I know that conventional wisdom and Wikipedia say quite the opposite, but I was wondering if there is evidence that King George directed the whole thing, so that he could be king.
My question comes from that scene in the film, "The Kings Speech," when King Edward accuses his brother of pushing him off the throne. I don't recall the exact words used in the film.
Perhaps I'm watching too much "House of Cards".
So I'm asking the experts.
I'm not aware of any evidence to suggest this, most of the push for abdication came from the government rather than the Royal Family (who typically stay out of politics anyway). George VI had no interest in being King and was terrified of speaking in public. In his diary he writes: ""When I told her [Queen Mary] what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child.". The movie is quite accurate in its portrayal of him being a reluctant King, but takes a few dramatic liberties and accelerates the timeline.