George VI

George VI was born on December 14, 1895 at York Cottage, on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, UK, to Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V) and Duchess of York (later Queen Mary). Born on the 34th death anniversary of his great-grandfather, Albert, Prince Consort, he was baptized as 'Albert Frederick Arthur George', and was commonly known as 'Bertie' among friends and family.

Second child of his parents, he had an elder brother, Edward VIII; one younger sister, Mary, Princess Royal; and three younger brothers, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester; Prince George, Duke of Kent; and Prince John. He was fourth in the line of ascension for the throne, after his grand-father, father, and elder brother.

Described as a frail child, he suffered from ill health, especially chronic stomach problems, was easily frightened and prone to tears, and had developed a stammer that troubled him even after he ascended the throne. He had knock knees, for which he was forced to wear painful corrective splints, and despite being naturally left-handed, he was also forced to write with his right hand.

George VI entered Royal Naval College, Osborne, as a naval cadet in 1909, and despite finishing at the bottom of his class in the final examination in 1911, progressed to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. After completing his education, he served on the training ship HMS 'Cumberland' in the West Indies and on the east coast of Canada for six months in 1913.

He later joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman aboard HMS 'Collingwood' on September 15, 1913, and spent three months in the Mediterranean. After the First World War started, he served as a turret officer aboard 'Collingwood' in the indecisive 'Battle of Jutland', which was the largest naval action of the war against the German navy.

He had to withdraw from the war because of a duodenal ulcer which forced him to undergo operation in November 1917. Later in February 1918, he was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service's training establishment at Cranwell.

Two months later, after the Royal Air Force was established and Cranwell was reassigned from Admiralty to Air Ministry responsibility, he moved from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force. Till August 1918, he served as Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell.

In August 1918, he completed two weeks of training at the RAF's Cadet School at St Leonards-on-Sea, following which he received command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing. With this, he became the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot.

George VI became infatuated with married Australian socialite Sheila, Lady Loughborough, during his early youth. However, his father persuaded him to stop seeing her by endowing him with the Dukedom of York. In 1920, he was re-introduced to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, whom he had not seen since his childhood.

Immediately infatuated with her, he proposed to her twice; first in 1921 and second time 1922. But, she rejected her proposal both the times, as she was reluctant to make the sacrifices necessary to be included in the royal family. After she finally agreed to his proposal, they were married on April 26, 1923 in Westminster Abbey.

George VI and his wife Elizabeth had two daughters, Princess Elizabeth, born on April 21, 1926, and Princess Margaret, born on August 21, 1930. Princess Elizabeth later became Queen Elizabeth II and married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark.