 |
| George VI and his Queen,
Elizabeth, in London during the Second World
War |
| 1952: King George VI dies in his
sleep |
England have
His Majesty, King George VI, has died peacefully in his sleep at
Sandringham House.
The official announcement from Sandringham, given at 1045 GMT, said the
King retired in his usual health, but passed away in his sleep and was
found dead in bed at 0730 GMT by a servant.
He was 56, and was known to have been suffering from a worsening lung
condition.
Princess Elizabeth, who is at the Royal hunting lodge in Kenya,
immediately becomes Queen at the age of 25.
She has been informed of her father's death, and is preparing to return
to London, but a thunderstorm has delayed the departure of her plane.
She is expected back tomorrow afternoon, when she will take the Royal
Oath which will seal her accession to the throne.
The cabinet met this morning as soon as the Prime Minister, Winston
Churchill, was informed of the news, to discuss the constitutional
implications.
The House of Commons has also been suspended as a mark of respect.
Before MPs adjourned ,
Prime Minister Winston Churchill offered their condolences, saying, "We
cannot at this moment do more than record the spontaneous expression of
grief."
He is due to make a broadcast to the nation at 2100 GMT tomorrow.
As the news of the King's death spread, all cinemas and theatres
closed, and BBC programmes were cancelled except for news bulletins. Flags
in every town were at half-mast, and sports fixtures were cancelled.
A crowd began to gather outside Buckingham Palace during the afternoon,
as diplomats from around the world began arrived in official cars to write
their condolences in the visitors' book.
By 2100 GMT the police had to press the growing number of mourners back
from the gates and on to the pavement. Despite the bitter cold and rain,
the silent, weeping crowd stayed until long after it grew dark.
The news was greeted with shock and grief throughout the world. In the
United States, President Truman, in a formal statement from the White
House, paid tribute to the King.
He said, "He shared to the end of his reign all the hardships and
austerities which evil days imposed on the brave British people.
"In return, he received from the people of the whole Commonwealth a
love and devotion which went beyond the usual relationship of a King and
his subjects."
Both the US Senate and the House of Representatives voted to adjourn
out of regard for the dead King.
The body of King George is to lie in state in Westminster Hall from
next Monday, 11 February, until the funeral.
