Sixty-eight years ago this month, King George VI died and left behind a legacy as a ruler who upheld the crown through scandal and war — despite never wanting to ascend to the throne.
And, of course, with his death came the start of a new monarch’s reign: that of his firstborn child, Queen Elizabeth II. She succeeded her father when she was 25 years old and now, at age 93, the Queen is the longest-reigning British monarch in history.
George’s story has been immortalized in movies like the Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech” and Netflix’s “The Crown,” but you may not have the full picture of his history-making life.
Here are six things to know about King George VI:
He didn’t want to be king
Albert Frederick Arthur George was born in December 1895, the second son of King George V. Known to the family as Bertie, George was shy and perfectly content to not be the heir apparent to the throne.
