george was quick to prove himself a decent and popular monarch. he became a symbol of british resistance during the first world war in which he, and his wife, visited the war front regularly. however, at home his popularity was waning with even h.g wells referring to him as "an alien" because of his german background (his grandfather prince albert was german). growing increasingly worried he changed the family name to “windsor" to remove any association with a german heritage. he was seriously injured when thrown by his horse at a troop review in france.