Heir & Spare: Edward and George

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but heavier is the burden of being next in line. The British Royal family is built on the traditional duty until death. For every heir to the throne, there is a spare. Edward and George, two brothers - both would become King, but one was never crowned. The early life of the quiet Prince Albert - later George VI - was overshadowed by his gregarious elder brother and heir to the throne, Edward, and his life was shaped by the trauma of a decision that was never his own: his brother’s abdication. Now, it is George VI we remember for steering Britain through the dark days of the Second World War, defying a debilitating stammer to do so. And it was Edward, the one with the good looks, athleticism and confidence, who was cast out into ignominious exile. From the start, Edward and George seemed born for their respective roles of the heir and the spare. But the heir was never crowned, and the one who wasn’t born to rule, was destined to reign.