During a private outburst within the walls of Buckingham Palace, King George V reportedly said to those around him: “After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself within 12 months.”

However, in the years that followed, the King is believed to have grown closer to his eldest son, even though the Prince showed little sense of duty to the nation.

On another occasion, the King is said to have confessed: “I pray to God my eldest son will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne.”

Sadly, royal followers know that King George V’s early fears proved true.

He passed away in 1936 at the age of 70, after suffering from complications related to wartime injuries, chronic bronchitis, and septicaemia.

Although Prince Edward initially promised to take on the role of king, he abdicated less than a year after his father’s death.

His decision came after announcing his intention to marry Wallis Simpson — a move that led to condemnation from both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the British cabinet, especially given his role as head of the Church of England.

As a result, he gave up the throne to his younger brother, who became King George VI, and went on to marry the actress.

That brother, King George VI, was Queen Elizabeth’s father — famously played by Colin Firth in the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech.

He reigned until his early death from lung cancer in 1952 at the age of 56, after which Queen Elizabeth took the throne.