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straits. Public confidence was wan–
ing. Disillusionment was setting in.
Abdication seemed inevitable.
Two New Klngs In One Year
After Edward did abdicate on 11
December, 1936, bis brother
Prince Albert, the Duke of York,
became George VI. Three British
kings occupied the throne in 1936.
Not since 1483 had the English
two new kings in one
year. lt remained for the
new king to restore confi–
dence. War clouds were
looming in Europe.
Steady leadership was
sorely needed.
Humanly speaking,
George V1 seemed ill
suited for this great con–
st itutional office. He
tended to be shy and re–
tiring with a frustrating
speech impediment. He
lacked the natural confi–
dence of bis brother. He
had never been Prince of
Wales. His training was
royal, but not obviously
directed to future king–
ship.
The King himself told
Lord Mountbatten: "This
is terrible, Dickie. I never
wanted this to happen.
l'm quite unprepared for
it. David [as Edward VIII
was known to bis family]
beth Bowes-Lyon was ideal for the
role of future Queen Consort.
The Duke ofYork proposed twice
in the early 1920s-and twice he
was put off. His intended wife was
re1uctant, but he was one of those
men who can only !ove one woman.
The Duke knew she was right. He
persisted! She surrendered!
In Winston Churchill's words:
"1 married and lived happily ever
In the days of the Abdication
her." Elizabeth brought efferves–
cence and a fresh spirit into the
Royal Family. Her marriage be–
carne a model. The Duke and
Duchess' behavior was above re–
proach-and in sharp contrast to
that of the Prince of Wales.
George V was increasingly dis–
pleased with bis eldest son-and
increasingly pleased with Prince
Albert and Elizabeth. Marriage to
Elizabeth was bringing
out the best in the Duke
of York. He even began
to conquer bis stutter.
They rehearsed bis
speeches together.
Anne Morrow has
written: "The Duke and
Duchess of York were
basking in an aura of
achievement in the sum–
mer of 1927. They won
the hearts of the people,
and the regard of that
stern taskmaster, the
king" (page 68). Perhaps
they were being prepared
for what Providence knew
was to follow. A decade
passed and they carne to
the throne.
The New Klng and Queen
It was the 10th of Decem–
ber, 1936-the day before
the Duke of York offi-
has been trained for it al!
bis life, whereas l've
never seen a State paper.
l'm a naval officer. lt's
the only thing I know
about"
(Majesty.
page
127). Mountbatten did
not agree. He answered:
in 1936, confidence in
English royalty had waned. Yet the
royal biographer Anne Morrow
could happily report:
cially became the new
King. On that day the
Prime Minister, Stanley
Baldwin, said in the House
ofCommons: "The Crown
in this country through the
centuries has been de–
prived of many of its pre–
rogatives, but today, while
that is true, it stands for
" George, you're wrong.
There is no more fitting
preparation for a king
than to have been trained
in the Navy."
"George VI and his Queen were to
save the monarchy."
more than it has ever done
in history.
The impor–
tanceofits integrity is, be–
yond all question, far
Sometimes human beings are
called to take on roles for which
they may appear unsuited. Conven–
tional wisdom may say, "No." Cir–
cumstances often dictate, "Yes."
Most possess unrealized resources
that have never been fully tapped.
The Duchess of York
But George VI had married the
right girl in bis youth. Lady Eliza-
S.ptember 1986
after." This saying sums up the
Duke's marriage.
lt
was storybook
in every sense of the word.
The Royal Family accepted Eliz–
abeth Bowes-Lyon at once. Wrote
Anne Morrow: "He [George V]
sounded surprised that the hesitant
Bertie [as bis family called him]
sbould have found such a winner"
(The Queen Mother,
page 25,
1984) . More importantly, "There
was not a hint of scandal about
greater than
it
has ever been
...
the
guarantee in this country, so long as
it exists in that integrity, against
many evils" (Parliamentary De–
bates, Commons, 5th Series, 1936-
1937, emphasis ours).
How did George VI and Eliza–
beth together save the monarchy?
By their integrity!
Public roles and prívate inclina–
tions must match up. They did in
(Continued on page 24)
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