King George V was born on June 3, 1865, in Marlborough House, London. He was the second and eldest-surviving son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra).
At the age of 16, while a serving officer in the Navy, George visited Japan and had a dragon tattooed on his arm. Later, he had a tiger tattooed on his other arm and also had a hunting scene depicted on his back with horses, hounds and huntsmen.
George never expected to be king but became heir to the throne when his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, died from pneumonia.
Eighteen months after his brother’s death, George married Albert Victor’s fiancee, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, known as May. Their marriage took place on July 6, 1893 at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, London.
He became king of the United Kingdom upon the death of his father, Edward VII on May 6, 1910.
George V and Mary of Teck were crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions at Westminster Abbey in London on June 22, 1911.
During World War 1 George V and Queen Mary set an example of quiet determination.
At the age of 16, while a serving officer in the Navy, George visited Japan and had a dragon tattooed on his arm. Later, he had a tiger tattooed on his other arm and also had a hunting scene depicted on his back with horses, hounds and huntsmen.
George never expected to be king but became heir to the throne when his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, died from pneumonia.
Eighteen months after his brother’s death, George married Albert Victor’s fiancee, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, known as May. Their marriage took place on July 6, 1893 at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, London.
He became king of the United Kingdom upon the death of his father, Edward VII on May 6, 1910.
George V and Mary of Teck were crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions at Westminster Abbey in London on June 22, 1911.
During World War 1 George V and Queen Mary set an example of quiet determination.
On July 17, 1917, King George V issued a proclamation stating that the male line descendants of the British Royal Family would bear the surname Windsor. The king was of German paternal descent and the name was changed from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor in 1917 because of anti-German sentiment in the British Empire during World War. He chose Windsor because of the royal family's ties with the English town.
After the war, George V's reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism and Irish republicanism, all of which radically changed the political landscape. His policy of reconciliation helped to unify the British people.
King George had a pet parrot named Charlotte. The bird had a free run of the palace and learnt to say rude words. George used to upset the Queen by encouraging the parrot to walk across the breakfast table.
After the war, George V's reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism and Irish republicanism, all of which radically changed the political landscape. His policy of reconciliation helped to unify the British people.
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| The Badge of the House of Windsor |
King George had a pet parrot named Charlotte. The bird had a free run of the palace and learnt to say rude words. George used to upset the Queen by encouraging the parrot to walk across the breakfast table.
When breakfasting at Buckingham Palace — 9am on the dot — King George was accompanied by Charlotte, who walked along the table digging her beak into the boiled eggs. Sometimes she pooped and he would guiltily cover the mess with a silver mustard pot.
After breakfast, with Charlotte on his wrist, George would stroll outside for a smoke before training his binoculars on a house a mile away in Mayfair. There his favorite grandchild, Princess Elizabeth, would wave to him from the balcony.
George V had a simple, Bible-based faith, which included reading a chapter of scripture every night until the end of his life.
Rudyard Kipling wrote the first ever King's message on Christmas Day 1932 for George V, an epic speech of 251 words. Just before the broadcast, the king fell through his wicker armchair. He exclaimed "God bless my soul!" and delivered his lines.
Twenty million people across the British Empire heard the first Royal Christmas Message given by George V.
At the time of his death in 1936, King George's stamp collection was so large that it had its own room in Buckingham Palace.
After months of ill health, by January 20, 1936, King George V was close to death. His physicians, led by Lord Dawson of Penn, issued a bulletin with words that became famous: "The King's life is moving peacefully towards its close."
Dawson hastened the King's death by injecting him with 750mg of morphine and 1000mg of cocaine, enough to kill him twice over. He later noted that he acted to preserve the King's dignity, to prevent further strain on the family, and so that the King's death at 11:55 p.m. could be announced in the morning edition of The Times newspaper rather than "less appropriate ... evening journals."
Dawson hastened the King's death by injecting him with 750mg of morphine and 1000mg of cocaine, enough to kill him twice over. He later noted that he acted to preserve the King's dignity, to prevent further strain on the family, and so that the King's death at 11:55 p.m. could be announced in the morning edition of The Times newspaper rather than "less appropriate ... evening journals."
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