Editing George VI (section)

==Illness and death==
{{main|Death and state funeral of George VI}}
The stress of the war had taken its toll on George's health,<ref>{{citation|publisher=Official website of the British monarchy|title=King George VI|url=https://www.royal.uk/george-vi-r1936-1952|access-date=18 April 2016|date=12 January 2016|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035747/https://www.royal.uk/george-vi-r1936-1952|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Judd, p. 225; Townsend, p. 174</ref> made worse by his heavy [[tobacco smoking|smoking]],<ref>Judd, p. 240</ref> and subsequent development of [[lung cancer]] among other ailments, including [[arteriosclerosis]] and [[Buerger's disease]]. A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after George developed an arterial blockage in his right leg, which threatened the loss of the leg and was treated with a right [[lumbar sympathectomy]] in March 1949.<ref>Rhodes James, pp. 314–317</ref> His elder daughter and heir presumptive, Elizabeth, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated. The delayed tour was re-organised, with Princess Elizabeth and her husband, [[Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], taking the place of the King and Queen.

George was well enough to open the [[Festival of Britain]] in May 1951, but on 4 June it was announced that he would need immediate and complete rest for the next four weeks, despite the arrival of [[Haakon VII of Norway]] the following afternoon for an official visit.<ref>{{citation|work=[[The Times]]|title=The King to rest|url=https://login.thetimes.com/?gotoUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.com%2Ftto%2Farchive%2Farticle%2F1951-06-05%2F4%2F17.html|date=5 June 1951|access-date=21 December 2021|archive-date=21 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221222826/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/archive/article/1951-06-05/4/17.html#start%3D1951-01-01%26end%3D1952-01-01%26terms%3D%22The%20king%22%20AND%20%22lung%22%26back%3D/tto/archive/find/%252522The+king%252522+AND+%252522lung%252522/w:1951-01-01%7E1952-01-01/o:date/2%26prev%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/%252522The+king%252522+AND+%252522lung%252522/w:1951-01-01%7E1952-01-01/o:date/16%26next%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/%252522The+king%252522+AND+%252522lung%252522/w:1951-01-01%7E1952-01-01/o:date/18|url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 September 1951, [[pneumonectomy|his left lung was removed]] in a surgical operation performed by [[Clement Price Thomas]] after a malignant tumour was found.<ref>Bradford, p. 454; Rhodes James, p. 330</ref> In October 1951, Elizabeth and Philip went on a month-long tour of Canada; the trip had been delayed for a week due to George's illness. At the [[State Opening of Parliament]] in November, the [[Lord Chancellor]], [[Lord Simonds]], read the King's [[speech from the throne]].<ref>Rhodes James, p. 331</ref> The King's [[Royal Christmas Message|Christmas broadcast]] of 1951 was recorded in sections, and then edited together.<ref>Rhodes James, p. 334</ref>

On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, George went to [[Heathrow Airport|London Airport]]{{efn|Renamed Heathrow Airport in 1966.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.heathrowairport.com/about-us/company-news-and-information/company-information/our-history|title= Heathrow's history |website=Heathrow Airport |publisher=LHR Airports|access-date=9 March 2015|archive-date=3 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003090808/http://www.heathrowairport.com/about-us/company-news-and-information/company-information/our-history|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} to see Elizabeth and Philip off on their tour to Australia via Kenya. It was his last public appearance. Six days later, at 07:30 [[GMT]] on the morning of 6 February, he was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk.<ref>{{citation|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/6/newsid_2711000/2711265.stm|title=1952: King George VI dies in his sleep|publisher=BBC|access-date=29 May 2018|date=6 February 1952|archive-date=7 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007104517/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/6/newsid_2711000/2711265.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> He had died in the night from a [[coronary thrombosis]] at the age of 56.<ref>Judd, pp. 247–248</ref> His daughter flew back to Britain from Kenya as Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>{{citation|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1802079.stm|title=The day the King died|publisher=BBC|date=6 February 2002|access-date=29 May 2018|archive-date=30 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180530041904/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1802079.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

From 9 February George's coffin rested in St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, before [[lying in state]] at Westminster Hall from 11 February.<ref>{{citation|title=Repose at Sandringham|magazine=Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dFQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38|access-date=26 December 2011|date=18 February 1952|publisher=Time Inc|page=38|issn=0024-3019|archive-date=3 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603182415/http://books.google.com/books?id=dFQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38|url-status=live}}</ref> His funeral took place at [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]], on 15 February.<ref>{{citation|first=Ina |last=Zweiniger-Bargielowska| title=Royal death and living memorials: the funerals and commemoration of George V and George VI, 1936–52 |journal=Historical Research |volume=89 |issue=243 |year=2016 |pages=158–175 |doi=10.1111/1468-2281.12108}}</ref> He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until he was transferred to the [[King George VI Memorial Chapel]] inside St George's on 26 March 1969.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/about-st-georges/royal-connection/burial/burials-in-the-chapel-since-1805.html|title=Royal Burials in the Chapel since 1805|publisher=Dean & Canons of Windsor|access-date=15 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927024852/http://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/about-st-georges/royal-connection/burial/burials-in-the-chapel-since-1805.html|archive-date=27 September 2011}}</ref> In 2002, fifty years after his death, the remains of his widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of his younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who both died that year, were interred in the chapel alongside him.<ref>{{citation|title=Mourners visit Queen Mother's vault|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1920360.stm|access-date=2 March 2018|work=BBC News|date=10 April 2002|archive-date=7 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207174725/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1920360.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, the remains of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were also interred in the chapel.<ref>{{citation |title=Your complete guide to the Queen's funeral |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60617519 |work=BBC News |date=19 September 2022 |access-date=19 September 2022 |archive-date=9 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909001318/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60617519 |url-status=live }}</ref>