# George VI becomes king (1936)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1936-george-vi-becomes-king
Categories: ruler-change

Edward's younger brother unexpectedly inherited the crown. Within the broader Early 20th Century & World Wars period, mass democracy, the two world wars, Irish partition, economic crisis and the rise of Labour remade the political and social order. This event is placed at 11 December 1936 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. George VI became a symbol of national continuity during the Second World War.

## Why it matters
George VI became a symbol of national continuity during the Second World War.

Ruler at the time: [George VI](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-vi)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — George VI becomes king](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=George+VI+becomes+king&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — George VI becomes king](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=George+VI+becomes+king)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history)
- [The National Archives — twentieth-century resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)