3. King George VI Smoked Himself Directly To His Own Grave (1952)
Queen Elizabeth II's father George VI suffered ill health following World War II due to the stress which had been placed on him as a result of the brutal conflict. Having smoked excessively since his youth, the King suffered from lung cancer and eventually he was forced to have his left lung removed in September 1951 when a malignant tumour was discovered in it. So ill was King George VI that his daughter Elizabeth took over royal duties from March 1949 onwards, and eventually died on February 6, 1952, as a result of a blood clot near his hearth - which had been brought about after his blood vessels had contracted significantly due to his years of excessive smoking.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
