"From one of the most beloved and distinguished historians of the British monarchy, here is a lively, intimately detailed biography of a long-overlooked king who reimagined the Crown in the aftermath of World War I and whose marriage to the regal Queen Mary was an epic partnership"-- King George V reigned over the British Empire from 1910 to 1936. As a young man George seemed uninspired, but his reign was immensely consequential. He faced a constitutional crisis, the First World War, the fall of thirteen European monarchies and the rise of Bolshevism. He reinvented the British monarchy, allowing it to survive and thrive when its very existence seemed doomed. The status of the British monarchy today, Ridley argues, is due in large part to him. She shows how George V managed to steer the crown through so many perils, and that Queen Mary played a pivotal role in the reign as well as being an important figure in her own right. -- adapted from jacket. Provided by publisher

"Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2021 by Chatto & Windus, an imprint of Vintage."--Title page verso Publication date from publisher's Web site.

Preface: In search of George -- Part one: Second son 1865-1892. 'My darling little Georgie' 1865-1879 ; A disgraceful education 1879-1886 ; Naval lieutenant 1885-1891 ; Eddy 1891-1892 -- Part two: Duke of York 1893-1901. May of Teck ; George and May 1893-1894 ; The wasted years 1894-1897 ; 'I find life in general very dull' 1898-1901 -- Part three: Prince of Wales 1901-1910. The heir apparent 1901-1902 ; Family life 1902-1905 ; George's progress 1905-1910 -- Part four: Pre-war 1910-1914. King 1910 ; Constitutional monarch 1911 ; 'The king is duller than the queen' 1912-1913 ; Buckingham Palace 1914 -- Part five: War 1914-1918. George at war 1914-1915 ; The king and the generals 1915-1916 ; Unrest in the country and within the house of Windsor 1917 ; The nonentity king 1917-1919 -- Part six: Post-war 1919-1927. The divine right of kings 1919-1921 ; Grasping the nasty nettle 1920-1923 ; The influence of the crown 1922-1924 ; The dolls' house 1923-1925 ; Safe haven 1925-1927 -- Part seven. Home straight 1928-1936. 'Sir, the King of England is dying' 1928-1929 ; Queen Mary takes control 1929-1931 ; King George's last stand 1931-1932 ; That woman! 1933-1935 ; Lord Dawson's syringe 1935-1936 -- Conclusion.