George VI

The specimen Portraits His Majesty George VI & Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

This stamp was published in the year 1939.

George VI

Reign              -  11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952

Coronation     -    12 May 1937

Predecessor    -    Edward VIII

Successor       -    Elizabeth II

Spouse            -  Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

Issue                -  Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon


George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India (until 1947), the last King of Ireland (until 1949), and the first Head of the Commonwealth. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth  (who succeeded him as Queen Elizabeth II) and Margaret.

Story behind George VI coronation
On 20 January 1936, King George V died and Prince Edward ascended the throne as Edward VIII. As Edward had no children, Albert was the heir presumptive to the throne until his then-unmarried older brother had any legitimate children, or died. George V had severe reservations about Edward, saying, "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne." Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to marry his mistress, the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. Edward had been advised by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin that he could not remain King and marry a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. Edward chose abdication in preference to abandoning his marriage plans. Thus Albert became king, a position he was reluctant to accept. The day before the abdication, he went to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child."

Eventhough there is no clue about the announcement of succession of power to Queen Elizabeth II, this stamp wondered me why it contained QE II in the year 1939. There is no official announcement for succession, so i was wondering all about the year 1939. Queen Elizabeth II's parents took a tour for Canada and USA, so she was in charge of the country. May be thats why a stamp bearing their portraits and year 1939...

Tags: George 6, Queen Elizabeth 2, Canada 1939