for letting out fireworks in the toilet.
After training, he was arranged as a simple worker on a ship. There no one knew about his origin. On the 18th birthday, the queen sent cigarettes as a gift. So Albert had a habit, from which George 6. subsequently suffered greatly. England began the war with Germany in 1914. The young soldier was ready to fight, but his health failed. Gastritis worsened. Doctors forbade the young man to continue naval service, but in 1915 he returned to the ship.
The military merits of his son made his father proud of him. The king has become warmer. Further, Albert, again at the insistence of George 5, mastered aerobatics. Then he received additional education at the best universities in the country. Science was hard on, but over the years of study, the prince realized that his family should be the standard of morality.
In 1920, he was given the title of duke. By the age of 24, he was a man of his word, honest and respectable. The war divided the rich and the poor. While his family was engaged in charity work, the prince set up production of trams, buses, and elevators. These actions earned great support from the people.
Lady of the heart
It was during this period that the duke became acquainted with the love of his life.
His chosen one was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The girl came from an ancient and venerable Scottish aristocratic family. She received an excellent home education and was distinguished by a strong and kind character. The couple met at the ball. The future wife of George 6 immediately won the heart of the prince. After a while he made her first proposal. But he was refused. She explained her deed by the fact that she was afraid of the responsibility of the royal family.
Elizabeth was very popular among cavaliers. She was not very beautiful. But her smile, the ability to sympathize and maintain a conversation disarmed. Then George 6 said that he did not want another woman to marry. The queen became interested in Elizabeth, met with her and realized that this lady would actually make her son happy.
In 1922, a man in love again offered the beauty a hand and a heart and was again refused. Nevertheless, later the girl realized that there was a lot in common between them. They both sought to help the world and did not ask for anything in return. The wedding took place in April 1923, 1923. Young spouses traveled their possessions for a long time. Their love and respect for each other was without limits. The couple immediately became a model of the family.
April 21, 1926 their first daughter was born. Four years later, the couple had a second girl.
Family scandal as a way to the throne
On January 20, 1936, the king died; his eldest son, Edward 8, took his place. There were also rumors that he had specific sexual preferences. He was noticed in the company of homosexuals. Often during the hunt, which was arranged by Edward 8 and Georg 6 in their territories, the older brother indulged in drugs.
The aristocratic family and the chosen one of the potential king did not appreciate. He fell in love with an American, who was not only brought up in the wrong, depraved conditions, but was twice divorced. At that time, entering into an alliance with a woman who had already had a marriage was unacceptable.
His future wife, Wallis Simpson, was a strong, masculine woman. She, like her companion-nobleman, admired fascism and Hitler propaganda, which were in fashion in the 1930s. Such hobbies became one of the main reasons why the prince was forced to abdicate.
For a long time, relatives tried to influence the heir. But he stood his ground. Therefore, the Queen Mother, Maria Tekskaya, realizing that a bad ruler would come out of her eldest son, herself prompted him to abdicate. Marrying a divorced woman was a great chance to save the country from a bad monarch. In turn, the sane and calm youngest son took the throne. The coronation of George 6 occurred almost immediately after the removal of Edward 8.
Heavy burden
When Albert found out that his brother had abdicated and that he should now carry out this robot, he became very ill. He spent several days in his room and did not even want to talk to anyone.
It seemed that now his life, which had flowed so safely with his beloved woman and children, would change. But Britain had no one else to hope for. Therefore, Albert began to prepare for an important mission.
His brother abdicated on December 11, 1936. The next day, Albert Frederick Arthur took the throne - that's what George 6 was called for real. But he did not like the name, so he asked him to crown differently.
The ceremony took place in May. He, like his father at one time, had to take the throne after his brother. But unlike his father, Alberta had no one to consult about this. He was not ready for the role of monarch.
But his wife was born to be a queen. All their life they have been saying about her: “The one that smiles,” - because in kindness and mercy she had no equal.
Born diplomat
Previously, Elizabeth 1 and George 6 did not perform in public. But new responsibilities forced to master oratory. If the Queen did not bring trouble, then for the stutter, public events became a real torture. The wife began to fight this problem long before the coronation. In order to get rid of a speech impediment, they invited an Austrian amateur doctor Lionel Logu. He worked with the duke for several hours a day. Further work continued Elizabeth. And Albert himself controlled his words. Therefore, the efforts of three people gave significant results. In the family circle, the man almost did not stutter. But unrest disturbed speech again.
The pre-war reign of George 6 was characterized by moderation. The first and main task of the new ruler was to restore the faith of the people in the morality of the aristocratic elite. The father was not exemplary, but still his son adored him. That is why he took his name. He, like George 5, was restrained in his actions and words. The new Prime Minister Chamberlain sympathized with the ruler, so trust and mutual assistance immediately arose between them.
In preparation for a possible war, the aristocratic spouses made a lot of successful business visits. The whole world was waiting for them to visit. Presidents, ministers, emperors received spouses from Britain.
Post-war years
When England declared war on Germany, the king spoke on the radio. His speech was brilliant. Since then, it has become a symbol of the people's struggle for freedom.
Due to the behavior of Edward 8, the position of the imperial family was shaken. But King George 6 corrected the situation. He received special respect and recognition of the people during the Second World War. When Britain was threatened by occupation, the entire Windsor family was waiting for the bombing in the cellars of their castles. Thanks to this courageous step, the people became proud of the royal family. Albert was constantly at the front, learning to shoot.
After the war, the empire fell apart. But the Commonwealth of Nations appeared . The monarch did an excellent job that he did not like. He was disciplined, prudent and smart. These qualities of character passed on to his children.
In 1947, the king reluctantly gave permission for the marriage of Elizabeth 2's daughter to Prince Philip. According to his father, the gentleman was not worthy of the hand of his beloved girl.
Passion for cigarettes played a cruel joke and turned into lung cancer. On February 6, 1952, at the age of 56, the king died. His eldest daughter ascended the throne, ruling the country until now. The wife survived her husband for 50 years and died at 101.
The reign of George 6 is rightfully considered one of the best periods in the history of England.