King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy

After WWI, King George V turned out to be a remarkable innovator, creating the House of Windsor and embracing democratic reform. As a parent, however, he was far less successful, bullying and alienating his children. By contrast, he had a loving relationship with his granddaughter, and much of Queen Elizabeth II's style and commitment to duty can be traced back to his influence.

A portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary. (ROYAL HISTORY)

A portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary. (ROYAL HISTORY)

Despite their arranged marriage, King George and Queen Mary had a loving relationship. Mary obeyed her husband in all things, even the length of her dresses. She always put duty and service first. But when King George died in 1936, this once rigidly formal character emerged as a determined, if eccentric, royal matriarch with a mind of her own, who helped to save the future of the House of Windsor.