King George VI

Hello! My name is Albert Frederick Arthur George, but my family always called me Bertie. I was born on December 14th, 1895. I was a prince, but I never thought I would become the king. That was a job for my older brother, David, who was next in line for the throne. When I was a boy, I was very shy. I also had a stammer, which means my words would get stuck sometimes when I tried to speak. It made talking to new people very hard for me, and I often felt nervous about it.

When I was a grown man, my father, King George V, passed away. My brother David became the new king in 1936, and he was called King Edward VIII. But later that same year, he decided he did not want to be the king anymore. All of a sudden, it was my turn to lead the country. On December 11th, 1936, I became King George VI. I was very nervous to take on such a big job, especially because of my stammer. But I knew I had a duty to my country and I had to be strong for my people.

A few years after I became king, a very big war began in 1939. It was called World War II, and it was a frightening time for everyone in my country and all over the world. My wife, Queen Elizabeth, and I made an important choice. We decided to stay in our home at Buckingham Palace in London, even when bombs were falling on the city. We wanted to show our people that we were not leaving them and that we were all in it together. One of my most important jobs was to give speeches on the radio. I wanted to give everyone hope and courage. It was not easy for me to speak, but I practiced over and over again until I could deliver my message clearly to everyone listening.

My wife and I had two wonderful daughters named Elizabeth and Margaret. After the long war finally ended in 1945, I kept working hard to serve my country and help it heal. I lived to be 56 years old. When my time as king ended in 1952, my older daughter, Elizabeth, became Queen Elizabeth II. Today, I hope people remember me as a king who was dedicated to his job and kind to his people. I showed everyone that even if you are afraid or have a challenge like my stammer, you can still be brave and do great things for others.