George V Convalesces at Craigweil

February-May 1929

In February 1929, King George V arrived at Craigweil House, a private residence on the coast between Bognor and Aldwick, to convalesce after a serious illness. The King had suffered a near-fatal chest infection in late 1928 and was advised by his doctors that the mild, sunny climate of the Sussex coast would aid his recovery. Craigweil House was lent to the King for his convalescence, and he remained there for several months, gradually regaining his health in the sea air. The royal visit brought Bognor national attention and a level of prestige that a modest seaside resort could not otherwise have achieved. The King was photographed on the beach and in the grounds of Craigweil, received official visitors, and the town basked in the unprecedented royal association. The convalescence was successful, and the King returned to London in the spring of 1929, his health sufficiently restored to resume his duties. The visit led directly to the granting of the Regis suffix later that year, an honour that transformed the town's name and its sense of its own status. Craigweil House itself was demolished in the 1930s and the site redeveloped for housing, but the name Craigweil persists in the streets and the local area. The royal connection remains central to the town's identity and its official name.