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Edward VIII
King George V dies, and his eldest son ascends the throne as King Edward VIII. -
Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson
Edward invites British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin to Buckingham Palace and expresses his desire to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who has divorced her first husband and is seeking a divorce from her second. -
Prince Albert does not want to be king
The day before the abdication of Edward VIII, his younger brother and successor, Albert, goes to London to see their mother, Queen Mary. He writes in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child." -
Edward VIII abdicates
Edward VIII abdicates in order to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson. -
George VI
Edward VIII's younger brother and successor, Albert, assumes the regnal name "George VI" to emphasise continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy. -
Period: to
King George VI
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George VI's coronation
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Queen Elizabeth II
On the morning of 6 February, George VI is found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. He died from a coronary thrombosis in his sleep at the age of 56. His eldest daughter, Elizabeth, became queen. -
The King's Speech (film)
An interview with Colin Firth on playing Edward VI in The King's Speech.On screen, George VI has been portrayed by, among others, Colin Firth, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The King's Speech, a 2010 film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
