Posted by Seventy years ago today, King George VI died and his daughter, Elizabeth, began her reign as Queen at the tender age of 25.
The Queen’s accession as it happened: Death of King George VI and the dawn of a new monarch in real time
6 FEBRUARY 2022 • 6:00PM
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Seventy years ago today, King George VI died and his daughter, Elizabeth, began her reign as Queen at the tender age of 25.
Elizabeth and Prince Philip had been relaxing at a game-viewing lodge in Kenya thousands of miles from home at the time of the King’s death, unaware that their lives had changed forever.
After making the solemn trip home, Elizabeth took her first steps on British soil as Queen and found a nation in mourning.
Her Majesty has gone on to become our longest-serving monarch and the first in history to reach the milestone of a Platinum Jubilee.
Back in 1952 live blogging did not exist, but now, seven decades later, we can revisit the day’s events as they unfolded in real time.
Read on to learn about how the day unfolded when Princess Elizabeth became Queen.
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The King’s death is announced in the evening papers
The front page of the London Evening Standard said: “THE KING IS DEAD: Peaceful end in his sleep.”
“The Evening Standard announces with deep regret that the King died early this morning.
It was announced from Sandringham at 10:45 that the King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.”
US Senate and House of Representatives adjourn to mark death of the King
As a mark of respect to the passing of King George VI, both the US Senate and the House of Representatives have voted to adjourn.
President Truman has issued a formal statement from the White House in tribute to the late 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.”
The new Queen departs Kenyan soil
The plane finally leaves the airport, en route to Entebbe. The BBC’s Frank Gillard, watching the Queen’s departure, said it was so dark that they were ‘lost to sight almost at once’.
Royal party arrives at Nanyuki Airport
The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and the rest of the royal party arrive at Nanyuki Airport. Most decorations had been pulled down before they arrived, but Union Flags were nailed to posts and couldn’t fly at half-mast.
The new Queen leaves the Royal Lodge
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh leave the Royal Lodge, starting out on the 37 mile journey to Nanyuki Airport.
PM offers condolences in the Commons as Parliament is suspended
The Prime Minister has offered his condolences at the Commons this afternoon following the death of King George, before Parliament was suspended.
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Winston Churchill said: “We cannot at this moment do more than record the spontaneous expression of grief.”
Speaker Morrison, upon adjourning the House, said: “It having pleased Almighty God to take His Mercy Our Late Most Gracious Sovereign Lord King George of blessed memory.”
He is not expected to return to the Commons until this evening, when he is expected to hear the oaths of the other members of the House to the new Queen.
All sports fixtures suspended except for the FA Cup
Sporting fixtures, including rugby and hockey matches, are suspended following the death of the King.
The four scheduled FA cup matches will go ahead as planned.
Sebastopol Bell tolls at Windsor
The Sebastopol Bell has begun to ring at Windsor Castle to mark the death of the King. The bell – which sounds upon a royal death – is to ring 56 times to mark each year of the King’s life. The bell is set to ring until 2:22pm.
The bell is situated on the North Terrace of Windsor Castle, and one of two bells which were taken from the Church of the Apostles in Sebastopol, Crimea, at the end of the Crimean War in 1856.
Crowds gather to read the news
The BBC reflects on the news
From Nairobi, the BBC’s Frank Gillard files a report:
“How tragic to think that even this morning, as she sat at breakfast, talking about her father, and proudly describing how bravely he’d stood up to his illness, how well he’d recovered – sitting there in her yellow bush shirt and brown slacks – even at that moment her father was lying dead and she had succeeded to his vast responsibilities.”
Plans are made for the Queen to return home
Arrangements are made for the royal entourage to begin the arduous journey from the Aberdare mountains back to London.
The new Queen takes a walk
Following an emotional walk in the grounds of Sagana Lodge with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II returns to her desk to write telegrams cancelling the remaining engagements of her Commonwealth tour.
Crowds gather in London
Flags across the nation are lowered to half-mast. Crowds begin to form outside London’s royal residences.
Foreign diplomats make their way to Buckingham Palace to officially express their nations’ condolences.
The Duke of Edinburgh breaks the news to the new Queen
The BBC’s radio report is relayed to the Sagana Lodge (the farm given to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present by the Kenyan government.)
The Duke of Edinburgh finally breaks the news to his 25-year-old wife.
When her father had died, the new Queen had been asleep above ground in the Treetops Hotel, 20 miles from Sagana.
The news still hasn’t reached Princess Elizabeth
A telegram is sent to Government House in Nairobi, but cannot be decoded because the keys to the safe holding the codebook are unavailable.
Princess Elizabeth, now the Queen, is unaware that she has acceded to the throne.
The BBC breaks the news
The BBC’s John Snagge breaks the news of the King’s death on the radio with the following statement:
“This is London. It is with the greatest sorrow that we make the following announcement: It was announced from Sandringham at 10:45 today, February 6, 1952, that the King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep earlier this morning.
“The BBC offers profound sympathy to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.
“The BBC is now closing down for the rest of the day, except for the advertised news bulletins and summaries, shipping forecasts and gale warnings. Further announcements will be made at 11:45, 12:00 and 12:15pm.”
Lord Charteris hears the news
Princess Elizabeth’s private secretary Lord Charteris is informed of the King’s death by a press agent in Nairobi, but has no official confirmation yet.
Official statement is made
An official announcement is released by Sandringham at 10:45am, which press agencies are permitted to release.
The official statement reads: “The King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.”
Princess Elizabeth, who is in Kenya with the Duke of Edinburgh, is still unaware of the news.
Cabinet is called
A cabinet meeting is called to discuss the constitutional issues arising from the monarch’s death.
The Privy Council meeting, automatically summoned on the death of the Sovereign, is known as the Accession Council.
Sir Edward Ford arrives at No 10 to deliver the news
Ford tells Winston Churchill the “bad” news about the King. “Bad news?” replies the Prime Minister. “The worst!”
A courtier heads to Downing Street
Sir Edward Ford arrives at No 10 to deliver the news.
The family is informed of the King’s death, apart from Princess Elizabeth
Mr Ford is also instructed to “Go and tell Mr Churchill and Queen Mary”.
The King’s code word is announced
Sir Alan Lascelles, the King’s private secretary, calls Edward Ford, the assistant private secretary in London, with the code word for the King’s death: “Hyde Park Corner.”
The Royal Surgeon declares the King is dead
Dr James Ansell, the ‘Surgeon Apothecary’ to the royal household, is called to Sandringham and declares that the King is dead.
King George VI’s lifeless body is found at Sandringham
Having received no reply when knocking on the door, James MacDonald, the royal valet, enters the King’s room and finds his lifeless body at around 7:30am.
