ON THIS DAY

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May 12, 1937

King George VI crowned

George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George ) (1895 – 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952, who became king after the abdication of his older brother Edward VIII.

Albert’s father, King George V had severe reservations about Prince Edward, saying "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in twelve months" and "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne."

George V died on January 20, 1936 and Edward became king. Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edward abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson, who was divorced from her first husband and divorcing her second. Edward had been advised by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin that he could not remain king and marry a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. He abdicated and Albert, though he had been reluctant to accept the throne, became king.

George VI's coronation at Westminster Abbey took place on 12 May 1937, the date previously intended for Edward's coronation. He adopted the name King George VI.

The stress of WW2 took its toll on George's health, made worse by his heavy smoking, and subsequent development of lung cancer among other ailments, including arteriosclerosis and Buerger's disease. On 23 September 1951, his left lung was removed in a surgical operation performed after a malignant tumour was found. He died in the night from a coronary thrombosis at the age of 56.

George’s widow, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, blamed Edward’s wife Wallis Simpson for Albert’s early death and banned her from any contact or involvement with the Royal family.

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