The six children of King George V and Queen Mary all lived to maturity
except the youngest, Prince John. The eldest, who was Prince of Wales
and heir to the throne, reigned as King Edward VII for less than a year.
His infamous romance with Mrs Simpson plunged the country into the
abdication crisis and led both of them into a long period of exile. King
George VI, who reluctantly and unexpectedly ascended to the throne, was
a shy man, handicapped by a speech impediment and a sense of his own
inadequacy. However, together with his Consort, Queen Elizabeth, and the
Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, he gave the nation spirited guidance
throughout World War II. Both surviving younger brothers served in the
armed forces during war-time. Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was Governor
General of Australia from 1944-6 and crowned his military career with
promotion to the rank of Field-Marshal. George, Duke of Kent, an officer
in the RAF, was tragically killed on active service in 1942. The only
sister, Mary, Princess Royal, worked both as a nurse, and a royal
embassador abroad. This book tells the story of the family.
