Bognor Regis

King George V underwent lung surgery in December 1928. His recovery was slow, and his medical advisers felt that some sea air would help. A suitable residence was selected, and the King travelled to Bognor on 9 February 1929. There was great excitement in the town, and some time later the King was asked to bestow the suffix 'Regis' to its name. When Lord Stamfordham, the King's Private Secretary, delivered the petition to him, King George is supposed to have replied, "Oh, bugger Bognor." Lord Stamfordham then went back to the petitioners and told them, "the King has been graciously pleased to grant your request."

A slightly different version of the story is that the famous words were uttered shortly before the King's death, when he was told that he would soon be well enough to revisit the town. Popular belief even holds these to have been his last words (rather than the official version – "How is the Empire?"). Although there is little evidence that the King ever did actually say "Bugger Bognor", it is quite certain that he had little regard for the town – even though it was felt that the sea air did help him to regain his health.