George VI belonged to the
House of Windsor (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). Born in 1895, he ascended to the throne in 1936 and died in 1952. He was preceded as monarch by
Edward VIII and was succeeded by
Elizabeth II.
The second son of George V and Queen Mary, who at the time were the Duke and Duchess of York, George was born at Sandringham in Norfolk. He was christened Albert Frederick Arthur George. At the time, there seemed little reason to expect him to become king. He married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, in 1923. His first daughter, the eventual Elizabeth II, was born in 1926. A second daughter Margaret Rose was born in 1930.
When his father died in 1936, he became heir presumptive. The abdication of Edward VIII in December of the same year thrust him on the throne. He was unhappy in the role, afflicted with a stammer, but was strongly supported by his queen. He gained the respect of the nation during World War II by staying in London with his family. He had a lung operation in 1951, and died in 1952.
