I’ve always been crap with history but!

[Snap8TheCat]

How could I not have realised we had another king between Edward VII and Edward VIII?

So it goes Edward, George, Edward, George?

I blame the fact that none of them use their bloody real names! How confusing.

Genuinely thought Edward VII was Edward VIII and George VI father. I know nothing!

British history is a nightmare of people inheriting titles and changing their names.

I’ve never been too interested as it’s so much to remember but ds2 absolutely loves history so I’m trying to brush up.

The really interesting thing about the Edward name is the gap in Edwards since Edward VI, son of Henry VIII. And no more Henrys after number 8.

It does feel a bit as if it goes Victoria -> Mike from Neighbours aka Edward VIII -> Queen's Dad aka Colin Firth -> Elizabeth

But in reality:

• Victoria
• Victoria's son, a bit like Prince Charles hangs about for years to be king, lasts 9 years (Edward VII). Married to Queen Alexandra
• George V - on the throne for 26 years but doesn't seem to have made any impression until his doctor decided to kill him so it wouldn't be announced in the evening news. Married to Mary of Teck (Eileen Atkins in The Crown)
• Edward VIII - useless
• George VI - Colin Firth
• Elizabeth

I thought it was

Victoria
Edward VII
Edward VIII
George VI
Elizabeth II

George VI seems like he was a lovely man and I can see why Queenie hated her uncle for feeling like he killed him with the stress of making him king.

Can I also ask- is the reason the coronation isn’t done until many months later because it takes time to organise and because it seems a bit insensitive to a potentially grieving monarch? Or is there another reason?

It takes months to organise .
Just for added confusion Edward VIII was David and George VI was Albert (Bertie). I've heard a suggestion that Charles be George VII when he ever becomes king but can't see that happening ??

Wasn’t Edward VII Albert too?

Yes Snap, he was Albert Edward, known as Bertie - bloody confusing !

Now I know why I didn’t take history gcse! It’s so confusing 😂

And Queen Victoria was Alexandrina

I've got a fabulous book which is all about royal babies and therefore Kings and Queens. Who married who. Who had babies with who. How they died etc etc. Can post a link if anyone's interested.

Ooh yes please! Is it a children’s book? As in does it explain things really s l o w l y. I need that.

Ooooo. Excited. Didn't think I'd get a yes. it's n a kids book but it's easy reading, not heavy at all. I'll get the link now, hang fire.. 🤴 👑

You need the Horrible Histories Kings and Queens of England song

vimeo.com/117881372

Next time you go to an English Heritage property, buy a ruler with all the "rulers" since William the Conqueror. And watch the brilliant Horrible Histories skit that lists them all in a song.

voila

To help you, the suggestion is that Charles will change his name when he gets the job.

no more Henrys after number 8.

James I's eldest son was Henry, but he died before he became king. We had Charles I instead. That ended well.

George V may not have been a glamorous or charismatic character, but he wasn't a nonentity. He wasn't the eldest son. He was following a Naval career when his brother died and he became heir to the throne. Then from the moment he succeeded to the throne he had to deal with a constitutional crisis that had started in his father's lifetime. He did whatever he could to support the troops in WW1. And notably, among the great monarchies that entered the war, he was still on his throne at the end of it.

Isn't prince Harry actually Henry then? I know it's pretty unlikely he'll be King though, but Henry VIII was 2nd son.

I seriously doubt that Charles will take any other regnal name when he becomes king. I think he may have floated the George idea to please the queen mother when she was alive. But he has been known as Charles for so long that I think he will probably want to use that name.

Haha I live in the most famous bloody town for our royal history (and current) and I really feel I should know this shit.

Yes, Harry is really Henry.

Prince Harry is actually Henry, but there would have to be some kind of awful disaster for him to become King now that he’s 5th, soon to be 6th, in line.

But the present Monarch didn't change her name, did she? She was Princess Elizabeth then Queen Elizabeth. Or is she secretly called Sharon?