king george speech therapist

The Incredible True Story of How King George VI Overcame His Stutter for His 1939 Speech

CNN docuseries The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty goes behind the scenes of his time as King.

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• Unfortunately, George VI had a stutter that made it hard for him to give speeches to the British public.
• The King ended up attending speech therapy before his iconic address in 1939.

King George VI never intended to be the King of England — but that's exactly what happened when his older brother, Edward VIII , abdicated the throne in December 1936 in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson .

Despite the nontraditional start to his reign, George VI went on to become a symbol of strength and hope for the British people throughout World War II and beyond, reigniting their faith in the country's monarchy. It's this rise and reign of the unexpected King that is chronicled in the second episode of CNN docuseries The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty , which airs on Sunday at 10 p.m.

Unsurprisingly, the journey to becoming a successful and beloved King wasn't an easy one for George VI. He was thrown into the job unexpectedly, of course, but his anxiety about taking on the role was only compounded by the stammer he had struggled with ever since he was a young boy.

As is shown in the Oscar-winning 2010 movie The King's Speech , George VI (who was known as Albert or "Bertie" to those closest to him) struggled with a stutter from a young age. After being named the Duke of York in 1920 (but long before he became King), he feared that his stutter would prevent him from effectively giving important speeches to his people, so he began seeing a speech therapist from Australia named Lionel Logue.

But this is where the highly acclaimed drama parts ways from the truth: Because there are no logs of what, exactly, Lionel and the King did during their sessions, we can't be sure of what exercises the speech therapist had George VI practice. (What you see in the movie is based on writer David Seidler's own experiences with speech therapy.) What the records do show, however, is that for some time, the King was meeting with Lionel for an hour every day , weekends included.

Ultimately, George VI became King and later gave his first big radio address on September 3, 1939, when he announced that England would be going to war against Germany. Knowing the significance of such an announcement, the King believed it was absolutely imperative that he give the best speech he could — with as few stutters and stammers as possible.

A copy of the speech now belonging to Lionel's grandson, Mark Logue, shows that Lionel and the King marked up a physical copy of the address for him to reference, highlighting places where he should consider pausing or swapping words for something easier to pronounce. And it paid off — the King delivered the speech beautifully, and it's now considered one of his most iconic addresses.

Of course, after giving this well-known speech, King George VI went on to act as a beloved leader for more than a decade longer, holding the British throne until his death on February 6, 1952 .

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The True Story Behind "The King's Speech"

"The King's Speech" is a 2010 dramatic biographical film, recounting the friendship between King George VI of England and his Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. The film also covers Edward VIII's 1936 abdication, and George VI's subsequent coronation and shouldering of responsibility during World War II. George VI ultimately must conquer his stammer to assist and guide Britain during the war.

As a film, "The King's Speech" takes a few liberties with the historical timeline and in regards to simplifying certain characters. One element historians took particular umbrage with was the depiction of Winston Churchill . However, overall it is fairly faithful to the historical record. For one thing, George VI really did have a speech impediment since the age of eight, and Lionel Logue did work with him for several years. They did stay friends until they both died. Certain scenes, such as George VI's coronation, were praised for their accurate recapturing of the feel of the 1930s.

The main concept the film changed was simply adding drama to certain scenes, such as the speech announcing war with Germany towards the end. It also condensed the historical timeline significantly, shortening events. This was mostly done for the sake of keeping the narrative moving. Overall, however, " The King's Speech " is a fairly accurate, heartwarming rendering of George VI and Lionel Logue's friendship.

Prince Albert had a stutter as a child

Prince Albert, later George VI, developed a stutter when he was eight that he carried through to his early adult life. His parents were not terribly affectionate with him, and he was susceptible to tears and tantrums – traits he also carried through his adult years, writes Biography . Given that many of his public duties required speeches, Albert needed to – and worked tirelessly – to fix his stammer with multiple doctors and therapists, writes Stuttering Help . He wasn't successful with any speech therapies until he worked with elocutionist and informal speech therapist Lionel Logue, beginning in the 1920s.

When Logue saw the then-Duke of York give a speech, he said to his son, "He's too old for me to manage a complete cure. But I could very nearly do it. I'm sure of that." (via Stuttering Help ). He was right, and his positive attitude helped the duke recover from previous failures that had made him believe the problem caused him to be mentally deficient instead of simply physically injured. Despite how long they worked together, the duke's speech issues had more to do with how held his jaw and pronounced words; the result was that his stammer was mainly cleared up in a matter of months as opposed to years.

Lionel Logue was a self-taught speech therapist

Lionel Logue was an Australian speech therapist who, not being formally trained, used methods he had discovered and created on his own. He worked as an elocutionist first, but fell into helping Australian World War I veterans with speech defects, writes The ASHA Leader . No one else was doing what he was with the veterans, and speech therapy and audiology programs didn't even get off the ground until the 1940s (via UNC Health Sciences Library ). Logue was even a founder of the College of Speech Therapists.

Just before World War I, Logue worked a variety of jobs as a teacher of elocution and drama, theater manager, and reciter of Shakespeare and Dickens (via Speech Language Therapy's Caroline Bowen, a speech language pathologist ). Logue worked with patients on their speech, but also on confidence and the self-belief that they could accomplish what they set out to do. He was empathetic with his patients, and learned from each case he worked on. Logue originally tried out as an actor, and as a result, his manner was somewhere between a teacher and an artist. He was serious about his life's work and resolved to avoid cheapening it by writing a book about his efforts with the king.

Logue began working with Prince Albert in 1926

Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, first encouraged her husband to work with Lionel Logue, though the meeting as depicted in the film between Elizabeth and Logue likely didn't happen (via Logue and Conradi's "The King's Speech" ). Logue thus began working with the Duke of York in October 1926, soon after he opened his London practice on Harley Street. Logue first diagnosed the Duke with, according to CNN , acute nervous tension and the habit of closing the throat, which caused him to clip words out.

Logue met with him daily for the next two or three months (in advance of a visit to Australia), and his stammer was gone (for the most part) within that time frame; it didn't take years of treatment (via Speech Language Therapy ). Unlike in the film, in reality, the Duke and Logue weren't necessarily aiming for complete fluency. However, they did continue to work together for the next two decades, mainly on the royal's speeches.

Logue worked with Albert for over 15 years

Though the film condenses the timeline to make it seem as though everything takes place over just a few years, Logue and Albert worked together for decades (via CNN ). "The King's Speech" begins in 1925 with the close of the British Empire Exhibition, which would be historically accurate, but time simply speeds by until the film depicts the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936 and later the outbreak of war in 1939 in just a few hours; it doesn't really feel as though a decade and a half have passed.

Regardless, Logue and the duke worked together on speeches even after the duke had mostly mastered his stammer. Lionel Logue's methods were unorthodox and primarily self-taught. He never specifically said what course of treatment he worked on with the duke, saying, according to The ASHA Leader : "...on the matter of Speech Defects, when so much depends on the temperament and individuality, a case can always be produced that can prove you are wrong. That is why I won't write a book." Much of the ideas for the therapy sessions depicted in the film come from Logue's diaries (though plenty of the dialogue was invented), which were inherited by his grandson Mark. They were used in the film, though the director only saw them late in the film's production.

Any sort of therapy is inherently individual, not to mention personal (via Psychiatric Times ). It's no wonder that Logue decided to avoid writing about his work.

Wallis Simpson was a more complex person than the film indicates

King Edward VIII was crowned in January 1936 and abdicated in December of the same year in order to marry Wallis Simpson , who had been twice divorced (via History ). His younger brother was proclaimed king the next day. The film is sympathetic to George VI and Elizabeth, and Wallis Simpson is cast as a vaguely Nazi-supporting villain; there is little depth to her character. However, her life and motivations were shrouded in rumors from the British upper classes and the media.

The upper classes, who learned about the Edward-Wallis romance before the British media, in particular saw her as an uncouth American divorcee, and had a hard time figuring out why Edward wanted to be with her. When the media did find out, in December 1936, she was both ruined and revered by them, according to History Extra . However, after moving overseas more-or-less permanently she faded from the spotlight. Her unfortunate reputation from the nobles stuck with her.

Ultimately, George VI didn't allow his brother and sister-in-law, who had moved to France, to be productive for the royal family; they asked multiple times for jobs and were denied (via History Extra ). Awful rumors followed Wallis Simpson even past her death in the 1980s, including one that stated she would do anything to become queen of England. Though it's clear both on and off screen that she and Elizabeth disliked each other, Wallis was more than a king-stealing villain.

Churchill was actually opposed to Edward VIII's abdication

One major element of the film that historians had trouble with is Churchill's abrupt support of George VI, writes Daily History . In real life, he encouraged Edward VIII not to abdicate in 1936, and remained a supporter of the royal, believing something could be worked out without having to resort to abdication. George VI and Elizabeth didn't fully support Churchill later in life due to his actions during the abdication. However, Churchill was later knighted by Elizabeth II (via Biography ).

This element is likely written as such for the film due to the writers having a hard time writing someone as beloved as Churchill with actual flaws. The writers of "Saving Mr. Banks" had a similar issue with Walt Disney and his flaws. As a result, it is one of the only concrete historical aspects that left historians scratching their heads in confusion. Everything else that is changed in the film is mainly done for the sake of adaptation, drama, and the good of the narrative. This change seems to be for the sake of preserving Churchill's reputation. Considering the film's lead-up of events to World War II, and Churchill's role in Britain's survival, it isn't that surprising.

King George VI's coronation was less fraught than the film depicts

Logue worked with George VI on his coronation speech in 1937. Five days afterward, the king wrote a heartfelt thank you letter for the assistance (via Tatler ), attributing the success to Logue's "expert supervision and unfailing patience." Just as in the film, Logue and his wife are seated in the royal box, so high up that Myrtle Logue needed to use opera glasses in order to see, writes CNN .

However, by this time, the king had mostly mastered his speech impediment, and the dramatic scene in the film with Logue and St. Edward's chair is likely fictional. It was written for the sake of the narrative of George VI realizing he does have a voice. Reality isn't necessarily so cinematic, and after weeks of working on the speech with Logue, George VI delivered it flawlessly. Regardless, according to Daily History , the film accurately conveys the atmosphere of the 1930s and the coronation of a new king. In reality, the king and Logue likely didn't have the same miscommunication as they do in the film, and it is doubly heartwarming that Logue and his wife were seated with the royal family, just because of the services Logue had rendered the new king.

Logue was more deferential to his royal patient

Geoffrey Rush's portrayal is much more animated than Logue likely was in reality. Logue certainly addressed Prince Albert respectfully, and the scenes of swearing in Logue's office are likely invented. Logue also never referred to the prince by a nickname, much less one used exclusively by the family. They were friends in real life, but their relationship was more realistically distant.

According to CNN , the letters Logue wrote to the king are addressed to "Your Royal Highness". On the other hand, the king signed his letters with his first name, indicating a measure of friendship between the two men. Logue also apparently allowed George VI to set treatment goals due to his position. Though they did end up being friends, Logue never forgot who exactly his patient was, and treated him accordingly (via Daily History ). Historical films always add heart-to-heart speeches between people which probably never actually happened but work for the sake of drama and the narrative. "The King's Speech" is no exception.

The speech announcing war with Germany was less dramatic

Lionel Logue further assisted George VI during the 1939 speech when he announced Britain was at war with Germany. However, Logue wasn't actually in the room with him, as the film depicts, and only wrote notes on places for the king to pause to collect himself when speaking or on which words to stress, according to CNN . Keep in mind that by this point in time, 13 years after meeting Logue, the king had essentially mastered his stammer. George VI also stood to give the speech, though photographs show him in full military uniform and sitting down.

Lionel Logue's diaries also answered a previously unknown question about the speech that was added to the film. George VI stammered on some of the W's in the speech, and according to a comment he made to Logue, it was so the people would recognize him, writes CNN .

The film turns the event into a climactic event, as a culmination of the years of work the king and Logue have put into his affliction – and which the audience has just watched on screen for the past two hours. Also, though it is unlikely the information was revealed at this exact time in real life, the character of Winston Churchill tells the king just before this speech that he, too, was a stammerer as a child, writes The Lancet . This element is true, though it is positioned for the sake of cinematic drama.

George and Logue's friendship didn't fracture over credentials

In the film, coronation preparations pause when the archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Lang, mentions that Logue doesn't have any formal training. Not having known this beforehand, George VI becomes outraged and only calms after Logue provokes him into speaking without stammering, causing him to realize that he actually can speak accurately. This entire element is invented for the film, presumably for the sake of drama (and humor).

By this point, the two men had known each other for over a decade and were friends. Though their relationship was primarily professional, in scouting out Logue's help, the king must have understood his credentials and it didn't bother him; after all, he worked with Logue, voluntarily, for decades (via Daily History ). Logue's formality likely kept their friendship professional enough that they probably had few personal disagreements.

Logue and the king wrote letters back and forth for years; the earlier letters were signed "Albert" and the later letters "George" by the king, according to CNN , indicating a measure of friendship that was likely meted out to few people. When Logue asked the king in 1948 if he would serve as patron of the College of Speech Therapists, George VI immediately agreed and it became known as the Royal College of Speech Therapy, writes The ASHA Leader .

The film has an obvious pro-George VI bias

Due to being written from a historical perspective, "The King's Speech" supports George VI, Logue, Elizabeth, and even Winston Churchill as characters and historical figures much more than it does George V, Edward VIII, or Wallis Simpson. The film has an agenda and a narrative it set out to tell: the story of how George VI overcame his stammer and led a nation successfully through a war.

According to The Gazette , the film's textual inclusion of Logue's appointment as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order is accurate. The king appreciated his services enough to reward him with a title for them, and this element certainly adds to the theme of friendship the film is so fond of.

In another interesting example of bias, however, the film omits Edward VIII's Nazi sympathies entirely, though Simpson is written to seem like an outsider to the royals. This was likely done for the sake of Edward's surviving family, though it was a slightly odd omission considering the context of the film. Edward isn't cast as a villain, however, he doesn't quite seem to realize what he's forcing his brother to step into. Though he immediately supports George, Edward doesn't seem to comprehend the royal family's – and the film's – endless demand of duty.

Old News, Vintage Photos & Nostalgic Stories

Lionel logue: the australian speech therapist who helped an english king overcome his greatest fear.

On Sept. 3, 1939, Albert Frederick Arthur George—or King George VI—arranged a radio broadcast, despite a debilitating stutter, to address the British people on the eve of World War II.

Albert was never supposed to be king, and he feared public speaking because of his stutter. However, he proved his strength when everyone said he was weak, delivering his speech beautifully and passionately, and he became the leader that his country needed during those terrifying times.

Word by word, spoken in serene fashion and with no stutter in between, the king started his speech:

“In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.

For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.”

Now, let us forget briefly that he was a king, and imagine him for a moment solely as a human being with a task that seemed beyond his reach. Let us think about how agonizing it would be that your personal task, the one thing you must do for your people, is at the mercy of your biggest weakness, and realize that almost no one thinks you capable of living up to the challenge. Isn’t that the universal tale of heroism: a hero who, despite all of the obstacles and all of his shortcomings, still manages to find a way to do what must be done, at the very moment when it is needed the most. For this man, it was something as simple as a speech.

In 2010 this remarkable story was made into a film titled The King’s Speech , starring Colin Firth as the reluctant, stammering king, and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother. And as any other biopic that starts with the “inspired by true events” or “based on a true story” tagline, the bashing from critics who would question the historical accuracy of the movie is unavoidable. In past years, Oscar candidates such as A Beautiful Mind, Saving Private Ryan, and The Queen have been belittled on charges of factual inaccuracy and exaggeration. The King’s Speech was no exception.

These two extremely talented actors were accompanied by Geoffrey Rush, who portrayed Lionel Logue, an unorthodox Australian speech therapist who aided the King so that he could deliver his speech. Aside from small details that some nitpickers highlighted, the core of the story unfolds onscreen as history remembers, especially Rush’s character, who forged an unlikely friendship with the King that lasted until his death. His contribution to the events that actually occurred is as real as it can get, and so was their friendship.

For what it’s worth, he was the unsung hero behind the curtains who managed to find a way to help a man face his deepest fears. He is a character who, as we often see in movies, is introduced to help the story move forward towards its conclusion and the personal development of the main character. Lionel Logue was more than that, however.

Born in College Town, Adelaide, South Australia on Feb. 26, 1880, Logue was an established speech and language therapist and an amateur stage actor long before he made contact with Albert. He began his professional career at Perth, where he started to develop distinctive therapy treatments for Australian World War I veterans who after the war exhibited shell-shock-induced speech impairment. Aside from the traditional physical exercises, Logue found that psychology can play an even greater part in patients’ speech improvement so he tried utilizing humor, patience, and sympathy among many other methods he deemed necessary. He used all his techniques in his treatment of the king, at least to some extent.

In 1924, Logue took a holiday trip with his wife and his three sons to England, but once he got there, he came across a job teaching articulation at schools in London, and two years later he opened a speech defect practice at 146 Harley Street. Attracting wealthy clients, he used the fees paid by them so he could provide treatment for patients who were unable to do so.

In the meantime, Albert, the duke of York, was not considered an heir to the throne and was leading a somewhat quiet life with his wife and their two daughters, Elizabeth (today’s Queen) and Margaret at their London residence, 145 Piccadilly. This would change when his older brother, Edward VIII, abdicated.

Due to his condition, Albert avoided public speaking whenever he could. Yet there were times when he simply couldn’t, because his royal position required him to address the nation, especially since his brother Edward, the heir to the throne, on many occasions disregarded established constitutional conventions and protocols. So Albert, whose father, King George V, saw him as a true successor, had to deliver a closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on Oct. 31, 1925. Considering his stutter, this was an ordeal for both him and his listeners. So, urged by his loving wife, he began to see Lionel Logue and work with him on the stammer and his fear of public speaking.

Logue diagnosed him with poor coordination between his larynx and thoracic diaphragm and prescribed vocal exercises to do on a daily basis. After witnessing that the treatment was not going as smoothly as it should, he gave the duke breathing exercises and instructed the duchess to rehearse them with him patiently. The treatment was supposed to give him the confidence to relax and avoid tension-induced muscle spasms while speaking. A short while after, he was able to speak with less hesitation.

In no more than two years, Albert was already speaking confidently and managed to speak clearly and without stammering at the opening of the Old Parliament House in Canberra.

After his father’s death on Jan. 20, 1936, Prince Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII, only to renounce his position a year after so he could marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson, who had two divorces behind her. After the abdication, Albert became king, a position he was reluctant to accept. With the new situation at hand, the pressure on his shoulders became even greater. So, fearing he would regress back to his stuttering self, he asked Logue to work with him even more intensely than before.

They continued to work together through the 1930s and 1940s with Logue applying tongue-twisters and special phrase-singing games to help his patient prepare his for major speeches, including his coronation. After he became king of the United Kingdom, adopting the name George VI in continuation of his father’s legacy, Albert never ceased to improve himself and resumed his work with Logue, who helped him give his radio broadcasts to the British Empire throughout the Second World War up until his death in 1952.

Lionel Logue was in the same room at the time of the King’s radio broadcast, now referred as the King’s Speech, which gave great comfort to his nation and its people throughout the war. While on the surface, the charismatic Edward VIII seemed to be better equipped to be king than his brother who eventually took his place, George VI displayed fortitude and dignity and rose to the challenge placed in front of him. It was much due to the help he got from the maverick Australian speech therapist, and the beautiful friendship he enjoyed with him.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson once famously wrote, “What is Success? To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; this is to have succeeded.” And if this, especially the last bit, is taken as a measurement of success, then this unusual speech therapist from Australia reached the sky.

A Never-Before-Seen Letter from King George VI to His Speech Therapist Is Up For Sale

The moving note details the monarch's anxiety about his 1937 Coronation ceremony.

The letter, sent from the King to Lionel Logue just five days after his 1937 Coronation ceremony, details the monarch's anxiety about the major event. It also outlines his relief at getting his words out correctly.

In the note dated 17th May 1937 and sent from Windsor Castle, King George VI writes:

“I could not wait to send you a few lines to thank you again for your hard work in helping me prepare for the great day. You know how anxious I was to get my responses right in the Abbey, the poor rehearsal adding greatly to me anxiety, but my mind was finally set at ease tonight. Not a moment’s hesitation or mistake!”

Logue began helping the George VI with his stammer in 1926 when he was still the Duke of York and a working royal, but did not yet know that he would one day be King. However, when his brother Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936 , he found himself addressing the nation as monarch.

A gift of a silver-gilt cigarette case bearing King George VI’s royal cypher was enclosed along with the letter. Both are being sold at auction in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on April 29 and are expected to fetch at least £4,000.

“We believe this letter is the only example written to Logue by George VI which has not been retained by the Logue family,” explains Rupert Slingsby, silver specialist at Woolley and Wallis sale room where the cigarette case and letter are to be sold.

“When Lionel Logue died in April 1953 both the case and the letter were given to his younger brother, Herbert. In August of the same year Herbert gave both to an Australian jeweller in lieu of a payment of £27 (about £1,300 today), which was owed for a graduated pearl necklace with a sapphire and diamond clasp.” A descendant of the jeweller is selling the items.

“Whilst our vendor realised the historical significance of the items, I don’t think he appreciated quite how valuable they could be to British collectors,” explains Slingsby.

“Before ‘The King’s Speech’, most people were unaware of the difficulties that George VI encountered with his stammer, but the enduring and endearing friendship between the King and Lionel Logue that emerged from that is especially evident in this new letter.”

Read the letter in full below:

My dear Logue, The Queen and I have just viewed the film of our Coronation, & I could not wait to send you a few lines to thank you again for your hard work in helping me prepare for the great day. You know how anxious I was to get my responses right in the Abbey, the poor rehearsal adding greatly to me anxiety, but my mind was finally set at ease tonight. Not a moment’s hesitation or mistake! The same cannot be said of the Bishops, of course, nor the pen I used to sign the Oath; the ink got all over my fingers, but fortunately one can hardly make it out. The success was due to your expert supervision and unfailing patience with me over recent months, & I truly don’t know how I could have done it without you. I want you to know how grateful I am, not only for your invaluable help with my speech, but for your devoted friendship & encouragement, & I hope you will accept this small gift as a token of my appreciation. Yours very sincerely George RI

Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures , released in 2021. 

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King george vi letter thanking speech therapist for coronation success revealed.

A newly unearthed note reveals King George VI thanked his speech therapist in a heartfelt letter after overcoming his nerves at his coronation.

King George VI sought help to deal with his stutter after he unexpectedly acceded to the throne, following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII.

He employed Lionel Logue, a speech therapist, who had been found by his wife Elizabeth after then Prince Albert had been unable to speak during a live broadcast on national radio.

Australian Logue was actually an actor by trade, and was written off by many as a quack. But his daily exercise regime gave the future king the confidence to relax and to be able to speak without stammering.

The tale of King George VI and Logue was turned into a film, The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth.

The letter, which is to go up for auction at the end of April, reveals the anxiety King George VI felt before the coronation, and how relieved he was when it was over without a glitch.

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Dated five days after his coronation and written from Windsor Castle after he had watched it, the newly-crowned king said: “You know how anxious I was to get my responses right in the Abbey, the poor rehearsal adding greatly to me anxiety, but my mind was finally set at ease tonight.

“Not a moment’s hesitation or mistake!”

He added: “The success was due to your expert supervision and unfailing patience with me over recent months, & I truly don’t know how I could have done it without you.”

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The letter was sent with a silver-gilt cigarette case bearing his Royal cipher, as a token of his thanks.

Rupert Slingsby, Silver specialist at Woolley and Wallis saleroom, said: “We believe this letter is the only example written to Logue by George VI which has not been retained by the Logue family.

“When Lionel Logue died in April 1953 both the case and the letter were given to his younger brother, Herbert. In August of the same year Herbert gave both to an Australian jeweller in lieu of a payment of £27 [about £1,300 today], which was owed for a graduated pearl necklace with a sapphire and diamond clasp.”

The jeweller was Charles McGowan, of Eton Arcade in Sutherland, Sydney, and it has been passed down through his descendants. It is said to be being sold “reluctantly”.

The letter and case will be for sale at an auction house in Salisbury and are expected to go for more than £4,000.

Read more: The 360: Has it been a good week for the royals?

Slingsby added: “Before ‘The King’s Speech’, most people were unaware of the difficulties that George VI encountered with his stammer, but the enduring and endearing friendship between the King and Lionel Logue that emerged from that is especially evident in this new letter.”

King George VI was crowned in the ceremony planned for his brother. He was the father of Queen Elizabeth II, currently the longest reigning living monarch.

The full text of the letter

My dear Logue,

The Queen and I have just viewed the film of our Coronation, & I could not wait to send you a few lines to thank you again for your hard work in helping me prepare for the great day.

You know how anxious I was to get my responses right in the Abbey, the poor rehearsal adding greatly to me anxiety, but my mind was finally set at ease tonight. Not a moment’s hesitation or mistake! The same cannot be said of the Bishops, of course, nor the pen I used to sign the Oath; the ink got all over my fingers, but fortunately one can hardly make it out.

The success was due to your expert supervision and unfailing patience with me over recent months, & I truly don’t know how I could have done it without you.

I want you to know how grateful I am, not only for your invaluable help with my speech, but for your devoted friendship & encouragement, & I hope you will accept this small gift as a token of my appreciation.

Yours very sincerely

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Lionel George Logue (1880–1953)

by Suzanne Edgar

This article was published:

• in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15 , 2000
• online in 2006

Lionel George Logue (1880-1953), speech therapist, was born on 26 February 1880 at College Town, Adelaide, eldest of four children of South Australian-born parents George Edward Logue, clerk, and his wife Lavinia, née Rankin. Educated (1889-96) at Prince Alfred College, Lionel studied elocution with Edward Reeves who purged his voice of much of its Australian accent. In 1902 he became Reeves's secretary and assistant-teacher, and studied at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. He later worked on a gold mine at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. At St George's Anglican Cathedral, Perth, on 20 March 1907 he married Myrtle Gruenert, a 21-year-old clerk.

Settling in Perth, Logue taught elocution, public speaking and acting. He staged plays, recited Shakespeare and Dickens at concerts, and founded a public-speaking club. He also taught part time at the Young Men's Christian Association, at Scotch College and, from 1910, at Perth Technical School. In the following year he toured the world. A Christian Scientist, Logue was dedicated to healing. In World War I he treated returned soldiers afflicted with speech impediments caused by shell-shock. Using humour, patience and 'superhuman sympathy', he taught them exercises for the lungs and diaphragm, and to breathe sufficiently deeply to complete a sentence fluently.

Logue practised at 146 Harley Street, London, from 1924: the fees paid by his wealthy clients enabled him to accept poorer patients without charge. In 1926 the Duke of York consulted Logue about his stammer. The therapist diagnosed poor co-ordination between larynx and diaphragm, and asked him to spend an hour each day practising rigorous exercises. The duke came to his rooms, stood by an open window and loudly intoned each vowel for fifteen seconds. Logue restored his confidence by relaxing the tension which caused muscle spasms. The duke's stammer diminished to occasional hesitations. Resonantly and without stuttering, he opened the Australian parliament in Canberra in 1927.

Using tongue-twisters, Logue helped the duke to rehearse for his major speeches and coached him for the formal language of his coronation in 1937. At Westminster Abbey on 12 May, wearing the M.V.O. decoration given to him by King George VI on the previous night, Logue sat in the apse to encourage him during the ceremony. Before the King's radio broadcast that evening, Logue whispered to him: 'Now take it quietly, Sir'. Logue was a founder (1935) of the British Society of Speech Therapists and a founding fellow (1944) of the College of Speech Therapists; a Freemason, he was speech therapist to the Royal Masonic School, Bushey. He retained his love of music and the theatre, and enjoyed walking and gardening. In World War II his practice shrank and he acted as an air-raid warden three nights a week. The 'slow, measured pace' which he had afforded the King's diction proved affecting in His Majesty's wartime broadcasts and speeches. Elevated to C.V.O. in 1944, Logue was with the King for the V.E.-Day broadcast on 8 May 1945. Their friendship was 'the greatest pleasure' of Logue's life. After his wife's death that year, Logue took up spiritualism. Survived by his three sons, he died on 12 April 1953 in London and was cremated.

Select Bibliography

• R. Pound, Harley Street (Lond, 1967)
• D. Judd, King George VI 1895-1952 (Lond, 1982)
• A. Morrow, The Queen Mother (Lond, 1984)
• S. Bradford, King George VI (Lond, 1989)
• Quiz and the Lantern , 8 Mar, 8 Aug 1902
• Advertiser (Adelaide), 20 Mar 1902, 13 Apr 1953
• Western Mail (Perth), 29 Jan 1910, 9 Dec 1911, 1 Mar 1913, 1 Nov 1918, 17 Jan 1929
• Sydney Morning Herald , 11 Feb 1952
• Times (London), 13, 17 Apr 1953
• private information.

Related Entries in NCB Sites

Citation details

Suzanne Edgar, 'Logue, Lionel George (1880–1953)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/logue-lionel-george-10852/text19261, published first in hardcopy 2000, accessed online 1 June 2024.

This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography , Volume 15, (Melbourne University Press), 2000

View the front pages for Volume 15

© Copyright Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2006-2024

Life Summary [details]

26 February , 1880 College Town, Adelaide , South Australia , Australia

12 April , 1953 (aged 73) London , Middlesex , England

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

• Christian Scientist
• speech teacher
• speech therapist

(1895-1952)

Who Was King George VI?

Family and early life.

King George VI was born Albert Frederick Arthur George Saxe-Coburg-Gotha on December 14, 1895, in Norfolk, England. Though formally known as "His Highness Prince Albert of York," within the family the future king was called "Bertie," and, as a young man, "Albert."

The second son of King George V and Victoria May, the Duchess of York (Mary of Teck), Prince Albert’s youth was not easy. Though affectionate with his mother, affection was not always returned, and his father was harsh and critical. His tutors forced him to write with his right hand, though he was naturally left-handed.

At around age eight, the future King George VI developed a stammer, and he suffered the indignity of wearing leg braces to correct his knock knees. Often ill and easily frightened, Prince Albert was somewhat prone to tears and tantrums—traits that he carried throughout much of his adult life.

Military Service and Education

In 1909, Prince Albert graduated from the Royal Naval Academy at Osborne, finishing at the bottom of his class in the final exam. However, Albert progressed to the Royal Navy Academy at Dartmouth and then joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman.

During World War I , the future king served on the HMS Collingwood . He saw action at the inconclusive Battle of Juteland in May 1916. In 1919, he joined the Royal Air Force and was certified as a pilot.

After the war, Prince Albert went to Trinity College (University of Cambridge) and studied history, economics and civics. He only stayed there for one year, however, and in 1920, he was made the Duke of York and began to carry out public duties for his father.

George VI’s Wife and Kids

Around 1920 Prince Albert became reacquainted with Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, whom he had met as a child through their families' close relationship. Upon seeing her again as an attractive 18-year-old, Albert was smitten, but shy and awkward. After twice rejecting Albert's marriage proposal, Elizabeth finally accepted, and they were married on April 26, 1923, at Westminster Abbey. They had two children: Elizabeth, born in 1926, and Margaret, born in 1930.

Prince Albert and Princess Elizabeth were able to solidify their relationship during the first several years of marriage. Recognizing that his stammer was an ordeal for her husband and his audiences, Elizabeth sought the help of Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist living in London. At first reluctant, Prince Albert began seeing Logue and partaking in his unorthodox exercises. His wife often accompanied him and participated in the sessions. Prince Albert and Logue cultivated a strong relationship and, gradually, his speech improved.

Why Did King George Get the Throne?

King George VI’s father, King George V, had reservations about his first son, Prince Edward (Duke of Windsor) , taking the throne. He once said, "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie [Prince Albert] and Lilibet [Albert’s daughter] and the throne."

On January 20, 1936, King George V died, and Edward ascended to the throne as King Edward VIII. In less than a year, he abdicated his role to Prince Albert so that he could marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson , a twice-divorced American socialite. Prince Albert was crowned on May 12, 1937, and took on the name George VI to emphasize continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy.

The Start of World War II

In the 1930s, King George VI, a strong supporter of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , hoped that Chamberlain would be able to stave off a war with Nazi Germany. In 1938, Chamberlain met with German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler and signed the Munich Pact .

Though Chamberlain's efforts were criticized as a "policy of appeasement" by the opposition party in Parliament, King George VI supported his prime minister. He and Chamberlain appeared together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet the crowds after the agreement’s announcement, a tradition normally restricted to royal family members.

Visit To the United States

Hitler ignored the Munich Pact and continued his aggressive actions in Europe. Feeling war was a possibility, King George and Queen Elizabeth visited the United States in June 1939, forging a strong friendship with President Franklin D. Roosevelt . The royals were also well received by the American public.

The King’s Speech

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, violating the Munich Pact, and war was declared. With the help of his speech therapist and his wife, King George successfully made one of the most important speeches of his life, announcing to the citizens of Britain that the country was at war—an event depicted in the 2010 film The King’s Speech .

• World War II

During World War II , the royal couple was resolved to stay in London at Buckingham Palace despite intense German bombing raids. King George and Queen Elizabeth undertook many morale-boosting visits to Britain’s bombed-out cities, touring hospitals and visiting with wounded troops.

In 1943 the king visited British troops in North Africa. King George VI later visited troops at Malta, bestowing on the entire island the honor of the George Cross, which he instituted to honor exceptional acts of bravery by civilians. In June 1944, 10 days after the D-Day invasion , the king visited the troops in Normandy. He suffered personal tragedy during the war when both his wife’s nephew and his youngest brother were killed.

King George VI and Winston Churchill

King George VI was not enamored with the selection of Churchill as prime minister after Chamberlain’s resignation. Nevertheless, focused on World War II, the two men quickly developed a strong working relationship and deep respect for each other.

During the victory celebration at the end of the war in Europe, the king invited Prime Minister Churchill to appear with him on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, just as he had done with Chamberlain.

King George VI’s Health and Surgery

After World War II, the stress of war began to catch up with King George VI and his health began to deteriorate rapidly. Around this time, his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, the presumptive heir, began to take on some of his royal duties. A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after the king suffered an arterial blockage in 1949.

In 1951, following years of heavy smoking, King George was diagnosed with lung cancer and arteriosclerosis. On September 23, 1951, his left lung was removed.

Despite his reluctance to be king, George VI was a conscientious and dedicated sovereign who assumed the throne at a time when public faith in the monarchy was at an all-time low. Armed with strong determination and the help of his wife, he became a modern monarch of the 20th century. During his reign, George VI endured the hardships of war and the transition from an empire to a commonwealth of nations and restored the popularity of the British monarchy.

King George VI’s Death

On the morning of February 6, 1952, George VI was discovered dead in bed at the age of 56. He previously suffered from lung cancer and had a lung removed; it was later determined that he had died of a coronary thrombosis.

After George VI's death, his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, took the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25. She was officially crowned at the age of 27. So as not to be confused with her daughter, King George VI’s widow, Queen Elizabeth, took on the name "Queen Mother ."

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Mother Elizabeth

Edward VIII

QUICK FACTS

• Name: George
• Birth Year: 1895
• Birth date: December 14, 1895
• Birth City: Norfolk, England
• Birth Country: United Kingdom
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: George VI served as king of the United Kingdom during World War II and was an important symbolic leader. He was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.
• World Politics
• Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
• Royal Naval Academy at Osborne
• Royal Navy Academy at Dartmouth
• Interesting Facts
• Prince Albert’s brother Edward gave up the throne so that he could marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite.
• As a child, Prince Albert was somewhat prone to tears and tantrums—traits that he carried throughout much of his adult life
• In 1909 Prince Albert graduated from the Royal Naval Academy at Osborne, finishing at the bottom of his class in the final exam
• Death Year: 1952
• Death date: February 6, 1952
• Death City: Norfolk, England
• Death Country: United Kingdom

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: George VI Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/royalty/george-vi
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: September 14, 2022
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• I believe from my heart that the cause which binds together my peoples and our gallant and faithful Allies is the cause of Christian civilization.
• The highest of distinctions is service to others.
• Let us join in thanking Almighty God that war has ended throughout the world.

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Tom Hooper: On Directing 'The King's Speech'

In The King's Speech , Colin Firth plays King George VI, who was adored by his subjects for refusing to leave London during World War II bombing raids. He also suffered from a terrible stammer and hated speaking in public. Laurie Sparham via The Weinstein Co. hide caption

In The King's Speech , Colin Firth plays King George VI, who was adored by his subjects for refusing to leave London during World War II bombing raids. He also suffered from a terrible stammer and hated speaking in public.

This interview was originally broadcast on November 18, 2010. The King's Speech was recently nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

In 1925, Albert, Duke of York, began seeing a speech therapist to correct his pronounced speech impediment. Eleven years later, he reluctantly ascended to the British throne as King George VI, after his older brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry the American Wallis Simpson.

As the king, George VI was expected to frequently address his nation, both in person and on the radio. During these public speaking engagements, he continued to rely heavily on his speech therapist, Australian Lionel Logue, to make sure he didn't stammer.

King George VI's relationship with Logue is at the heart of director Tom Hooper's historical drama, The King's Speech . The film stars Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as Logue, who developed his somewhat unorthodox way of treating speech impediments while treating shell-shocked soldiers in the years following World War I.

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"He basically taught himself through trial and error speech therapy and developed techniques in order to help these men," says Hooper. "Our film suggests that what he felt was that these young men had lost faith in their voice and he was giving them the right to be heard again — to talk about their trauma and to find their voice again."

Hooper tells Fresh Air 's Dave Davies that Logue's therapy techniques included asking his subjects personal questions about their childhoods and about traumatic moments in their lives, to see if there was a psychological reason for their stammers. King George VI, who was often neglected by his nannies and rarely saw his parents, worked with Logue on techniques to regain his own voice.

Tom Hooper directed BBC costume drama before making his feature film debut in 2004, when he directed Hilary Swank in Red Dust . Laurie Sparham via The Weinstein Co. hide caption

Tom Hooper directed BBC costume drama before making his feature film debut in 2004, when he directed Hilary Swank in Red Dust .

"What I learned about stammering was that, when as a young child you lose the confidence of anyone who wants to listen to you, you lose confidence in your voice and the right to speech," says Hooper. "And a lot of the therapy was saying, 'You have a right to be heard.' "

Hooper explains that for the film, both he and Firth watched hours of archival footage of King George, to develop the character.

"We watched a speech given in 1938 where the newsreel people cut from a close-up [of the king] to spectators in the crowd," says Hooper. "Whenever they come back in this profile close to the king, you just can see in his eyes — he just wants to get it right. That's all he wants to achieve. But he keeps getting caught in these horrible, painful silences in which he drowns and gathers his thoughts in silence. Colin and I both saw this and were extremely moved."

Hooper received Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for the HBO miniseries John Adams and Elizabeth I . His other films include Damned United and Red Dust .

• Cast & crew
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The King's Speech

The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer. The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer. The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

• David Seidler
• Colin Firth
• Geoffrey Rush
• Helena Bonham Carter
• 832 User reviews
• 486 Critic reviews
• 88 Metascore
• 108 wins & 206 nominations total

• King George VI

• Lionel Logue

• Queen Elizabeth

• Archbishop Cosmo Lang

• Private Secretary

• BBC Radio Announcer

• Robert Wood

• BBC Technician

• Dr. Blandine Bentham

• Laurie Logue

• Myrtle Logue

• Valentine Logue
• Anthony Logue

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• Princess Margaret

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• All cast & crew
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Did you know

• Trivia Nine weeks before filming began, Lionel Logue's grandson, Mark Logue , discovered a large box in his attic that contained his grandfather's personal papers. The box held Lionel Logue's diary, his appointment book, notes from his speech therapy sessions with King George VI , and over 100 personal letters to Logue from the King. It also contained what is believed to be the actual copy of the speech used by George VI in his 1939 radio broadcast announcing the declaration of war with Germany. Mark Logue turned his grandfather's papers, letters, and diary over to director Tom Hooper and screenwriter David Seidler , who used them to flesh out the relationship between Logue and the King. Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth also read through the material for insight into their characters. The exchange in this movie between Logue and King George VI following his radio speech ("You still stammered on the 'W'." / "Well, I had to throw in a few so they knew it was me.") was taken directly from Logue's diary. Firth insisted that it should be included in the movie.
• Goofs In the final speech, King George VI has one blue eye and one brown eye. Colin Firth had lost a contact lens.

King George VI : All that... work... down the drain. My own... b... brother, I couldn't say a single w-word to him in reply.

Lionel Logue : Why do you stammer so much more with David than you ever do with me?

King George VI : 'Cos you're b... bloody well paid to listen.

Lionel Logue : Bertie, I'm not a geisha girl.

King George VI : Stop trying to be so bloody clever.

Lionel Logue : What is it about David that stops you speaking?

King George VI : What is it about you that bloody well makes you want to go on about it the whole bloody time?

Lionel Logue : Vulgar, but fluent; you don't stammer when you swear.

King George VI : Oh, bugger off!

Lionel Logue : Is that the best you can do?

King George VI : [like an elocution lesson] Well... bloody bugger to you, you beastly bastard.

Lionel Logue : Oh, a public school prig could do better than that.

King George VI : Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!

Lionel Logue : Yes!

King George VI : Shit!

Lionel Logue : Defecation flows trippingly from the tongue!

King George VI : Because I'm angry!

Lionel Logue : Do you know the f-word?

King George VI : F... f... fornication?

Lionel Logue : Oh, Bertie.

King George VI : Fuck. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck! Fuck, fuck and bugger! Bugger, bugger, buggerty buggerty buggerty, fuck, fuck, arse!

Lionel Logue : Yes...

King George VI : Balls, balls...

Lionel Logue : ...you see, not a hesitation!

King George VI : ...fuckity, shit, shit, fuck and willy. Willy, shit and fuck and... tits.

• Crazy credits In the end credit roll, Philip Clements is listed twice as Assistant Sound Editor.
• Connections Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 22 October 2010 (2010)
• Soundtracks Le nozze di Figaro Overture Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart [During the first therapy session when King's voice is being recorded]

User reviews 832

• Dec 9, 2010
• Just what time frame are we talking about here?
• What causes Bertie's stammer?
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• December 25, 2010 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Official Site
• Nhà Vua Nói Lắp
• Elland Road Football Stadium, Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK (as Wembley Stadium at start of film)
• The Weinstein Company
• UK Film Council
• Momentum Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $15,000,000 (estimated)
• $138,797,449
• Nov 28, 2010
• $472,088,310

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• Dolby Digital

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The King’s Speech: How George VI Overcame His Stutter

Image source: 2db.com

You might be surprised at how many famous people have struggled with a speech disorder. James Earl Jones developed a stutter as a child. So did Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tiger Woods. Influential orators have also dealt with the issue, including Winston Churchill. And King George VI’s stuttering problem was made famous by the Hollywood hit, “The King’s Speech,” starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. While the screenwriter took certain liberties with historical facts (the compression of events into a shorter time period, for one), this can be forgiven since the primary focus of “The King’s Speech” is how George VI overcame his stutter.

King George VI’s Problem

King George VI was born Prince Albert, the second son of King George V. (He changed his name to George VI upon assuming the throne. Many of us Americans are a bit hazy on royal affairs that don’t involve Kate Middleton, so we’ll call him George VI to avoid confusion.) George VI’s elder brother, Edward VIII, was in line for the throne, and so George VI did not expect to become king. This suited him perfectly well, as he is said to have been painfully shy. He also loathed public speaking and was quite embarrassed of his stutter . It is said that the possible cause of the stutter was partially from verbal abuse from King George V when George VI was a small child. Whatever the cause, George VI stammered his way through his speeches. He endured a particularly disastrous speech to mark the closing of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium.

Image source: Firth.com

Seeking Speech Therapy

George VI had previously tried to rid himself of his stutter, but no speech program seemed to help him. That changed when he began to work with speech therapist Lionel Logue. In “The King’s Speech,” events are compressed so that it appears that George VI begins to work with Logue just before he is to assume the throne in 1936. This was not the case. George VI actually began to work with Logue in 1926, a while after the disastrous speech at the British Empire Exhibition. The two became friendly quite quickly, also unlike the movie. Logue indicated in his notes that “Bertie” (George VI) was imbued with confidence after their first meeting.

Lionel Logue’s Techniques

George VI’s growing self-confidence was critical. Quite often, a person’s stutter worsens when he is more keenly aware of it and anxious about it. To help George VI calm down and manage his rate of speech, Lionel Logue practiced breathing techniques with him. He also encouraged George VI to talk about any psychological issues that were troubling him.

Image source: Screenrant.com

Logue is also known to have instructed his patients to gargle with warm water and to practice intoning vowels with a loud voice, stretching each sound to 15 seconds. Logue also had his patients practice tongue twisters, and he is said to have someone sit on the patient’s stomach in order to strengthen the diaphragm. This last technique is a bit unorthodox by today’s standards.

As king, George VI called Logue to Buckingham Palace many times during the subsequent years to guide him through his speeches. Years of speech therapy enabled him to successfully address the nation, but George VI still struggled with his stutter. He viewed speech therapy as an ongoing necessity. In fact, King George VI was only comfortable delivering a speech without Logue at his side in December of 1944 – nearly two decades after he first sought Logue’s aid. The speech went quite well.

Moving thank you letter from King George VI to his speech therapist unearthed

By Hope Coke

Few viewers were left unmoved by Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech , in which Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush took on the roles of King George VI and his speech therapist Lionel Logue in a touching take on the real-life story. Now fans of the film will be excited to learn of the discovery of a special historical artefact, a letter from the then-monarch to Logue, which has resurfaced after 83 years.

The Times reports that George VI – who had struggled with a stammer since his childhood – thanks Logue, who had worked with him since 1926, for helping him ahead of his 1937 coronation speech. The moving note attests to the newly crowned monarch’s concerns prior to the speech, which mounted after a difficult rehearsal, followed by a flood of relief after its ultimate smooth delivery – which he attributes to Logue’s ‘expert supervision and unfailing patience’.

The letter was composed on 17 May, five days after the coronation, once the King had watched his speech on film. Along with the letter, composed on Windsor Castle-headed notepaper, George VI gifted Logue with a silver cigarette case embossed with the royal cipher. Expressing great warmth to the Australian speech and elocution specialist, the gift was addressed to ‘My Dear Logue’.

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The monarch is jubilant in the letter, writing, ‘Not a moment’s hesitation or mistake!’ He humorously adds that ‘The same cannot be said of the Bishops, of course, nor the pen I used to sign the Oath; the ink got all over my fingers, but fortunately one can hardly make it out.’

Logue held on to the letter and cigarette case until his death in April 1953, at 73 years of age. They then passed to Logue’s brother, Herbert, before coming into the possession of Australian jeweller Charles McGowan. The items were substituted as payment for a pearl necklace with a diamond and sapphire fastening, which cost £27 (around £1,300 in today’s money). They stayed under the ownership of the McGowan family for some years in Australia, but are now due to be sold through the leading regional auctioneer in the UK, Woolley & Wallis of Salisbury. They are expected to fetch around £4,000.

Royal fans seeking to own their own little piece of history should snap up this special item while they can.

By Rebecca Cope

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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