Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:03:56-2:04:24

Why the 1939 King George V class reused an earlier monarch's name

Honouring George V also let the Navy avoid naming the class for either the sitting king or Edward VIII after the abdication crisis.

King George V Class Battleships (1939)MonarchyRoyal NavyShip Naming
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Question

Why was the 1939 battleship class named for King George V rather than the reigning king?

Short answer

George VI preferred to honour his father, and using a former monarch also let the Navy bypass Edward VIII after the abdication.

Notes

George VI preferred to honour his father when the 1939 class was named. The political difficulty created by Edward VIII's abdication also influenced the choice. Naming for a previous monarch allowed the Navy to pass over Edward without naming a ship for the sitting king. Dynastic politics could shape an apparently straightforward warship name.