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When his father became king in 1901 he inherited the dukedom of Cornwall and was created Prince of Wales. His main role was to visit the far-flung [[British empire]]. In the first great tour in imperial history, he and his wife went to Aden, Ceylon, and Singapore; opened the first Australian parliament in Melbourne on May 9, 1901, and visited Brisbane, Sydney, and New Zealand. They went to Mauritius and South Africa, then crossed Canada east to west and back again on the Canadian Pacific Railway, finally returning to London after showing the flag and assuring the locals that London cared for them. On reporting his trip he called out to insular Britons, "Wake up, England!", a slogan that became a hallmark of George's concern for the Empire and his bluff, commonsensical manner.   

When his father became king in 1901 he inherited the dukedom of Cornwall and was created Prince of Wales. His main role was to visit the far-flung [[British empire]]. In the first great tour in imperial history, he and his wife went to Aden, Ceylon, and Singapore; opened the first Australian parliament in Melbourne on May 9, 1901, and visited Brisbane, Sydney, and New Zealand. They went to Mauritius and South Africa, then crossed Canada east to west and back again on the Canadian Pacific Railway, finally returning to London after showing the flag and assuring the locals that London cared for them. On reporting his trip he called out to insular Britons, "Wake up, England!", a slogan that became a hallmark of George's concern for the Empire and his bluff, commonsensical manner.   

The Royal Tour of 1901 was designed by Colonial Secretary [[Joseph Chamberlain]] with the support of Prime Minister [[Lord Salisbury]]. Its primary goal was to reward Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa for their participation in the South African War of 1899-1902. At every stop George ceremoniously presenting thousands of specially designed South African War medals to colonial troops. In South Africa the royal party was greeted by elaborate decorations, expensive gifts, fireworks displays, and met with civic leaders, African leaders, and Boer prisoners. Despite this outward display, not all residents responded favorably to the tour. Many white Cape Afrikaners resented both the display and the expense, the events of the war having weakened their capacity to reconcile their Afrikaner-Dutch culture with their status as British subjects. Critics in the English-language press decried the enormous expenditures at a time when families faced severe hardship.<ref>Phillip Buckner, "The Royal Tour of 1901 and the Construction of an Imperial Identity in South Africa." '' South African Historical Journal''  2000 (41): 324-348. Issn: 0258-2473</ref> The visit made for New Zealand's first nationwide extravaganza. It allowed the people and the colony a chance to show off, to confirm their devotion to military values, bravery, loyalty, and obedience to duty, to demonstrate technical efficiency, especially in communications and in the processing industries, and to advertise the colony's attractiveness to both tourists and immigrants. Above all the tour focused the attention of the British press on New Zealand and gave the Liberal government an unparalleled opportunity to advertise the success of its reform program.<ref>Judith Bassett, "'A Thousand Miles of Loyalty': the Royal Tour of 1901." ''New Zealand Journal of History'' 1987 21(1): 125-138. Issn: 0028-8322</ref>

The Royal Tour of 1901 was designed by Colonial Secretary [[Joseph Chamberlain]] with the support of Prime Minister [[Lord Salisbury]]. Its primary goal was to reward Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902. At every stop George ceremoniously presenting thousands of specially designed South African War medals to colonial troops. In South Africa the royal party was greeted by elaborate decorations, expensive gifts, fireworks displays, and met with civic leaders, African leaders, and Boer prisoners. Despite this outward display, not all residents responded favorably to the tour. Many white Cape Afrikaners resented both the display and the expense, the events of the war having weakened their capacity to reconcile their Afrikaner-Dutch culture with their status as British subjects. Critics in the English-language press decried the enormous expenditures at a time when families faced severe hardship.<ref>Phillip Buckner, "The Royal Tour of 1901 and the Construction of an Imperial Identity in South Africa." '' South African Historical Journal''  2000 (41): 324-348. Issn: 0258-2473</ref> The visit made for New Zealand's first nationwide extravaganza. It allowed the people and the colony a chance to show off, to confirm their devotion to military values, bravery, loyalty, and obedience to duty, to demonstrate technical efficiency, especially in communications and in the processing industries, and to advertise the colony's attractiveness to both tourists and immigrants. Above all the tour focused the attention of the British press on New Zealand and gave the Liberal government an unparalleled opportunity to advertise the success of its reform program.<ref>Judith Bassett, "'A Thousand Miles of Loyalty': the Royal Tour of 1901." ''New Zealand Journal of History'' 1987 21(1): 125-138. Issn: 0028-8322</ref>

George lacked the intellectual sharpness of his two predecessors as well as their cosmopolitan outlook and European experience. However, he did understand the Empire better than any prime minister and used his exceptional memory for figures and details, whether of uniforms, politics, or relations, to good effect in small talk with his subjects.

George lacked the intellectual sharpness of his two predecessors as well as their cosmopolitan outlook and European experience. However, he did understand the Empire better than any prime minister and used his exceptional memory for figures and details, whether of uniforms, politics, or relations, to good effect in small talk with his subjects.

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

* Bogdanor, Vernon. "1931 Revisited: The Constitutional Aspects," ''Twentieth Century British History'' 1991 2(1): 1-25, argues that George V played a crucial role in the political crisis of August–October 1931.  

* Bogdanor, Vernon. "1931 Revisited: The Constitutional Aspects," ''Twentieth Century British History'' 1991 2(1): 1-25, argues that George V played a crucial role in the political crisis of August–October 1931.  

** Williamson, Philip. "1931 Revisited: the Political Realities." ''Twentieth Century British History'' 1991 2(3): 328-338. Disputes Bogdanor, saying the idea of a national government had been in the minds of party leaders for some time and it was they, not the king, who determined when the time had come to establish one.

** Williamson, Philip. "1931 Revisited: the Political Realities." ''Twentieth Century British History'' 1991 2(3): 328–338. Disputes Bogdanor, saying the idea of a national government had been in the minds of party leaders for some time and it was they, not the king, who determined when the time had come to establish one.

* Clay, Catrine.  ''King Kaiser Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War.'' (2007). 432 pp.   

* Clay, Catrine.  ''King Kaiser Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War.'' (2007). 432 pp.   

* Matthew, H. C. G.  "George V (1865–1936)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,'' (2004); online edn, Jan 2008  

* Matthew, H. C. G.  "George V (1865–1936)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,'' (2004); online edn, Jan 2008