GEORGE V. (GEORGE FREDERICK ERNEST ALBERT), King of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British dominions beyond the seas, Emperor of India. He was born in 1865. Following the death of his elder brother he became direct heir to the throne. His choice as a career had been with the navy, which he entered in 1877, studying at Greenwich and becoming, successively, lieutenant, captain, rear-admiral, and vice-admiral. After the death of his brother he became betrothed to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, who had been the fiancée of his brother, and they were married in 1893. Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the acces sion of Edward VII., he journeyed round the world, making addresses in the vari ous British colonies. He then was offi cially installed as Prince of Wales, and took the part previously taken by his father in assisting at various public ceremonies and representing the royal family. After the death of Edward VII., in 1910, he became king, taking the name of George V., while his wife took that of Queen Mary. The coronation took place in June, 1911, in Westminster Abbey, but attracted so little public interest that there was much speculation over a say ing attributed to Edward VII. that he
would be followed by the last king of England. The destruction by a bomb of the Lia Fail, or Stone of Destiny, for merly used by the kings of Ireland and Scotland, and for several centuries un derlying the coronation chair in West minster Abbey, about the time of the king's accession, added to the specula tion. One of the first important acts of George V. was to visit India, where a durbar was held in 1911. During the World War the role played by the king was inconspicuous, and was confined largely to visiting the wounded and appearing in public on patriotic occa sions. The royal couple have had five sons, and one daughter: Edward, Prince of Wales; Albert; Mary; Henry; George, and John (d.) In 1919 the Prince of Wales made a tour of the world, as his father had done previously, and visited the United States.