George V succeeded his father, Edward VII, to the British throne in 1910.Born on June 3, 1865, he pursued a naval career until the death (1892) ofhis older brother made him second in line to the throne of hisgrandmother, Victoria. In 1894 he married Princess Mary of Teck. At thebeginning of his reign George was involved in two crises--one over reformof the House of Lords (1910-11) and the other over Irish Home Rule(1912-14). His conduct in these and, later, his choices of StanleyBaldwin as prime minister in 1923 and Ramsay MacDonald as head of thenational government in 1931 generated some controversy. Nonetheless, hewon popular affection, despite his gruff personality, by his visits tothe troops during World War I and later by his Christmas radiobroadcasts. During the war he changed the name of the royal family toWindsor. George's silver jubilee in 1935 was celebrated with elaboratefestivities. He died on Jan. 20, 1936, and was succeeded by his oldestson, Edward VIII.
Don M. Cregier
Bibliography: Judd, Denis, The Life and Times of George V (1973);Nicolson, Harold, King George the Fifth: His Life and Reign (1984); Rose,Kenneth, King George V (1984); Wheeler-Bennett, Sir John, King George VI:His Life and Reign (1958).
George VI succeeded to the British throne on the abdication of hisbrother, Edward VIII, in 1936. Born on Dec. 14, 1895, he was the secondson of the future George V. In 1923 he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
A shy man, George VI struggled successfully to overcome a speech defectand won wide respect for his dedication and courage. During World War II,to encourage morale, he risked his life visiting war zones and recentlybombed cities. He also created the George Cross for civilian gallantry,awarding it to the people of Malta for heroism under air attack. He andhis consort, Queen Elizabeth, made notable state visits to France (1938),Canada and the United States (1939), and South Africa (1947). The king'sfrail health was weakened, and his life probably shortened, by hisdetermination to carry on with his public duties despite serious illness.He died on Feb. 6, 1952, and was succeeded by his elder daughter,Elizabeth II.
Don M. Cregier
Bibliography: Bradford, Sarah, The Reluctant King: The Life and Reign ofGeorge VI, 1895-1952 (1990); Donaldson, Frances, King George VI and QueenElizabeth (1977); Townsend, Peter, The Last Emperor (1984);Wheeler-Bennett, Sir John, King George VI: His Life and Reign (1958).
Prince Philip, b. June 10, 1921, is the consort of Queen Elizabeth II ofEngland. The son of Prince Andrew and Princess Alice of Greece, he isdescended, through his mother, from the German family of Battenberg(which changed its name to Mountbatten in Britain). He is also a grandsonof George I of Greece, great-grandson of Christian IX of Denmark, andgreat-great-grandson of Queen Victoria of England.
Philip was educated mainly in Britain and served with the Royal Navyduring World War II. Before his marriage to Princess Elizabeth on Nov.20, 1947, he became a British subject and was created duke of Edinburgh.Since February 1952, when Elizabeth ascended the throne, Philip hasaccompanied her on many tours, often speaking openly on public issues.Elizabeth made him a prince of the United Kingdom in 1957.
Bibliography: Hall, U., Philip (1988); Higham, C., and Moseley, R.,Elizabeth and Philip (1993); Van der Kiste, John, Kings of the Hellenes(1994).
Andrew, Duke of York, b. Feb. 19, 1960, in Buckingham Palace, London, isthe third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip aswell as the first child born to a reigning monarch since 1857. Andrew isnow fourth in succession to the throne, following Prince Charles and hissons, William and Henry. In 1979 he volunteered for a 12-year commissionin the Royal Navy, after receiving his military training at the BritanniaRoyal Naval College at Dartmouth. In April 1982, Andrew pilotedhelicopters during Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands, aBritish dependent territory. On July 23, 1986, Andrew married SarahFerguson, an editor at a London publishing house and the daughter ofPrince Charles's polo manager. The couple separated in March 1992,following the publication of photographs of the duchess in the Britishmedia that suggested an extramarital affair.
Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, b. Nov. 14, 1948, eldest son ofQueen Elizabeth II of Britain and Prince Philip, is heir to the throne ofthe United Kingdom. He received his secondary education at Gordonstoun,Scotland, spent a semester at school in Australia, and attended (1967-70)Trinity College, Cambridge. He was invested as Prince of Wales in 1969.On July 29, 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer. Their two children,second and third in line to the throne, are Prince William Arthur PhilipLouis, born June 21, 1982, and Prince Henry Charles Albert David, bornSept. 15, 1984. Charles and Princess Diana separated in 1992 and agreedto divorce in 1996.
Bibliography: Dimbleby, Jonathan, Prince Charles (1994); Hoey, Brian,Charles and Diana (1992).
