How Did Elizabeth Become Sick

King George V started to become sick with lung problems when Elizabeth was only two and a half years old (Lacey 27). Over the years the king only grew sicker, it was not noticeable until 1935 when the family met for Christmas and the king was too ill to walk (Lacey 51). The king was only becoming more ill over time and the family knew this. One winter, while Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were playing in the snow their grandmother, Queen Mary, went outside to visit them. She explained to the girls that their grandfather was very sick and it was time to say goodbye (Lacey 51). On January 20, 1936 King George V passed away when Elizabeth was nine (Norton 181). After the death of the king, Princess Elizabeth was taken to see her grandfathers coffin (Lacey 52). Following the death of King George V, the next heir to the throne was Elizabeth’s uncle, Prince Edward VIII (“Queen Elizabeth II” 2). Edward was the eldest son
(Lacey 42). At the time Wallis Simpson was married to New Yorker- Ernest Simpson. Prince Edward and his wife invited Mr. and Mrs. Simpson over to their fort one afternoon and that is when the forbidden love affair between the prince and Mrs. Simpson Sparked (Lacey 43). After Wallis and her husband visited the fort she started to see more and more of Prince Edward at unexpected times and events. The more they saw each other, the more the prince and Wallis began to fall for each other. While infidelity is a major scandal, especially to the royal family, Prince Edward began to distance himself from his family and very few people knew about Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson’s affair. (Lacey 46). In October 1936 Mrs. Simpson filed for divorce so that she could marry the prince (Lacey 63). When the royal family found out about this they disagreed to allow the marriage between future king and American divorcee, Wallis