 The event was established in 1911, and it was founded to commemorate the coronation of King George V.

The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the King George Stakes was classed at Group 3 level.The car manufacturer Audi sponsored the race from 2005 to 2011, and for several years it was known as the Audi Stakes.It was sponsored by Gordon's Gin in 2012 and by Betfred since 2013.