Heir & Spare: Edward & George (2023)

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but heavier is the burden of being next in line. The British Royal family is built on the traditional duty until death.
For every heir to the throne, there is a spare. Edward and George, two brothers - both would become King, but one was never crowned. The early life of the quiet Prince Albert - later George VI - was overshadowed by his gregarious elder brother and heir to the throne, Edward, and his life was shaped by the trauma of a decision that was never his own: his brother’s abdication.
Now, it is George VI we remember for steering Britain through the dark days of the Second World War, defying a debilitating stammer to do so. And it was Edward, the one with the good looks, athleticism and confidence, who was cast out into ignominious exile.
From the start, Edward and George seemed born for their respective roles of the heir and the spare. But the heir was never crowned, and the one who wasn’t born to rule, was destined to reign.
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[@bobacrey1068]

George VI was a man of great courage and did GB proud as our King

[@cjosborne9430]

@@kashfiaislam9995 The ONLY "thumbs-up" was the single one YOU posted with your pathetic original post. It is bad karma (and vulgar) to "like" your own post.

[@jrmckim]

​@@kashfiaislam9995 not a very nice thing to say about someone you never met.

[@kashfiaislam9995]

@@jrmckim I hope King George VI is burning in hell with his dad, King George V, great grandfather King Edward VII, great grandmother Queen Victoria, great great grandfather Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn. 👑💍🇬🇧

[@Prieze868]

Elizabeth Rose lying the Queen mother ruled via king George's ear

[@kashfiaislam9995]

I hope King George VI is burning in hell with Charlemagne, King John I, King Henry III, King Edward I, Margaret Beaufort, King Henry VII, King Henry VIII, Marie de Medici, King Louis XIV, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King Edward VIII, and Prince Philip. 👗👠👑💍

[@kagomefan101]

George VI didn’t want the throne, he only wanted a quiet life with his family but when his selfish brother abandoned his duty and responsibilities, Bertie stepped up and assumed his birthright as the next King should Edward abdicate, even though he didn’t want to. He had to deal with the fallout of the scandal of the abdication and had to be there for his people during WWII. He also had to overcome a lot of personal problems with his shyness and stutter. Thank god for George VI. He was what the world needed during a dark time. Plus, he lay the foundation for his daughter, the late Queen Elizabeth II for a strong sense of duty and service during her reign. Thank you, your Majesty, King George VI. We lost you too soon.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

Selfish? Why is it selfish? Why should he have to be king if he didn’t want to be? The younger brother didn’t want to be king either but he could have abdicated too, if he’d wanted to, but he didn’t have the courage to walk away as well. There are so many Royals that the job could have been passed on to.

[@kagomefan101]

@@Woodman-Spare-that-tree Edward was raised his entire life to be the next king, and he accepted it when it benefitted him, like the wealth, status, women, lifestyle etc. But when it came to actually doing his duty, he never cared about it. And when it came for him to put on his big boy pants and and be a a king, he turned his tail and abandoned his country and responsibilities and dumped them on Bertie without discussing it. That is a textbook coward. Edward never had any spine, and everyone of his personal friends spoke of how selfish he was. Do your research

[@anamairarezendedebritogama3]

Perfect!!! It is exactly as you put it !!!

[@jrmckim]

Or we could let people marry the people they love. You think Charles would choose the throne over Camilla? Not a chance imo.

[@roseanne74]

@@Woodman-Spare-that-tree such an ignorant comment.

[@terrybardy2848]

King George the IV despite having a stammer and shyness did what he had to do when he was suddenly king. He was the king a some people didn't want, but he was the the king that was needed. He helped the people through the Depression and World War Two. As well as being a husband and a father. That's a pretty tall order. But he did quite well. He was at the right king at the right time for all these things.

[@lindaferguson4239]

He certainly was the best king and his brother was nothing like him

[@chrismc410]

You mean George VI aka Albert/Bertie

[@terrybardy2848]

@@chrismc410 He had taken the name George the VI on the suggestion by Churchill that Albert was too German. Because in 1936, Hitler was the dictator of Germany and that time as well his older brother was friendly with the dictator at that time. The ironic thing is his father King George the V has to change the royal family to Windsor because Great Britain was at war with Germany.

[@cjosborne9430]

@terrybardy2848 YOU are describing King George VI. His father was King George V. His father was Edward VII. His mother was Victoria. It got a bit confusing prior to Victoria. In the late 1700s, King George III (the one with lots of mental problems and is credited with "losing America" was King. Then came George IV and William IV (another son of George III) then Victoria. William IV was prior to Victoria. George IV was prior to Willim IV Victoria was his niece. Isn't this fun?

[@MariaMaria-o8w]

@@cjosborne9430 lol, I think you needed to have illustrated the family tree. Well, anyone can google it. It is real fun because they are close related to the late and last Czars of Russia

[@MyTinyBalcony]

George the VI was a beautiful, kind, sweet, generous, inspirational, loving, and very effective king. I am sad that he died way too early.

[@powerofloveism]

Seeing David as the Better looking man is simply a matter of opinion, King George, Bertie was very handsome as well to many, Elizabeth had his smile and his eye's , he lived on through her in some ways and in other ways one can see how he lived on through princess Margaret as well, with her zest for fun and life, both sisters loved one another very deeply yet sibling rivalry took place as one obviously would have liked to exchange lives with thee other even if for only one day , but it wasn't meant to be that way, none the less they never let it destroy their love for one another as sisters.

[@CraftyZanTub]

​@@powerofloveism There was a strong resemblance between David and Bertie, it is the character that was very different.

[@tracybrown2638]

I agree they need to give him his respect

[@tracybrown2638]

@@CraftyZanTubprince George looks like Bertie

[@kashfiaislam9995]

I hope King George VI is burning in hell with Charlemagne, King John I, King Henry III, King Edward I, Margaret Beaufort, King Henry VII, King Henry VIII, Marie de Medici, King Louis XIV, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King Edward VIII, and Prince Philip. 👗👠👑💍

[@SaxonC]

Queen Elizabeth II was an extension of her father on the way she reigned. I’m sure her father George VI, would have been very proud that his heir and daughter, maintained steadfastly for a little over 70 years on the throne.

[@nothing2seehere34]

In a romantic way of thinking I always felt that she did that so that his reign for live on for the amount of time it should have. But again this is a romantic view point.

[@MichaelMeighu]

Good queen. Poor parent.

[@jillosler9353]

​​@@MichaelMeighuDifferent times. Not many women with children had to leave them and go to work - sometimes by ship to the other side of the world! Parents weren't so 'hands on' back then; and I speak from personal experience as I was born the year before King Charles. Only younger 'historians' cannot understand that Prince or Pauper it was 'seen but not hesrd' and hugs were rare.

[@jillosler9353]

@@kashfiaislam9995 Get over yourself - or go live where you obey or get killed.

[@hazelcornell4311]

@@kashfiaislam9995 Any particular reason for that, or are you just a jerk in general?

[@colormetakenaback]

King George was very endearing and humble and dutiful. He seemed so kind and sweet as a dad and so quiet and sensitive. And had such an amazingly sharp woman in his wife, Queen Elizabeth. Edward abdicating was the best thing to happen because he would've been a weak joke and would've dragged the UK down to the locker, Wallis or no Wallis.

[@colormetakenaback]

@@penyistas Yeah I wasn't sure if yt flags for that n word so I didn't mention it. You'd like to think he would've been horrified once he found out what Hitler was really up to but with him on the throne Hitler might've felt like he could just roll on into London on his tanks and stayed awhile. Either way thank goodness he abdicated.

[@glendaeden2501]

Absolutely! He did not want that kind of responsibility but he did want to be the centre of attention.

[@lisafoodie8443]

yep just look at ole sausage fingers today...this matter with harry is just an amplification of ole sausage fingers failings...but then of course the hag that is now his wife wouldnt have it, you know not being queen...remember when she wore white during dianas wedding?sick as...cant wait for prince william to be king...

[@jamieryman]

​@@glendaeden2501I'm not sure that makes fhe best king. Knowing it's admiration for the office as much as the person seems to work best.

[@nancyvillines4552]

And he used her, blinded by the life he led, to get out of being King. People forget that back then a woman's worth was who she married. She was just one of many married women he had. It was accepted in High Society. Expected even if it was the King. He imprisoned her to escape his own prison. Plus, he was not fit to get Englands people through the war. King George was 😊

[@annettemalaski1967]

Edward and Albert's father George V was also a spare. His older brother died before his father.

[@kueta357]

Yes, the future George V was at that time Prince George of Wales and was likewise horrified to be unexpectedly elevated, which just for starters, entailed giving up his naval career and marrying his late brother's fiancée. I can't imagine it would ever have occurred to someone like George VI to shy away from the crown with an example like that from his own father. Especially given that at the time of the abdication, the reluctant Bertie was Duke of York - which title had also been given to his equally reticent father after he suddenly found himself in the direct order of succession .

[@rebeccawright2038]

true

[@jamieryman]

He seemed the quieter more reluctant King William appears to be. Such a blessing!

[@gloriavaldez1560]

Yup queen Mary was his brother's fiance, then after his death. They connected and got engaged and married

[@veronagarland7601]

How intriguing…

[@Pippins666]

"when he died in 1972, he was remembered with respect and love" - NO HE WASN'T! I was 25 then, and it was reported in the papers, but certainly I never saw any outpourings as described. Older people I knew and respected were thankful he had not been king during the war, that Britain had had a narrow escape. ....and talking of memories, amongst my earliest were the visit of Princess Elizabeth to my home town, and listening to the funeral of King George V on the radio, as my mum did the ironing.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

What narrow escape? What rubbish! We should never have got involved in that war in the first place. It wasn’t our business and it destroyed Britain forever afterwards.

[@brianeutzy3376]

Some things stand out in our minds like they just happen. I'm happy Queen Elizabeth II was Queen and I'm happy you got to see all you have! Thank you!

[@leapinglaura7343]

True, and he most certainly is NOT most remembered for his "love" - how absurd!! He's most remembered for his nazi sympathies and his selfish, spoiled brattiness.

[@isabelrogerson5350]

He was a very weak character. Thank goodness he abdicated.

[@Roz-y2d]

Why do people always say he was handsome and charismatic? He was neither. He bullshitted his way though most things as quickly as he could, so he could go back to what he wanted to do. And, he wasn’t handsome, he was just OK looking. As for Wallis, well it was a classic case of biting off more than she could chew. In some ways I feel sorry for her. There are a lot of docs much better than this one, where you’ll get a clearer and more accurate portrayal. These two just skimmed over the event. LAZY!

[@BlueSaphire70]

I have no idea why the former King Edward VIII would find it shocking that his family would not want anything to do with him after he abdicated. Once he abdicated, he was not relevant at all, a fact which he failed to grasp. Given his close ties with Hitler and his ilk, the governorship of the Bahamas was actually more than what he deserved. BTW, he made his brother King George VI pay for the Sandringham and Balmoral estates. Since they're private property, he had inherited them from George V. The Duke of Windsor made King George VI pay through the nose for those properties, as well as give the Duke some extra money because he claimed to be destitute. This claim was later on discovered to be false, and it was one more reason for George VI to keep him at arms' length.

[@santacruzfdp7184]

I read that too...his brother was an asshole...I hope Prince Harry wont pester his brother like that for money

[@Sunny25611]

He was a Nazi sympathizer and as shallow and weak as they come. A man child all his misbegotten life.

[@BlueSaphire70]

@@Joshua-gx5ew I have no knowledge of such an arrangement. I have always read that the personal properties, such as Sandringham and Balmoral as well as jewels and paintings, are inherited by the new monarch and thus not pay taxes. Inheritance monarch to monarch is free from taxation, which is why Edward was able to demand a pretty penny and get away with it.

[@arielsclamshellbra]

​@@Joshua-gx5ewno. Edward could have kept those properties if he wanted, they belonged to him and only him legally, they're not connected to anything political, usually the monarch would leave them to their heir jus because parents leave their property to kids. It was only an issue here because usually when a new monarch, the previous one is dead and left their private property to the new one, but edward didn't die so he sold the private property back to the king for the royals use, but he didn't have to. Things that are owned by the crown aka the government pass from one monarch to the next but it isn't their personal property, it can't be left to anyone but the monarch.

[@share_accidental]

you’d think he’d stop disturbing poor king george vi at that juncture…

[@lizbiedinger9065]

From what I've heard especially from her recently found letters, Wallis couldn't stand Edward. She told her friends she found him childish and boring. She bossed him around berating him whenever possible. Wallis got what she wanted as Edwards's mistress but she realized she was in too deep because of her own doing. They were both pro Nazi and anti Jewish. They visited Hitler etc. They were made for each other rattling around partying and drinking till they grew old and utterly ruined. The Queen Elizabeth 11 had them buried beside each on the grounds of Frogmore at Windsor. The Queen had a forgiving heart towards her Uncle. God rest Elizabeth and Philip and God bless Charles lll, Camilla, William and Catherine. A fitting and beautiful beginning of a new Windsor era.

[@stuartlee6622]

If we could only get rid of Charles and that Poisonous Camilla !

[@zzzbbbooo]

I don't ever think Wallis "couldn't stand" David. Now that we know it wasn't the great love story on both sides that we believed for decades, some exaggerations are becoming to come out. She tired of his over-devotion, his desire to always be with her etc but it wasn't anything approaching hatred though.

[@stuartlee6622]

@@zzzbbbooo

[@jrmckim]

Have you been married more than 5 years? I'd hate to see all the horrible things I've said about my husband to my friends over the years. Yall tend to forget these are normal people... nothing sets them apart from other humans.

[@stephanielekas583]

Thanks ,that was very interesting 👍

[@SuperDls10]

Can you imagine if David had been King during WW2? Great Britain needed Bertie and was blessed by Elizabeth.

[@MichaelMeighu]

yeah - maybe war would have been avoided. And less people would have died. War was not inevitable (and never is) - and the UK was split. Edward was on the side that wanted to prevent war, because like HARRY, he knows what it meant. Saw the front lines himself. But we live in a culture that vilify people who don't beat the war drums as traitors, and we glorify the war folks as heros. It will be the death of us eventually. Edward went against the establishment, married for love, was an independent thinker, and they (establishment) vilified him until his grave and beyond. Edward did visit Germany before war broke out - as did many British people, INCLUDING people in Churchills cabinet against his wishes, trying to find a way out. HINT: Wallace was banished from the throne for far less than Camila. Edward could have pulled a Charles and been dishonest and married who the public wanted, sent that person to a living hell, and kept having an affair with Wallace on the side. But he was honest and had integrity. AND he made his intentions CLEAR BEOFRE the crowning. Did Charles have that integrity? Nope.

[@gloriag1888]

Total disaster and as demonstrated by his German visit , was a Nazi saluting fascist!

[@susanyoung5447]

OMG! It would have been the USA against the world. Hopefully, Canada would have stood by us and left the Empire.

[@MichaelMeighu]

@@susanyoung5447 or Germany would have crumbled which it probably would have anyway. There’s only so many countries you can occupy before it all falls apart.

[@susanyoung5447]

@MichaelMeighu So very true. I would rather have your scenario than mine.😟

[@gloriag1888]

The handsome, dutiful George VI, is forever remembered by history and the people of the UK/Empire, as a great, popular King 👑 and effective military leader in its moment of gravest danger. His early death at 56, is a real tragedy. 👏🏾

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

Handsome? 😂

[@donnamack6797]

Very handsome!

[@jamieryman]

He seemed to be the right man for the job. Prince William seems reluctant, like his grandmother & her father. I think that personality does better with the crown 👑 love that Prince George is carrying on the name ❤

[@ksc743]

His death was a tragedy, but it gave us HRH Queen Elizabeth ll for 70 wonderful years👑❤ I miss her reassuring presence.

[@rosemiller8425]

He was an abuser!

[@gennarojg3]

H. M. George VI (Bertie) & H. M. Edward VIII (David) were very close. They were born 19 months apart & both were close until this all started with Wallis Simpson. H. M. George VI was thrust into a position he did not want, but took up reluctantly, but made himself a Pro in a very short time. My maternal grandfather served with him in the Battle of Jutland in WWI. They remained friends & wrote one another. In WWII my grandpa fought again & got to see the King. My grandfather always said, "Bertie was down to earth and cared sincerely, but David was the opposite. He made fun of Bertie & if he wasn't who he was I would've socked him in the jaw. David was selfish. He cared about himself." My grandpa said, "Their father, H. M. King George V predicted on many occasions in these words, 'Thank God for Bertie & Lilybet. They'll pick up the pieces of what David destroys after I'm gone!' He was right.

[@spiritcreek9813]

He (David) is also quoted as describing the youngest John as an animal. Sterling character David🙄.

[@lindaferguson4239]

Thank you so much for sharing this. You are so fortunate to have a grandfather that passed on his life stories. What an amazing man. 🙂

[@lindaferguson4239]

@@spiritcreek9813 I agree. Poor little John. 🥲

[@brianeutzy3376]

The PM, knew he and wally where 'unclean' so to speak. And one who says hitler wasn't a "bad chap" isn't any king or person I would want near me.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

Close yet he ridiculed his brother? Doesn't appear all that amicable and when David needed something from Bernie the latter said no backed up by his social climbing wife Elizabeth. There is no way in the world Liz wud have curtsied to David's eventual wife. Liz probably hated David far more than the other woman since the ascension put her Bernie in a position she was not bargaining to encounter when she consented to the marriage after three asks.

[@Sunny25611]

George was not just shy he was intelligent and deep. The crown always lands on the right head! God Save the King ❤

[@kashfiaislam9995]

I hope King George VI is burning in hell with his dad, King George V, great grandmother Queen Victoria, great great grandfather Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn. 👑💍🇬🇧

[@alanbeattie1470]

You do not say why you are being viscious. Care to do so?@@kashfiaislam9995

[@CraftyZanTub]

How do you explain King John then?

[@kashfiaislam9995]

​@@CraftyZanTub I hope King John I is burning in Hell with his direct descendants King Henry III, King Edward I, Margaret Beaufort, King Henry VII, King Henry VIII, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King Edward VIII, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip. 👗👠👑💍🇬🇧

[@glen7318]

any reason why you hvae these nasty wicked wishes@@kashfiaislam9995

[@plasmichoneytrip]

We give thanks to King George because he produced an heir who became the best monarch of all time so far, Queen Elizabeth II. I believe that QEII had a very solid reign inspite the challenges. She saved the monarchy and became a leader to emulate with her soft power.

[@H1X2N4]

Elizabeth II was not the greatest monarch but the longest lived monarch.

[@edwardslicker6126]

​@@H1X2N4Who is better?

[@kashfiaislam9995]

I hope King George VI is burning in hell with his dad, King George V, great grandmother Queen Victoria, great great grandfather Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn. 👑💍🇬🇧

[@Prieze868]

You are aware that the correct bloodline from the 1600s is Mr Hastings from Australia

[@talesfromtheleashexpatdogl1426]

She passed the crown to a man who needed his child bride dead in order to ascend and she's enabled pedophiles. Enablers are not good people

[@catbyte0679]

I think that if Edward hadn't abdicated because of Wallis Simpson, he would've found some other excuse. He loved the perks but hated the responsibility. It worked out for the best because Edward would've been a disaster as king during WWII.

[@xquisite7791]

I agree. I think he used Wallace as an excuse to get out of a job he didn't want.

[@skyjust828]

"king" Edward VIII was a "man-child" he had the worst Peter Pan sindrome ever ! Wallis was his mother figure (Wendy). Elizabeth was Queen from back stage until Wallis died FINALLY HRH Elizabeth II totally ruled❤❤❤ that's when she was able to grant her children to divorce & marry their true loves (except Prince Andrew who divorced his true love & cohabitated with his true love!). The then Prince Charles loved Dianna in a phileo love but his true love wasn't allowed to marry until Dianna was killed. Dianna was Queen of Hearts to the world. Prince William will be King of the Common Wealth & Prince Harry is now either Prince or King of Hearts. There I said it 😁👍❤

[@deegeeEdits]

I doubt it. He was raised as one. He had the confidence and he was very popular as the prince of wales.

[@NicotineRosberg]

Wallis gave him great head & she was clean shaven. A rarity back then

[@jshipp5469]

His father refused to really deal with him cuz he was too modern for George v. And George v was very cold with his children so there was always rebellion to it

[@jplattet]

George Vi's reign was the most consequential of the 20th Century even though it was short. In 15 years the man accomplished steadying the Crown after the abdication, being the wartime King during WWII, supporting his wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, dealing with the Labour landslide after the war and the establishment of the Welfare State. That is a lot. And George VI was not a pushover. He was a serious King. His accomplishments as Sovereign rival those of Victoria. Full marks.

[@trevorcook9680]

What do you mean dealing with the labour landside

[@MemestiffGaming]

In late 1945, shortly after VE Day, Churchill was soundly defeated by the Labour government headed by Clement Attlee. This came as a shock, as Winston had just been the PM who won the largest war in human history.

[@jplattet]

@@MemestiffGaming It was a shock result to a lot of people all over the world, but it was what it was.

[@auntkaz815]

He also taught his daughter about duty and prepared her for her incredible 70+ year reign.

[@elainemoreland3908]

I have much respect for King George. Like his daughter Queen Elizabeth, he did his duty. I find him more handsome than Edward

[@acustomer7216]

I also find George VI more handsome. Edward may have been the dandy but he seemed to me to have a petulant look.

[@Sunny25611]

I agree!

[@share_accidental]

me too

[@MichieHoward]

Preach! George was much more handsome than Edward!

[@mothermovementa]

He was hot

[@svm3224]

Actually, Mrs. Simpson did us all a favor. We got exactly the king we needed for WW2! Edward XV111 was a living argument against monarchy and for republicanism.

[@erpollock]

The Queen Mother always blamed Edward VIII's (David) abdication for her husband's (Bertie's) early death. George VI was thrust into a war no one but Churchill had anticipated. The tension of a war right in the middle of London, that threatened invasion, led Bertie to too much smoking and he died in his 50s of lung cancer. So Queen Elizabeth, the young Queen's mother, never forgave David.

[@stephaniewilliams168]

Yes george VI died too young. The war and the stress drove him to an early grave

[@Ettibridget]

Apparently she wasn't too bright.

[@LL-ft9oz]

​@@Ettibridgetyeah You are not too bright

[@marshalutz2561]

It has been said that Her Majesty did forgive her Uncle David for what he did however much all of these publications and movies are made only The late Queen and the late Duke of Windsor will know what was said when she went to visit him during her trip to France before The Duke passed away.

[@jrmckim]

He had cancer... lung cancer at that. Lung cancer has the highest rate of death even now. I lost a friend to nslc (non smoking lung cancer) 2 weeks ago. I have stage 4 ovarian cancer and could never blame anyone for it. Of course stress isn't good for it but neither are smoking and alcohol!

[@Romcom356]

David was not his “nickname”, but the last of his given names and the one chosen to be in everyday use by his family.

[@i.p.956]

George VI is what the country needed during the war. Edward VIII may have been like a "movie star" to the public but he would have been e disastrous king during the war. Considering Edward most probably couldn't have children, Elizabeth would have still become Queen but wouldn't have had her dutiful father to teach her how to be a ruler.

[@truffles2721]

Wallis was infertile and too old to have children.

[@jrmckim]

As far the stammer goes, Ive read much research on lefthandness. I was born in 1988 and Im left handed. Even in the early 90s teachers tried to make me write with my right hand. Once they saw how stressed I got about it, they allowed me to use my left hand. I cant imagine the torment Albert went through. Back then lefthandness was seen as bad luck. Im sure they were very forceful in making him use his right hand. That could've lead to the stammer.

[@loriboufford6342]

A quick birth, often the second birth for the mother, causes a sense of lateness in the child, this causing them to rush their speach

[@Samueldonovan2007]

If you have watched the crown, it’s crazy how much the guy they got to play Edward looked like him

[@charlottepriest2409]

Yes quite amazing ! The whole cast of the Crown have a slight resemblance, and mannerisms of the part they played, I'm thinking of the young Princess Di. was pretty good , the older one sorta good as well. Yes the actor who played Edward looked exactly like him as you say ! Wallis Simpson was very well cast too, that was easier with clothes , makeup! fashions of the time, for her to look like Walliis .

[@calistafalcontail]

@@charlottepriest2409 But the actor who played King George didnt look like him at all. He was short and chubby. George was tall and slender.

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

Yes he does.... yet the 2 men that played Charles not even close

[@annettemalaski1967]

The fact that Edward kept weasling money from George after the abdicatiion; it may have been the last straw for George.

[@sheilasullivan1950]

Well, King Charles 3rd is suffering the same with Harry. Never enough money.

[@JiminPalmSprings]

No… When Edward the eighth became king, his brother George did not become the spare… He became the heir

[@cjosborne9430]

@JiminPalmSprings. And, from January of 1936 until December of 1936, Princess Elizabeth became the SPARE!! For 11 months. Cool, huh?

[@sheenleng4096]

Heir Presumptive to be precise.

[@cjosborne9430]

@@sheenleng4096 WRONG! If you are going to be persnickety, that would be Heir Apparent (to be precise). FYI: The term "Heir Presumptive" is ONLY used for FEMALES (in those years when males took precedence over females). Therefore, the word is now obsolete in this context.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

A spare is a sibling, not another on the assumption line. Liz never was a spare. Margaret would have become the spare.

[@Parismel]

You mean Albert/Bertie. They had a brother named George but he was never heir or spare.

[@janetaylor7357]

I remember King George vi with respect and confidence in his ability to keep us safe. Unfortunately his speech impediment was embarrassing to me when I heard him making a speech on the wireless or the newsreels at the cinema - I was too young to appreciate his obvious distress when speaking in public. I was born in 1935 and grew up during the Second World War but seeing him on newsreels and hearing him on the wireless made everyone feel safe - our king was there for us and that was very comforting. He and the Queen ( who became Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) gave everyone confidence that Hitler would be defeated - his brother would not have done that and, as it has now become known, he was a traitor to this country so we have much to thank Wallis Simpson for her influence on him - albeit unintentionally!

[@rachelhenderson2688]

My mother used to say that she and her sisters used to hold their breath when he was speaking, if he got to a word or sound that caused him problems, until he got past it.

[@mariabusold3809]

Prinz Edward the youngest brother of King Charles looks remarkable similar to his grandfather King George

[@carolw32]

Prince George reminds me of his great great grandfather George VI. I think he favors him in looks and temperment.

[@anamairarezendedebritogama3]

England was soooo lucky of having a dutiful, responsible, correct king as George VI ! The WORLD was lucky for that, as well!!!

[@chloehall4270]

I can’t believe Edward VIII was considered such a heartthrob. By today’s standards, he is short, slight and looks like a weakling.

[@calistafalcontail]

Right. George was tall and had a more masculine and interesting face. Edward looks more like a cold lizard.

[@kataisa3]

Right!? King George 6 was so much more attractive. And you can see intelligence and kindness in his eyes, whereas Edward looked exactly like the narcissistic, spoiled weakling that he was.

[@Glitteringmoonstone2022]

King George VI was a great king and great father. He deserved to live a longer life but his reign was great for what was needed. He succeeded by his daughter who had the longest reign of any monarch ever I known he was by her side until the end.

[@meg3460]

George Vl was a wonderful King. One of the very best. He was very diligent and very brave. We all missed him very much when he suddenly died.

[@electraruby]

It amazes me when its said that Edward was more attractive than his brother. I don't see it like that. George was far more attractive.

[@share_accidental]

me too, & that’s me purely seeing their faces while ignoring their personalities

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

They look like twins

[@brianeutzy3376]

You lose some...and then you WIN a lot. I'm happy it turned out the way it did. May our late Queen rest in ever lasting peace, and Long Live Our King and His Queen! God Bless Us All...or not its your choice.

[@buddhidev7877]

I think George VI knew in his heart that one day he might become the king because his brother was childless but he didn't think that time came too early.

[@ZenaidaRoxas-yk8pp]

Edward VIII is not kingly, haha! It's George VI who is truly kingly in every way. Committed, dutiful, patriotic. And good looking.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

None of the RF is good looking.

[@rebeccawright2038]

​@@Woodman-Spare-that-treelooks are not important. character is!

[@Farrah300]

Both brothers were handsome, but I'd take loyalty to country over looks any day.

[@anamairarezendedebritogama3]

True!

[@glen7318]

rubbish, there are lots of royals who are good looking, including George VI@@Woodman-Spare-that-tree

[@roweng.4245]

My grandmother (born in 1897) never referred to Mrs. Simpson as anything but "That Woman".

[@gloriag1888]

Most of the UK/Empire citizens also did😝🇬🇧

[@mothermovementa]

😂

[@zzzbbbooo]

For a long time, she was looked on as the bad woman who lured Edward VIII away but it was really the other way around.

[@allegra0]

@@gloriag1888 me too in 2024.

[@cassandranewby]

Just an American here, but I did have a friend in the Department of State who knew the Windsors. She described them as being bored to death with each other, not the great love story I had read as a little girl.

[@jrmckim]

Many couples are bored to death with each other... it part of growing old.i wish I had some one to be bored with.

[@SandraMirembe-f9z]

This is what's going to happen to Harry and Meghan

[@mimibaird4099]

you are wrong about the prince Albert. Bertie. was a great man with solid character, not a play boy like his brother. he was a serious man with great heart and loving heart. Goerge is dignified. wonderful man.

[@killerwhale-pb2hg]

Thank you Edward VIII. Because of him we got 2 of the best monarchs ever in British history if not all of global history.

[@aprilsky8474]

I think King George VI was far more handsome than the self absorbed Edward. I also notice Edward stuttered if you listen to him in interviews.

[@jomc7425]

I think Bertie's taking the name George as his name when King had more to do with showing continuity with the reign of his father than anything to do with Prince Albert. Prince Albert never reigned - he was the consort.

[@LL-ft9oz]

Consort??? You need to look up the word in the dictionary before you use a word you obviously don't understand

[@jomc7425]

@LL-ft9oz Perhaps you should look the word up. Consort has different meanings depending on how the word is being used. I'm using 'consort' as a noun, not a verb. As a noun, consort is a wife, husband of a reigning monarch. Prince Albert was the Prince Consort. That was his official title. "Albert was formally titled "HRH Prince Albert" until, on 25 June 1857, Victoria formally granted him the title Prince Consort."

[@laurag7295]

Bertie was much more handsome than David, in my opinion

[@macharrington7733]

They both had that heavy smoker look about them...

[@carolcrawford9137]

Edward/David did not MERIT the regard he demanded. He blamed his brother, and later his niece, for the insults he bore. He earned the contempt and degradation.

[@share_accidental]

he did?! the audacity…

[@lindakahler4799]

As a speech pathologist I can say that studies regarding stuttering reveal cases of abuse, parental alcoholism, fetal alcoholism, smaller larynxes, and neglect. This information was revealed during a three day seminar at MD Anderson in Houston

[@mickeyirani]

👍 iagree with u, in this case i strongly felt the stuttering was caused by parental abuse, but refrained from mentioning it as watching this documentary did cause some pain and left me feeling sad. Thank u for yr detailed information.

[@calistafalcontail]

I have no idea why Edward was called so good looking. George had a much more elegant, interesting and warm face. He was tall and more masculine but still graceful. This chick in the documentary who defends Wallis is very weird. She seems to ignore alot of things.

[@pierremainstone-mitchell8290]

A really good video. I still remember when the Duke of Windsor died A large picture of him was displayed in one of the windows of Myers, one of the largest department stores in Melbourne, with the message "With fond hearts we will remember him".

[@elizabethblas4186]

Let's also not forget that Wallis was not in love with Edward, and called him something akin to Peter Pan. She was also having an affair with a higher ranking Nazi officer and was sharing important information from the government documents that Edward was letting her read.

[@martavdz4972]

Has that been proven, though? All the info I found says this is just an unproven theory.

[@blahblahblahblah729]

​@@martavdz4972all the info i found says that it's confirmed.

[@sassygrammy1258]

Great Britain should thank Walis every day. If David had not abdicated, Brits would have had the equivalent of Harry for King.

[@TX1961]

I highly recommend this book that I am reading: "The Marriage That Saved The Monarchy: George VI and Elizabeth" by Sally Bedell Smith. In this book, I was surprised to learn that Tommy Lascelles apparently had something in common with Oscar Wilde.

[@nothing2seehere34]

Thank you very much for the book reference, I love getting them to expand my "worthless and only I care knowledge" hahaha I'll look for it. It doesn't surprise me that Tommy has something in common with OW. Thanks again. I have a few books I could recommend but they are about Diana, PoW and some don't like that subject.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

Did he also go to France to outlive his days in excitement? Lol.

[@cjosborne9430]

@TX1961 I am a serious writer and researcher. I would NEVER waste my time with fiction. Those authors are so desperate to "turn a buck" that they do zero research (or they suspend belief) so that their money-grubbing efforts are pathetic fables. You are content to believe fantasy while I continue the search for truth.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

@cjosborne9430 what some ppl want to read is best left to themselves without trying to hinder. Great you are a bastion of truth, don't get it wrong on behalf of your own integrity. Leave it to others to determine on their own the plausibility of truthfulness. Even the dead cannot keep secrets and that is when some things speculated emerge.

[@Dragonomics42]

And you were surprised by this?

[@elizabethgatesdodge8320]

I thought Kings Edward and George had a younger brother, the Duke of Kent, who was a pilot in WWII and killed in a crash in Scotland. So George wasn't the only brother in that branch to see active duty.

[@urskaska]

3 brothers. and a sister, Princes Mary. Youngest, John, was epileptic and died in childhood. Then there were Gloucester and Kent. Kent died in the war, Gloucester after the war, in 1970s. He was a father of present duke of Kent and Micheal and Alexandra. Gloucester was father of present duke of G.

[@donnamack6797]

George was a noble, elegant, wonderful man. And, I think, quite handsome. His older brother was a silly fop and a completely shallow human being. I never understood his popularity.

[@helenweatherby1694]

Edward was a spoiled brat, George VI was a hero. He overcame his difficulties, and was a marvellous figurehead during the war. It’s all very well criticising the parenting skills of George V and Mary, but this was the way things were done by aristocratic and upper class families in those days. We know better now, so we do better.

[@lillianbuchanan2316]

This woman continually refers to George 6th as not being handsome like Edward. King George VI was far more stately, handsome and King like than Edward, the traitor king.

[@calistafalcontail]

I think so too! Edward looked more like a cold lizard.

[@amypresley2228]

This woman was obviously an Edward sympathizer. From what I’ve seen and researched, Edward want so beloved. I believe she has a crush on Edward.

[@karinmccarthyeliz]

Oh,how history changes after time. Keep it real. Thank you

[@yortsemloh1156]

I always thought GR VI was far better looking than Edward.

[@josephfreedman9422]

I believe this is a fair introduction to the personalities of the royals involved. I believe the issues involving Edward were rather complex and so were the reasons for the abdication. Anna Pasternak touches on them and so (and justly so) they are only alluded to here. One caveat I raise is the notion that Buckingham Palace was bombed with some kind of inside knowledge. Everything I have read about bombing in World War II indicates that no one at that time had the capacity for precision bombing. So I suspect this was luck, and not planning.

[@martavdz4972]

Yes, this seemed to me the weakest spot of the documentary, basically just assumption not based on facts.

[@oriontaylor]

Hitting a specific building at that time required a combination of luck, extraordinary skill, and low altitude. That particular historian alleging inside knowledge is almost certainly far off base.

[@clah399]

I'm sure Edward was a traitor. While all those British people were being killed, he only cared about Wallis.

[@cra0422]

Two brothers born into royalty. Neither wanted to be king. One ran away from his responsibilities and is considered an embarassment. The other reluctantly accepted his responsibilities and is regarded as one of his nation's greatest monarchs.

[@fauziahnurizzati2424]

I'm curious with those people who don't like George VI back then, saying he lacked charisma and glamor. Why are those elements necessary? And George VI far more handsome than his brother.

[@j.h.1753]

I will never understand the fuss about Edward. I think he was quite awkward and definitely had weird political an moral standards. I think we have to be "thankful" to Wallis Simpson. Historically and also character wise, Edward would have been a very bad King.

[@trajancanada]

This is one of those turns in history which feels almost like providence. King George VI was the monarch needed at that crucial time, just as Churchill was the political leader required.

[@vonitabynoe4766]

Looks aren't everything. Edward was vacuous, self-indulgent, irresponsible.

[@calistafalcontail]

Am I weird for thinking George looked more handsome than Edward? Edward looked more....lizard like and cold.

[@Sassyvibes06]

​​@@calistafalcontailno for me king George VI was the most handsome brother of all........

[@havingalook2]

Well done, some very interesting insights. Good telling of our contemporary history.

[@ruthash9516]

King George was the best king in the world ordinary person did extraordinary thing took the world out of the WWII

[@1962pjh]

He was much more handsome than his weird older brother, too.

[@laurag7295]

A hero, is just what you stated.

[@cjosborne9430]

@ruthash9516 Please identify them by roman numeral. You are speaking of King George VI. But, his father, (George V) was King during WWI and changed the House name to Windsor (removing it from a Germanic name of honor) and caused many items, buildings, places, (to be associated with the name "George V" in much of Europe. (King George V was monarch for 25 years; King George VI was monarch for 16 years.

[@madisworld]

Albert was the best king because he took his job seriously

[@marthamin5352]

Beautiful person our #SUGA!!! I'm happy when he interviews women. I am also happy to meet his female friends and know that they love him and take care of him. Thanks to the excellent actress 이성경 for taking care of our #SUGA.

[@piscesempress1978]

what does this have to do with the British Royal Family? Suga? wtf are you talking about that dog eater, from BTS?

[@ayakasalih4189]

Mary of Teck had very strong genes 😮😮😮

[@heatherchandler1184]

All the way down to Lady Louise lol

[@helencourtnell5621]

I think it is interesting to note that George VI's father, George V, was also a 'spare' - his older brother Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, died before both his grandmother, Queen Victoria and his father the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII. It is a bit surprising that, given his experience, George V didn't consider 'training' Bertie up for potential kingship given the fact that George V himself was thrust into kingship as a 'spare'.

[@share_accidental]

yeah, it’s peculiar

[@markmode2568]

David acted liked a love sick Puppy. He needed to grow up.

[@DuffyGuerreroBooks]

This Spare had character, unlike his brother.

[@juneallison2148]

Echos: History repeating itself now in my opinion!

[@patricebest545]

Worked out for best! King George! Wonderful daughter QE! Say Wallis no book no running down RF! Unlike present MM!!!

[@colleenoehme240]

Coronated??? CROWNED!!!

[@PoserAddictsLLC]

In agreement... Coronated just isn't a word in English, at least not in this context. A monarch will have a Coronation ceremony when they are crowned, and that is the only correct term.

[@arunamahendradissanayake8084]

Eventually, the throne passed to Right persons. Amazing story amazing truth.

[@clintgreggory2549]

I 'remember' Edward VIII as being a petty, small minded , anti semetic , racist , selfish , dutiless , and self absorbed traitor. In this way , he does resemble his great great nephew Harold , Duke of Delusion. King of duplicity.

[@dottiejarrett6896]

WOWWWWWW, THAT PART!!

[@here_we_go_again2571]

I don't think that Edward viii was duplicitous. If he had been so, he would have: 1.) Made a show of breaking up with Wallis, be crowned. And a year or so, after Wallis' divorce, brought her back as his mistress. Maybe even marrying her (Although that would have taken some big cojones!) OR 2.) Got himself married to a young naive girl to breed her (wrecking her life) and kept Wallis on the side. Wallis was perfectly happy being the mistress. She had an open marriage. David (Edward viii) was indulging her every whim. Her husband's career was doing fine because of favors to him by people who knew the king (he was considered a good businessman; but it was the Great Depression)

[@grtlyblesd]

There were actually 3 times when there were 3 monarchs in a single calendar year. Not all that shocking.

[@lynettefinnigan9540]

Yes.. I too have often noticed the similarity between the two....right down to marrying narcissistic, dominating, demanding, controlling divorced Americans.

[@andyroo9381]

@@grtlyblesd And you don't name those times?

[@miketackabery7521]

Of all the video material I've seen on this subject, this I think is the best. Thank you for producing it.

[@beulah3484]

Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh, looks a lot like George the 6th..

[@cjosborne9430]

@beulah3484 He should, George VI is his grandpa.

[@beulah3484]

@@cjosborne9430 i know that!! silly

[@beulah3484]

He is Charles and Andrews grandfather too, they look nothing like him !

[@heatherchandler1184]

Edward is a dead ringer for Queen Mary (Teck)

[@wruszka]

@@beulah3484 Andrew looks a lot like his grandmother, the Queen Mother. And Charles is 100% a Mountbatten, similar to his paternal grandmother's siblings.

[@johnkeller6063]

George was a great king. Edward was a failure in waiting.

[@share_accidental]

well said!

[@calistafalcontail]

You know what, even though I have alot to say about Edward too, sometimes we should remind ourselves that we werent born with this massive burden of the crown. Its not a job you apply for and then change your mind...you are born into it and you have no say about your life. That is brutal and if Edward would have stayed as the king, he would have x-ed himself from depression at some point. We never walked in their shoes. We can chose who we wanna marry, we can chose our jobs and we can life as we please without cameras on us and the newspapers writting about us....he also had a very abusive childhood.

[@ludovica8221]

Also I think George 6th was MUCH better looking (and taller) than Edward 8th Anyone who thinks Edward and Mrs Simpson were better looking than Bertie and Elizabeth needs their eyes testing

[@elizabethhopkins7582]

I think that the young David was far more handsome than Bertie. George, Duke of Kent was the most handsome brother. Neither Wallis or Elizabeth were beauties.

[@heatherfeather1293]

Oh I definitely think George was better looking. I find Edward repugnant after finding out how he cozied up with Hitler and ENCOURAGED the Germans to bomb his homeland. How much of a narcissistic jerk do you have to be?!?!

[@kittykatz4001]

@@elizabethhopkins7582Yeah. Both brother’s wives were not good-looking women and QM was no oil painting either.

[@cjosborne9430]

@ludovica8221 Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. And, by looks alone, David and Wallis were MUCH better looking. She had style and he had fine, delicate bones. They were both very "tiny" people who many said were like a cake topper. I'm biased because a very good elderly friend was close friends of the Windsors. They danced in his ballroom in NYC and he dined with them at their home in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. He first met David in the 1930s, when he was Prince of Wales, and sailed with them on the Nahlin in 1936, cried when he abdicated, and remained close until the Duke died in 1972.

[@ludovica8221]

@@cjosborne9430 Have to disagree with you but hey, each to their own I guess, Personally I agree Wallis was stylish, but I have always thought her quite remarkably ugly, but clearly she knew how to catch her prince and keep him

[@RecordGuy2024YT]

george vi wasn’t expecting edward to do it has soon has he heard what edward had done he sobbed and told his wife i’m just a navy officer something like that but his wife comforted bertie and he took the role seriously edward didn’t take his job seriously he left private things on purpose for people to see if edward hadn’t done it George wouldn’t be king at all he even had therapy for his struggle to speak

[@cjosborne9430]

@RecordGuy2023YT Let's not make the Queen Mum out to be a hero. She was MEAN and NASTY and JEALOUS and ACQUISTIVE. She can't help part of it, she was a "child of adultery" who had to pretend her family was perfect, while being forced to lie. COA's are always horribly jealous. That also never goes away. The lying and the jealousy and feeling left out. That is what their parents forced them to do, in certain Royal and aristocratic families. What she did to Philip, Charles, and Anne is unforgiveable. What she did to the Queen is both hateful and sick. Thank heavens for the "functionaries" (the men in grey) who kept it all running. When you start studying, funny things crop up. For example, from January 1936 until December of 1936 (eleven months) Princess Elizabeth was "the Spare." Then again, Prince William was "the Spare" for 40 years, from 1982 until 2022. Yet, some people STILL think that Harry was a "Spare." HE NEVER WAS!!!! William was "the Spare" for all o Harry's life (until last year, so Harry was NEVER the Spare. NOTE: Harry can't read or write, so it is difficult for him to understand many things.

[@RecordGuy2024YT]

@elizabethmalpas8410what

[@barbarahoughton58]

george6was a good king and thank god he brought the UK through the world war2give his daughter Elizabeth a good education and values he did so good and what a wonderful king

[@share_accidental]

wow…

[@wittyoneification]

The "Dickens Christmas", reference missed the mark...Christmas's spent with Edward 7 and Queen Alexandra WERE warm and enjoyable Ed and Alex were warm and loving g-parents.

[@plantlady59]

Exactly! This author gets a lot wrong.

[@cjosborne9430]

@wittyoneification "Ed and Alex!" Just WHO in the world do you think you are??? (Nothing "witty" in making a demeaning hash of the proper names of Edward and Alexandra.) They are ancestors of both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Are you going to refer to them as Betsy and Phil?" TRY to develop a sense of decency, honor and/or respect.

[@CraftyZanTub]

Little Prince John was also very much a presence at those Christmases.

[@urskaska]

@@CraftyZanTub what good would make him having an attack or two or three during dinner?

[@CraftyZanTub]

@@urskaska Prince John was made very much a part of the family, and during holiday dinners, the RF had the resources to deal with an attack should it come without an embarrassment to either Little John or other members of the family who knew his medical situation. However, the RF kept John out of the public eye that was often insensitive and judgmental. John's life I think was extended by being kept away from the hairy eyeball of the public.

[@buddhidev7877]

I'm glad the UK had George VI, his consort and children during WWII, not Edward VIII and his wife.

[@joycedegolier2375]

I don’t think it’s possible to grown up with people bowing/scraping to you from day one and believing you’re superior and not be a mixed -up narcissist of an individual. They have no real understanding of regular folks.

[@CraftyZanTub]

King George had the common touch, even though he was born and raised in the palace.

[@zzzbbbooo]

How do you know this?

[@CraftyZanTub]

@@zzzbbbooo I've been watching too many documentries.

[@crystalglopez91623]

Zara is her great grandfather’s spitting image ! 😍

[@longingheart6620]

You are omitting crucial chsrzcter information. Edward (David) only had relationships wuth married women which is how Wallis even came into his circle. She did not want to marry him but he was very insecure and would not have made a good king. His Nazi sympathy was ill founded. Even Wallis referred to him aa Peter Pan. Thank the Lord divine intervention changed things. King George VI was a good father and husband and king. I think you're missing a lot.

[@longingheart6620]

Agreed. He was not God's choice.

[@ramal5708]

The first he was a reckless, playboy and self centered person plus he's living a fancy life, the other was cautious, family and great parent, frugal, but in spite of all that he was reluctant in claiming the throne.

[@Swhoney2]

ok aside from constantly repeating restating things in this from ea interviewee, this was decent to watch.. I respect the British Monarchy greatly.. and this is why I'm so embarrassed by Markle's behavior and accusations towards the RF.. her whole platform is so degrading and unacceptable that I, as an American, denounce her.. I am so very sorry for her behavior and offer this to the Brits on behalf of America.. ❤️🙏❤️ ❤️🇺🇸❤️🇬🇧❤️ 🕊️🌍🕊️ from a Texan~~

[@monicalynne8177]

This was a very interesting documentary, there was a few bits I didn’t know before.

[@jjamesfraley2903]

I was going to write a book called Spare Me but everyone said I would be competing with Harry's Book. I said there is nothing wrong with a little friendly family competition. lol.

[@jjamesfraley2903]

Oh! Sorry. I forget no one is suppose to know about us. The forgotten Royalty on the other side of the pond. lol.

[@LisaKayser-z3t]

It’s a good thing that Edward abdicated. He wasn’t fit to be king. Thank God his brother became king!

[@autumninvirginia1229]

First IMO George VI was much more handsome than his bratty older brother. Also more intelligent and decent. Second Bertie like his oldest daughter did his duty with discipline and grace. Both sacrificed their personal dreams all because if a brat. Sadly Margaret became the out of control hedonist for George VI, however he did not live to see what a hot mess Margaret Rose became. For Queen Elizabeth II IT WAS Andrew. Thank God George VI was King, it is terrifying to contenplatecwhat would have happened if Edward had been king with his trollop during WW.II. David and his social set were hedonistic , self indulgent a d lacking in character as well as devoid of decency. It is sad in view of a cache of Wallis' letters that made it clear that Wallis not only did not love him, she had real contempt for him. At least Bertie was loved and respected by his wife.

[@kate2create738]

I like to think of George VI and the longest reigning British monarch the late Queen Elizabeth as the beloved monarchs, it seems like a fitting title they earned to be the beacon of faith and hope during the world’s darkest s moments. George VI the Beloved along with his daughter Elizabeth the Beloved.

[@CraftyZanTub]

The apple didn't fall far from the tree.

[@JohnAsmith-rw6uo]

Harry Truman said it best George is worth two Eds. There is no excuse to be sucking up to the Nazis.

[@kamirobey175]

I personally think that King George VI was one of Great Britain's greatest Kings, not only because he was the Monarch during one of the most dangerous periods in World history, but also because of the way he came to the throne. Unlike with King Henry VIII and King George V, two kings who went from Spare to Heir upon the deaths of their older brothers, but had years in which to come to terms with the new path their lives would take, King George VI was thrust into the job of King without any preparations. King George VI never wanted to be King, never expected to be King and was devastated when his brother made the decision to abdicate, and yet, he went forward and led his people with a calm dignity and determination during one of the darkest periods in world history. He refused to leave London during the Blitz and along with his wife Queen Elizabeth, let the people know that they were all in this together. Never in the history of Great Britain has the Crown been set upon the head of a Monarch who was as ill prepared for the job he was given, and yet in my opinion, never has it fit so perfectly. I think had he reigned longer than 15 years, King George VI would have gone down in history as one of the greatest Kings in history. To see what kind of Monarch he would have been, had he lived, all we need to do is look at the life of his greatest legacy, his daughter Queen Elizabeth II, who is most likely the greatest Queen the world has ever seen. She was his greatest legacy.

[@peterpisspotty3052]

Wallis didn't want the little wimp

[@ChicaG-vg7pj]

About 30 yrs ago, I read a very well researched book about the Queen Elizabeth. It was recognized from her early childhood that she had the makings of a great monarch. The book did say that Elizabeth's grandparents bemoaned the fact that she was the daughter of the spare and not the heir. I do wonder if during all the goings on with Eddie and Albert that the long view was to get through a tough time to get to ERII. If that was so, The Queen definitely proved herself to be worthy of those with the machinations and power to get her to the throne.

[@judyevancic4926]

Edward gave the kingship. So he no longer had the influence over being a Monarch.

[@charlesmaurer6214]

I think history will show many of the best Kings or Queens will be any spare that never expected to be crowned. They often served in ways that the primary hier is never allowed to.