George VI

Despite his struggle with a crippling shyness and sense of inadequacy, exacerbated by the stammer that was the focus of the Oscar-winning film The Kings Speech , George VI rose to challenges before him. His marriage to the self-assured and supportive Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons and his unexpected accession to the throne in 1936 changed the direction of the young princes life for good. Once on the throne, it was he who bore the weighty responsibility for restoring the nations confidence in their monarchy following his elder brothers abdication and for maintaining morale during the darkest days of World War II, when, together with Winston Churchill, his dignified presence functioned as a beacon of reassurance to civilians and military alike. Denis Judd provides a fascinating, if sometimes controversial, reassessment of the man who, quite unexpectedly, came to occupy an extraordinary position in a time of unprecedented change.

Denis Judd is Professor Emeritus of Imperial and Commonwealth History, London Metropolitan University and Visiting Professor at New York University in London. His books include Empire; The Lion and the Tiger: the Rise and Fall of the British Raj; Balfour and the British Empire; and others.  He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Foreword to the new edition * A Royal, and Deprived, Childhood 1895-1908 * The Naval Cadet 1909-1913 * The Royal Navy 1913-1917 * Further Education 1918-1920 * The Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons 1920-1923 * Duke at Work: Industrial Relations * The Duke of Yorks Camp * Wider Responsibilities, Lionel Logue and the World Tour 1924-1937