We know from declassified documents found in Moscow and Geneva the death of George VI and Elizabeth caused a lot of unease in the Nazi leadership. While Hitler and Himmler were broadly supportive, Goering, Ribbentrop and more surprisingly Heydrich were deeply concerned.
Ribbentrop and Goering believed any hope of a negotiated peace with London disappeared with the bombing of Buckingham Palace and there would be no option but to invade and subjugate the British isles, a task neither believed would be either easy or possible.
As for Heydrich, he recognised the hopes of a peaceful subjugation of Britain after any invasion were also over - in an internal report he stated a large occupation army would be required as British resistance would be "fanatical" or it would be necessary to intern to Europe the bulk of the male adult population from 18-45 which while providing a source of slave labour would leave Britain economically useless to the Reich.
George VI was the first monarch to die in battle (so it was stated) since Richard III at Bosworth and to the extent he had a short and tragic reign he is remembered fondly.
The new Queen was only 14 when she was orphaned and Prince Henry became Regent. Henry had been wounded in France and had been rushed back to England just before Dunkirk. He was little known among the public but his wartime exploits and general bonhomie won him many friends. He visited the areas of east London heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe and empathised with the east Londoners.
Churchill doted on the young Queen but she remained at Windsor Castle under heavy guard while her sister Margaret went to Balmoral. The new Queen found support from her new friend Philip of Greece with whom she had been in correspondence since 1939. Their marriage and her Coronation in 1946 and 1947 respectively would be symbols Britain was emerging from the wartime period.
Henry remained Regent until 1944 and his family remained close to the Queen for the following decades. His statue in Parliament Square was unveiled by the Queen in 1953.
Ribbentrop and Goering believed any hope of a negotiated peace with London disappeared with the bombing of Buckingham Palace and there would be no option but to invade and subjugate the British isles, a task neither believed would be either easy or possible.
As for Heydrich, he recognised the hopes of a peaceful subjugation of Britain after any invasion were also over - in an internal report he stated a large occupation army would be required as British resistance would be "fanatical" or it would be necessary to intern to Europe the bulk of the male adult population from 18-45 which while providing a source of slave labour would leave Britain economically useless to the Reich.
George VI was the first monarch to die in battle (so it was stated) since Richard III at Bosworth and to the extent he had a short and tragic reign he is remembered fondly.
The new Queen was only 14 when she was orphaned and Prince Henry became Regent. Henry had been wounded in France and had been rushed back to England just before Dunkirk. He was little known among the public but his wartime exploits and general bonhomie won him many friends. He visited the areas of east London heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe and empathised with the east Londoners.
Churchill doted on the young Queen but she remained at Windsor Castle under heavy guard while her sister Margaret went to Balmoral. The new Queen found support from her new friend Philip of Greece with whom she had been in correspondence since 1939. Their marriage and her Coronation in 1946 and 1947 respectively would be symbols Britain was emerging from the wartime period.
Henry remained Regent until 1944 and his family remained close to the Queen for the following decades. His statue in Parliament Square was unveiled by the Queen in 1953.