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George V.
1910.

George Fifth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the seas; King, Defender of the Faith, and Emperor of India, is the second son of the late King Edward Vii. He was born at Marlborough House in 1865, and at the age of 12 became a naval cadet. Always a keen sailor, his long practical naval experience has been supplemented by the study of hundreds of volumes on naval subjects. King George was regarded by Lord Fisher as the best informed sailor in Europe. “Any idea that while he served in the Navy he was ‘let down gently’ would be erroneous. When his ship was on a North American and West Indian station an American sought permission to look over the vessel. This was granted, and a young officer who bore unmistakable evidence of having recently taken part in coaling operations showed him round. On returning to the shore in a pinnace the visitor expressed, himself as delighted, but regretted that he had not seen the Prince, ‘But you have been talking to him for the best part of an hour!' retorted the officer in charge. ‘Was that the Prince?' said the American in profound astonishment. ‘No wonder he laughed so heartily when I asked him if they kept His Royal Highness in cotton-wool while the coaldust was flying about”'—Wheeler.

It was intended that H.R.H. should remain in the naval service, but the death of his elder brother transformed him from a promising naval commander to Heir-Presumptive. He then proceeded to thoroughly study Imperial questions, and when in 1893 he became Duke of York and took his seat in the House of Lords he received more pleasure from Parliamentary debates than from Court functions.

In 1893 George married Princess Mary of Teck and in 1901, as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, they visited Australia (where they opened the first Commonwealth Parliament), New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and Newfoundland. On the death of his father in 1910, he became King, as George V. At the end of 1911 he visited India, where he was welcomed with enthusiasm. He was the first British sovereign to visit that country.

The great World War (1914–1918), caused through German hostility to Great Britain and desire for world power, and the “Near East” troubles, of which we all retain vivid memories, was the greatest upheaval of modern times. King George played a worthy part in attempting to obviate the struggle. The failure of his efforts cannot be attributed to any lack of foresight. On several occasions the King personally visited the troops in France, and discussed the situation with the Allied generals.

The patriotic feeling manifest throughout the Empire at the outbreak of the war convincingly proved that Britain's Dominions still remained loyal to the Homeland. “At the outbreak of the war the Germans expected all the Boers to rise against Britain, but they were disappointed. The Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, General Botha, who had been the best Boer General in the Boer war, not only frustrated the uprising of his old comrades, but conquered German South West Africa for the British Empire. General Smuts, another Boer commander, was prominent in the Peace Conference and showed much wisdom in his recommendations.” All the other Dominions gave their best in the great struggle for freedom.

King George takes particularly keen interest in matters affecting the Empire and his foresight and sound judgment have done and are doing much to consolidate his great Common wealth of Free Nations. Practical schemes for social reform have always had the King's unqualified sympathy.