# George VI

_King of the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1952_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/george-vi
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of India from 1936 until the British Raj was dissolved in August 1947, though the title was only formally relinquished in June 1948. Following the London Declaration of 1949, he was the first Head of the Commonwealth.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 14 December 1895 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P569))
- **Place of birth:** York Cottage ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P19))
- **Died:** 6 February 1952 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P570))
- **Place of death:** Sandringham House ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P27))
- **Occupation:** monarch; aristocrat; military officer; tennis player ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P106))
- **Education:** Trinity College ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P69))
- **Spouse:** Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P26))
- **Positions held:** monarch of the Dominion of Ceylon (1948–1952); King of India (15 August 1947 – 26 January 1950); monarch of New Zealand (1947–1952); monarch of the Dominion of Pakistan (1947–1952); monarch of Australia (1942–1952); Emperor of India (1936–1948); emperor (11 December 1936 – 29 December 1937); Monarch of the United Kingdom (11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952); monarch of Canada (11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952); monarch of the Union of South Africa (11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952); Duke of York (3 June 1920 – 11 December 1936) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P39))
- **Awards:** Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour; Companion of the Liberation; Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order; Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George; Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum; Legionnaire of Legion of Merit; Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class with Swords; War Cross; Royal Victorian Chain; Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of William; Albert Medal; Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum; Grand Cross of the Sash of the Three Orders ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856#P166))

## About

The future George VI was born during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria; he was named Albert at birth after his late great-grandfather Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was known as "Bertie" to his family and close friends. His father ascended the throne as George V in 1910. As the second son of the king, Albert was not expected to inherit the throne. He spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward, the heir apparent. Albert attended naval college as a teenager and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the First World War. In 1920, he was made Duke of York. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret. In the mid-1920s, he engaged speech therapist Lionel Logue to treat his stutter, which he learned to manage to some degree. His elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII after their father died in 1936, but Edward abdicated later that year to marry the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. As heir presumptive to Edward VIII, Albert became king, taking the regnal name George VI. His coronation took place in 1937.

In September 1939, the British Empire and most Commonwealth countries – but not Ireland – declared war on Nazi Germany, following the invasion of Poland. War with the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan followed in 1940 and 1941, respectively. George VI was seen as sharing the hardships…

## Questions

**When was George VI born?**  
George VI was born on 14 December 1895 in York Cottage.

**What positions has George VI held?**  
Positions held by George VI include: monarch of the Dominion of Ceylon (1948–1952); King of India (1947–1950); monarch of New Zealand (1947–1952); monarch of the Dominion of Pakistan (1947–1952); monarch of Australia (1942–1952).

**Where did George VI study?**  
George VI was educated at Trinity College.

## Related

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- [Edward VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/edward-viii)
- [Alan Sugar](https://diginpl.com/people/alan-sugar)
- [Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster](https://diginpl.com/people/gerald-grosvenor-6th-duke-of-westminster)
- [Swraj Paul, Baron Paul](https://diginpl.com/people/swraj-paul-baron-paul)
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- [George Porter](https://diginpl.com/people/george-porter)
- [Patrick Blackett](https://diginpl.com/people/patrick-blackett)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): George VI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_VI) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): जर्ज छैटौँ](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9C_%E0%A4%9B%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8C%E0%A4%81) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q280856](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q280856) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: King George VI LOC matpc.14736 A (cropped).jpg by Matson Photo Service (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_George_VI_LOC_matpc.14736_A_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article George VI, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: King George VI LOC matpc.14736 A (cropped).jpg — Matson Photo Service, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"George VI". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/george-vi. Retrieved 3 November 2026.