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Throughout the war, George VI's daily routine has been rigorous, unsensational, inelegant. Like every other Briton who can manage it, he has his cup of morning tea, a black Indian blend in bed at about 8 o'clock. When he travels he lives aboard his ten-car train to avoid the fuss and bother of staying with people. By 9:30 he has bathed, dressed, breakfasted and glanced at the morning papers. All the London dailies go to the Palace. When he is in London he then meets one of his two secretaries in his office. The secretary is loaded with papers. Among them are the latest secret dispatches from the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry. There are special reports from the War Cabinet. There are usually a dozen or more lengthy reports already marked by his secretary to guide the King's attention, from various government departments, and many documents to sign.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., he sees people. In a typical week he saw five admirals, two air marshals, two British generals and two American (Eisenhower and Spaatz). He sees all of the British and Dominions politicians who come to London, too. Many of these meetings are scheduled to last only 15 to 20 minutes. Sometimes, if the guest is an old acquaintance or proves particularly interesting, the audience goes on for an hour, or as long as the timetable will permit.
Detesting unpunctuality, the King keeps his London routine as regular and unvarying as possible. After lunch he walks for half an hour in the Palace grounds, reads his longer papers, possibly goes off with the Queen to visit some London military club. He sees one of the two secretaries again before dinner.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill used to see the King one morning each week. Their sessions grew so long they were absorbing each other's entire half-day. Now Churchill lunches with the King one day a week, usually Thursday. Over grilled sole, or cold roast beef, washed down with whiskey and soda, the Prime Minister talks about the war, or the latest gossip of Downing Street. George VI and Churchill are gay and intimate friends, but Churchill does most of the talking. Churchill serves the King competently and with abiding respect, calls his monarch "Sir." The King, in his chats with Churchill, sometimes displays the British humor which lightens his otherwise grey job. When Winston is especially ebullient, George will remind him that, after all, the most brilliant of Prime Ministers merely moves within the monarchy's ancient orbit.
King at Play. After dinner, the King may play a few phonograph records from an enormous collection of jazz recordings he owns. He doesn't go for classical music. There are seldom more than two Palace dinner parties a week, usually only one. One reason is that the King & Queen have few close personal friends.