King George VI writes to the Archbishop of Canterbury regarding Princess Elizabeth’s engagement

Princess Elizabeth first met her future husband, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (later Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh), in 1934. After seeing him again in 1939, the two began corresponding regularly. In the summer of 1946, Philip secretly proposed to Elizabeth, who accepted without initially consulting her parents. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were cautious: Philip had no kingdom or fortune, and his sisters had married into German families with Nazi associations.

The King and Queen gave their consent on the condition that the engagement announcement be delayed until after Elizabeth’s 21st birthday. The engagement was officially announced on July 9, 1947. Elizabeth became Queen on February 6, 1952, following her father’s death.

When the marriage was announced, Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher, the leader of the Church of England, wrote to congratulate the King. King George VI’s 1947 reply to the Archbishop is considered highly significant, as it is the only publicly known document in which the King reflects on his daughter’s future role as monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022, was the longest-serving monarch in British history and was succeeded by her son, King Charles III.