Edward VIII (1894-1972) became King of England after the death of his father, George V, on January 20, 1936. Nearly 42-years-ancient and a bachelor, Edward then made known his desire to marry an American woman named Wallis Warfield Simpson, whom he had known since 1931. He sought the approval of his family, the Church of England, and the political establishment to marry her, but met with strong opposition. She had been married twice and her second divorce was still pending. This like affair and possible royal marriage resulted in sensational newspaper headlines around the world and made a storm of controversy, but did not sway Edward. On December 10, 1936, King Edward VIII submitted his abdication and it was endorsed by Parliament the next day. He thus became the only British monarch ever to resign voluntarily. The speech is from December 11, when Edward publicly announced his choice via radio to a worldwide audience. His younger brother, George VI, took the throne and immediately gave Edward the title, Duke of Windsor. The Duke and Simpson were married in France on June 3, 1937 and lived in Paris. During World War II, Edward served as governor of the Bahamas. He died in Paris on May 28, 1972. His wife died there, April 24, 1986.
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WHAT!?!?!?.
Is it just me, or did Guy Pearce NAIL his voice!
True, both people and Government are far more tolerant of divorce these days…but if, say, William had wanted as his future Queen a twice divorced American who had done little in her life but attend cocktail parties and hang around posh creeps, the reaction in 2012 would likely be not too different from 1936. Edward thought people would love Wallis once they got to know her personally, and (outside of the clubbing circles) the opposite usually happened.
Even longer than that – Edward the Confessor’s mother was Danish, and two predecessors were Danish! Further back they’re Vikings or Saxons, also immigrants from Germany. English is a Germanic language. If the Windsors are Germans, then all English people are German too
What a hard Decision to make in the name of Love. Just goes to show how much the power can Go. Its funny that in 2012 Prince Charles was allowed to wed a Divoced woman. Had they been so open minded then as now . The Entire Monarchy would be differnt .
I agree. I grew up as the internet became popular and I used to think it was the greatest thing ever invented, but I now think it’s something that has made me think that there are more bad people on this planet than good due to the way people treat one another online. Through comments, game play, videos, opinion articles, it’s been brought to light how much hate the majority of people on this planet have in their hearts.
I have just read a book called George V’s children & in there is says that nobody really believed that wallis loved him as she never showed him any affection at all he did it all & she used to badger him so much that he would burst into tears, they believe that she never wanted to marry him but had no choice in the end
So bloody English
All Royals have married into other country’s ? What do you expect. Your probably not even English because if we were to fine comb your blood line we would most probably find all sorts. Roman Britain ?
You are quite right about not knowing the evil of Hitler.When Prime Minister Chamberlin sign a treaty of peace, with Hitler. He happily showed to the English people touting it as a victory, he thought it was goodwill from Hitler, not knowing the snakes poison ink it was written with. Indeed it may have been the same for Edward. The difference is he continued his friendship with Hitler even after he became aware he was a monster. Wallis was already, and happily a Nazi sympathizer.
I agree with you there, I really don’t think he liked being King. He always had hold himself above the people, and was unable to speak his mind. Its funny he couldn’t marry the so call “woman I Love” and be King,one reason being, she was a divorcee. I wonder what he would thought, of today’s Monarchy, seeing three of them are divorced and two remarried. Charles to Camilla with whom he committed,adultery while married to Diana. Yet I am happy Edward step down in favour of his brother.
What do you guys think? Tragic love story or a British monarch that would have handed the country to the Germans?
If she wasnt a german agent, and he really did have facist views, then I guess Mrs Simpson actually helped save Britain by bringing on the whole abdication!
This is why I love these decades, So many little details that could have changed EVERYTHING about the world we know today….
Wallis, his spuse on the other hand is a mystery to me. There was alot of bad mouthing about her from the British Establishment, but then again there would be. She was sexually linked with a number of men, but is this slander or no smoke without fire? Some claim she was a German agent, but why stay with him for 35 years after the war if that were so? Was she after money, or were the couple really in love? We can talk about their racism and class views but these were rife in those decades. (cont)
You can niether prove nor disprove Edwards actions with the Nazis, some say he leaked the plans to defend Belgium, others that he wanted the Nazis and the Communists to wipe each other out whilst he sat on the fence. We DO know that he met with Hitler in ’37 and gave full Nazi salutes. For me, lessons learned here are simple…
That the could have been king was a pain during the war and had to be banished to the Bahamas whilst Government went about defending the country. (cont)