From midshipman to king
Born on 3 June 1865 in London, George was the second son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. As the son of the Prince of Wales, George was His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales from birth.
When George was twelve years old, he joined the Navy training ship HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, Devon. From 1879, when he was fourteen, he served as a midshipman on HMS Bacchante. They toured colonies in the Caribbean, South Africa and Australia, and visited Virginia, South America, the Mediterranean, Egypt and the Far East.
After the death of his brother in 1892, George gave up his naval career and was created Duke of York by Queen Victoria. He married Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, known as May, in 1893, and they had five sons and a daughter. On 22 January 1901, George's father became King Edward VII.
Shortly afterwards, George and May toured the British Empire. They visited South Africa, Canada, Newfoundland, Australia and New Zealand. In November, George was given access to state documents by his father, who wanted to prepare him to become king.
When his father died in 1910, George became King. His coronation was held on 22 June 1911. George continued his reign throughout the First World War and changed the name of the British Royal House to Windsor because of anti-German feeling.
George was seriously injured on 28 October 1915 during the First World War when he was thrown by his horse at a troop review in France. He was also a heavy smoker, which caused recurring breathing problems. He never fully recovered and died on 20 January 1936.
