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On 20 January George V died in his bedroom at Sandringham House in Norfolk. He had been ill for many years. He and his wife, Princess Mary, had 6 children and his eldest, Edward, was now King. George had overseen a long period of relative world peace but his reign had also seen much poverty and suffering among his own people.
He had become popular during WWI with frequent visits to the fighting in France. His family name was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as his ancestors were German born. In 1917, with anti-German feeling running high in Britain he officially changed his name to Windsor which is why our present Queen is said to be of the House of Windsor.
During his reign he also saw the break-up of British control of its dominions. The Statute of Westminster of 1931 said that dominion parliaments, such as those in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, could pass their own laws without the agreement of Westminster. However the monarch of England was still their Head of State. In 1935, all over his realm, there was great rejoicing as the King celebrated his silver jubilee.
George was not a great party-goer, preferring to stay at home with his stamp collection or go out game shooting. It is said that one night after returning from an opera he wrote “went to Covent Garden and saw Fidelio and damned dull it was”.
There then arose a problem because his son, and heir, Edward was not dull like his father at all. He was a great party goer and giver and had a full social life. Unfortunately his social life involved him falling in love with an American woman who had been married twice before. Her name was Wallis Simpson. Edward announced he wanted to marry her, once her second divorce had been made final. The Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions opposed the marriage. Since the time of Henry VIII, the reigning monarch was also the Head of the Church of England. At this time the church did not approve of a marriage after a divorce if the former spouse was still alive. Wallis had two that were still alive.
Edward knew that if he went ahead with this marriage the government would resign and there would then be an election. There was much argument but eventually Edward had no real choice but to give up his throne or give up Wallis Simpson. He chose the former. He signed the papers of abdication on 10 December 1936 in the presence of his younger brothers, Prince Albert, Duke of York, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Prince George, Duke of Kent.
On the night of 11 December 1936, Edward made a radio broadcast explaining his decision to abdicate. By the way abdicate is just another way of saying giving up his position as monarch. In the broadcast he said the famous words "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."
He left England the following day. He had reigned for 326 days and never been crowned. He was made Duke of Windsor after the abdication and married Wallis Simpson on 3 June 1937. They remained together until his death in 1972. She survived him and died in 1986. After the war they lived in Paris, which is where they both died. The Duke's body was brought back to England and he was allowed to lie in state in St George's Chapel at Windsor before being buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore. The Duchess was later buried alongside her husband.
Albert then became King but used his fourth name, full name Albert Frederick Arthur George, to become George VI. He was a shy man who had never expected to become King. His eldest daughter, he and his wife Elizabeth had two daughters, was now heir to the throne. Her name was Elizabeth too and, sixteen years later, she would indeed become Elizabeth II.
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