The British Royal Family
The British royal family had an important role on the Home Front during WWII. Obviously their main focus was on the people of the United Kingdom, but King George VI was also the ruling monarch of Canada during the war. The most important function for the royal family was as a source of morale, both for people on the front lines and the home front. King George VI, who ruled from 1936-1952, had unexpectedly ascended to the throne when his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated. King George’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, the future queen, was 13 when the war began in 1939 and 19 when the conflict came to an end in 1945.
King George visited the front lines multiple times. He went to France in 1939 and North Africa in 1943. Ten days following the landings on Normandy in 1944, he visited the troops in France; King George also visited the Low Countries that year. He made sure to cultivate a strong connection with those at home, too.
On the Home Front, The King utilized the medium of radio to reach his subjects. He made two important radio broadcasts: one at the beginning of the war, urging the British people to prepare for difficult times ahead, and a celebratory broadcast on VE (Victory in Europe) Day. In 1940, the King established the George Cross and George Medal that were designed to recognize acts of bravery from citizens. He awarded the George Cross to the island and people of Malta in 1942 following their resistance to enemy siege. Britain was under attack from German bombing campaigns during WWII (check out our blog post on the Battle of Britain for more information!). The King and Queen visited bombed areas, and even experienced the devastation themselves when Buckingham Palace was bombed on September 13, 1940. These actions strengthened the relationship between the monarchy and their subjects.
There was pressure to relocate the Queen Mother and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to Canada to ensure their safety. Nevertheless, the Queen Mother refused to do so, and the family remained in the United Kingdom for the duration of the war. After Buckingham Palace was bombed, the family was relocated to Windsor Castle. Princess Elizabeth remained at Windsor Castle for the remainder of the war. She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service at age 19, where she trained as a driver and mechanic. Even today, Elizabeth’s actions during the Second World War contribute to her positive reputation among the people she rules.
A major part of the Second World War on the Home Front was communication between the government and Canadians at home. The Canadian government was producing propaganda and other types of public messaging throughout the war to keep Canadians informed at home and abroad. This blog series will look at different types of propaganda and public messaging, mediums of communication, and home front organizations.