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List of titles and honours of George VI facts for kids

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King George VI (14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) received numerous decorations and honorary appointments, both during and before his time as monarch of the United Kingdom and the dominions. Of those listed below; where two dates are shown, the first indicates the date of receiving the award or title, and the second indicates the date of its loss or renunciation.

Titles, styles, and honours

George VI Manchester City Hall 20051020
A foundation plaque at Manchester Town Hall records the titles of George VI as King-Emperor
Quick facts for kids
Styles of
King George VI
Royal Cypher of King George VI.svg
Reference style His Majesty
Spoken style Your Majesty

Titles and styles

George VI was from birth a Prince of the United Kingdom, and was subsequently created a royal duke. It was as a duke that he succeeded his brother, King Edward VIII, to the throne.

  • 14 December 1895 – 28 May 1898: His Highness Prince Albert of York
  • 28 May 1898 – 22 January 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Albert of York
  • 22 January 1901 – 9 November 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Cornwall and York
  • 9 November 1901 – 6 May 1910: His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Wales
  • 6 May 1910 – 3 June 1920: His Royal Highness The Prince Albert
  • 3 June 1920 – 11 December 1936: His Royal Highness The Duke of York
  • 11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952: His Majesty The King

Titles vested in the Crown

Certain titles are borne and held by the reigning sovereign.

Isle of Man Isle of Man
  • 11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952: His Majesty The King, Lord of Mann
England Church of England

Other titles traditionally attributed to the reigning sovereign are Duke of Lancaster, to reflect that the Duchy of Lancaster is a private estate of the sovereign, and Duke of Normandy in the sovereign's capacity as head of state of the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey.

Titles held personally

George VI has held certain titles in a personal capacity, either by virtue of birth, or otherwise.

Flagge Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha (1911-1920).svg House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • 14 December 1895 – 17 July 1917: Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony
Commonwealth of Nations

Title in the dominions and India

The Dominions were self-governing entities which had the as their respective head of state the same person as was the British sovereign. These Dominions typically used the style and title of the sovereign as proclaimed in the United Kingdom, which, from the reign of Edward VII came to include the phrase, “and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas”, signifying their reign over said Dominions. However, the sovereign reigned in these Dominions in a capacity independent from their position as monarch of the United Kingdom, similar in meaning and usage to, but not the same as modern-day Commonwealth realms, in that they lacked a separate title for each Dominion, until the reign of Elizabeth II. George VI's reign in the Dominions does not completely match his reign in the United Kingdom and his role as monarch in the Irish Free State is debated.

Per the terms of the Indian Independence Act, the imperial title was to be abolished. However, George VI issued a royal proclamation for that purpose and to that effect only on 22 June 1948, effectively reigning as king in the newly created Dominions of India and Pakistan whilst still bearing the imperial title for himself and his consort.

The title of Kaisar-i-Hind was coined in 1876 by the orientalist G. W. Leitner as the imperial title for the sovereign and was also employed in an official capacity, most notably to denote Crown property in India. This title continues to persist as a placeholder to the modern day in official records dating to the British era, despite the prohibition and deprecation of the use of the said title and all its variants for any and all purposes. Its usage is to be so understood as to denote the Government of India per the relevant provisions of the Government Grants Act, read alongside and in the context of the Transfer of Property Act and the Repealing and Amending (Second) Act.

Military ranks

United Kingdom United Kingdom
Australia Australia
  • 2 June 1938 – 6 February 1952: Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Australian Navy
  • 2 June 1938 – 6 February 1952: Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force
  • 2 June 1938 – 6 February 1952: Field Marshal, Australian Army

Foreign honours

Appointments
Country Date Appointment Post-nominal letters
 Russia 5 June 1917 – 14 September 1917 Knight 4th Class with Swords of the Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir
 Italy 11 August 1917 – 2 June 1946 Knight of the Military Order of Savoy
 Yugoslavia 1918 – 2 December 1945 Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the White Eagle
 France 1919 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour
 Denmark 30 November 1920 – 6 February 1952 Knight of the Order of the Elephant RE
 Romania 18 October 1922 – 10 September 1944 Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Carol I
 Norway 26 April 1923 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav StkStOO m kjede
 San Marino 20 February 1937 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross of the Civil and Military Equestrian Order of Saint Marinus
 Sweden 10 May 1937 – 6 February 1952 Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim RSerafO
 Thailand 2 February 1938 – 6 February 1952 Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri MCK
 Portugal 2 May 1939 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross of the Riband of the Three Military Orders BTO
Yugoslavia 19 July 1939 – 2 December 1945 Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Karađorđe
 Netherlands 1 July 1946 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross of the Military William Order MWO
 Monaco 13 November 1947 – 6 February 1952 Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles
 Denmark 8 May 1951 – 6 February 1952 Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog SKmd
 France 2 April 1960 (posthumous) Member of the Ordre de la Libération

Freedom of the City

Commonwealth realms

Honorific eponyms

A number of geographical features, roads, and institutions are named after George VI. These include King George Hospital in London; King George VI Reservoir in Surrey, United Kingdom; King George Highway and King George Boulevard in Surrey, British Columbia; Kingsway in Edmonton; George VI Sound in Antarctica; and the King George VI Chase, a horse race in the United Kingdom.

The fourth future Dreadnought-class submarine will be named as HMS King George VI.

See also

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