The Truth About George

[DonH]

Not inspired by the King's speech - back then?
(After all, the name George is significant.)

[Mike Schilling]

Post by DonH
Not inspired by the King's speech - back then?
(After all, the name George is significant.)

The story was written in 1926. George VI was called Albert [1] until he
unexpectedly became king in 1936.

1. And, for short, Bertie!

[DonH]

Post by Mike Schilling

Post by DonH
Not inspired by the King's speech - back then?
(After all, the name George is significant.)

The story was written in 1926. George VI was called Albert [1] until he
unexpectedly became king in 1936.
1. And, for short, Bertie!

# Yes, agreed.
But the story was written during that era, and the full name of the
later George VI was - Albert Frederick Arthur George (AFAG) - so George was
one of his real names and not merely adopted for regal purposes.
His father was George V at that time, so, unless PGW was prophetic, the
name George may have resonated.
(All authors can be inspired by current events, and if "Rodney Has a
Relapse" is not a send-up of A.A.Milne, then what is it?)
The then Duke of York was known to stammer when trying to deliver a
public speech, long before he became king.
No, too much of a coincidence for there not to be a connection.

[Mike Schilling]

Post by DonH
But the story was written during that era, and the full name of the
later George VI was - Albert Frederick Arthur George (AFAG) - so George
was one of his real names and not merely adopted for regal purposes.
His father was George V at that time, so, unless PGW was prophetic, the
name George may have resonated.
(All authors can be inspired by current events, and if "Rodney Has a
Relapse" is not a send-up of A.A.Milne, then what is it?)

Of course it is. Wodehouse had a particular grudge against Milne, who had
been publicly quite vicious about Wodehouse's wartime broadcasts.

Post by DonH
The then Duke of York was known to stammer when trying to deliver a
public speech, long before he became king.
No, too much of a coincidence for there not to be a connection.

To much of a coincidence that the character was named George and the prince
wasn't?

[DonH]

Post by Mike Schilling

Post by DonH
But the story was written during that era, and the full name of the
later George VI was - Albert Frederick Arthur George (AFAG) - so George
was one of his real names and not merely adopted for regal purposes.
His father was George V at that time, so, unless PGW was prophetic,
the name George may have resonated.
(All authors can be inspired by current events, and if "Rodney Has a
Relapse" is not a send-up of A.A.Milne, then what is it?)

Of course it is. Wodehouse had a particular grudge against Milne, who had
been publicly quite vicious about Wodehouse's wartime broadcasts.

Post by DonH
The then Duke of York was known to stammer when trying to deliver a
public speech, long before he became king.
No, too much of a coincidence for there not to be a connection.

To much of a coincidence that the character was named George and the
prince wasn't?

# Well, I concede about the name, but the story was written in the era when
the Duke lived and functioned in public. And this quite likely inspired the
short story. While naming the character "Bertie" may have resulted in being
sued for defamation, "George" was sufficiently oblique (then) to escape
censure.
As for A.A..Milne, I like PGW's "ten little toes" poem.