Albert Frederick Arthur George, the future King George VI, was born on December 14, 1895, to King George V and Queen Mary, who was previously known as Princess of Teck.
It was a significant birthdate, as it marked the anniversary of the death of Queen Victoria's husband, Albert the Prince Consort, his great-grandfather. As a result, his name was chosen to start with Albert.
Albert struggled with a nervous stammer, which some believed was caused by his father forcing him to write with his right hand, despite being naturally left-handed.
In 1920, he was created the Duke of York, and four years later, on April 26, 1923, he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the daughter of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She would later become Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Their first child, a daughter named Elizabeth, was born in 1926, followed by another daughter, Margaret, four years later.
Tragedy struck when Albert's father, King George V, passed away in January 1936, making his brother, Edward, the new king. However, Edward VIII's decision to abdicate the throne in December 1936 to marry a twice-divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson, plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.
Albert, now the eldest son, was next in line for the throne and became King George VI, taking his father's regnal name. His wife, Elizabeth, became the Queen Consort.
One of his first acts as king was to make his brother, Edward, the Duke of Windsor.
Just a few years into his reign, World War II broke out, and the royal family remained at Buckingham Palace even after it was bombed. Despite the dangers and uncertainties of war, the King and his family continued to carry out their duties.
Albert was a lifelong heavy smoker, and his death in 1952 was attributed to lung cancer, a connection that was not yet understood at the time.
The King had six grandchildren, but only two had been born before his death: Charles, who would later become Prince of Wales, and Anne, who would become Princess Royal.
His daughter, Elizabeth, went on to become Queen Elizabeth II, while his wife, Elizabeth, was styled Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
