Prince Albert (later George VI)

Older sibling: Edward VIII Born: Dec. 14, 1895 Place: a cottage on Sandringham Estate, the royals’ country home in Norfolk Name speculation: There was none. He was born on the anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather, Prince Albert, the much-loved husband of Queen Victoria, so his name was a foregone conclusion. Succession at birth: Fourth. He was born when Queen Victoria, his great-grandmother, was still on the throne. “Bertie” became king after the deaths of his grandfather and father, and the abdication of his older brother, King Edward VIII. Scandal: He was overshadowed by his brother as a boy, and a stammer discouraged him from standing up for himself. “Perhaps as a result of the frustration this caused, he was disobedient, temperamental and quarrelsome, and very unwilling to concentrate on his lessons,” Clear writes in Royal Children. There were concerns that Albert might not be successful in the role of king, Harris says. Legacy: As a typical second son in a royal family, Albert had a career in the Royal Navy before he had to take over the throne. In a story made famous by the movie The King’s Speech, he worked very diligently on his public speaking. And in a 1939 royal tour, he crossed Canada by train, the first time a reigning monarch had visited the country. The crowds were enthusiastic and turnout was splendid. “He really came into his own during the Second World War,” Harris says. At a time when many members of Europe’s royal houses had to flee into exile, he insisted on remaining in Buckingham Palace, which was bombed during the Blitz.