The King's Speech

King George VI, the Duke of York, or Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor is a character with many names. He is the King who features in the title of the book, whose speech impediment poses a threat to his ability to rule Great Britain and the British Empire. Bertie, as he is known to his wife and his close friends, is a reluctant and unexpected King, thrust into the role by the abdication of his older brother. Even though he is King during one of the most difficult periods in British history, he is nearly defined by his stammer and his attempts to overcome this issue.

The King’s stammer is his defining trait. His reluctance and inability to speak in public lead to him becoming a shy, serious, and retiring young man. Reports of his difficulties in delivering speeches are found in newspapers and books; even before he has entered the public sphere as an adult, his speech impediment precedes him. Thus, his stammer comes to define him. Bertie is known as the stammering royal, who finds talking and public speaking so difficult. His stammer is written about in Time magazine and he is added to the “roll call of prominent names” (18) throughout history who have suffered from such an affliction.