At the time of his accession, Edward had remarked that the Crown had come to him two decades too late. George, who was just shy of his forty-fifth birthday, believed his own elevation to be premature. He had been devoted to, if somewhat frightened of, his ebullient father. Unusual in the annals of royal history, their bond was remarkable given the diversity of their characters and outlooks. Edward was charismatic and cosmopolitan. George was dependable and dull. Since his marriage to Princess May of Teck in 1893, he had displayed not the slightest interest in other women. Temperamentally
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