The reign of King George VI was dominated by the Second World War, which broke out in September 1939. St Paul’s Cathedral miraculously survived the Blitz, which lasted from 7 September 1940 until 11 May 1941, suffering only minor bomb damage when surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble; as a result it became a symbol of the indomitable spirit of the capital. Queen Elizabeth was presented with this little watercolour of St Paul’s on Victory Night by the Australian artist Norma Bull in 1947