Here is a bit of interesting trivia about King George V and my husband Niall’s family history. Before George V became king, he spent three weeks at Ashford Castle in Ireland. In his memory, the main dining room in Ashford Castle is called after George V.
The connection Niall’s family has with George V is from both his parents. On his mother’s side, Niall’s grandfather, Henry James O’Brien, was commissioned as an officer of the British Army and he served in India. Niall has a copy of his commission which bears the original signature of King George V. See photo below, the signature is on the upper left.
I mentioned Sandhurst in my novel ‘A Thread of Secrets’ because this was where, like James, one of characters in my novel, Niall’s grandfather graduated as a commissioned officer in the British army. James is a fictitious character, not based on Niall’s grandfather. The character Brian, who served and lived in India is based on Henry James O’Brien. So, in ‘A Thread of Secrets’, Brian and Margaret have a daughter, Hannah, who was based on Niall’s mother. Niall’s mother (different name, not Hannah) lived in India with her parents up to when she was around 9 years old.
On his father’s side, Niall’s great-grand uncle, James MacNeill (brother of Eoin MacNeill – the co-founder of the Gaelic League and founder of the Irish Volunteers) was the penultimate Governor General of the Irish Free State (as Ireland was known at the time) during the late 1920s/early 1930s. As the King’s representative in the Irish Free State, James MacNeill had to appear before the King at Buckingham Palace. When the King discovered that James MacNeill was also fond of single malt whisky, he was delighted. So, James MacNeill’s audience with the King went on for longer than was usually allowed because of their mutual like of single malt whisky.
This is just all historical fact and part of it I used in my novel.
As I mentioned before, my novel ‘A Thread of Secrets’ is only the beginning of revealing many secrets. More to come..
With love and gratitude,
Tatiana
Photo on the left is the George V Dining Room at Ashford Castle in Ireland.
