Edward VIII
King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India (more...)
Edward as Prince of Wales, 1919
Reign	20 January – 11 December 1936
Predecessor	George V
Successor	George VI
Spouse	Wallis Warfield (post-abdication)
Full name
Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David
Detail Titles and styles
HRH The Duke of Windsor HM The King HRH The Prince of Wales HRH The Duke of Cornwall HRH Prince Edward of Wales HRH Prince Edward of Cornwall and York HRH Prince Edward of York HH Prince Edward of York
Royal house	House of Windsor
Royal anthem	God Save the King
Father	George V
Mother	Mary of Teck
Born	23 June 1894(1894-06-23) White Lodge, Richmond, London, England
Baptised	16 July, 1894 White Lodge, Richmond, London, England
Died	28 May 1972 (aged 77) Paris, France
Burial	5 June, 1972 Frogmore, Berkshire, England

Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; later The Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on 20 January 1936, until his abdication on 11 December 1936. The precise style of British Sovereigns has varied over the years Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Wallis Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer, then Simpson; 19 June 1895 or 1896 &ndash 24 April 1986 was an American A royal house or royal dynasty is a familial designation or Family name of sorts used by Royalty. The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms The older part is a branch of the Saxe-Coburg A royal anthem is a patriotic song much like a National anthem but specifically praising or praying for a Monarch or royal dynasty "God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms It is the National Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953 was the queen-empress consort of George V of the United Kingdom Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common White Lodge is a Georgian house situated in Richmond Park, on the south-western outskirts of London. Richmond is a town and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem The Royal Burial Ground is a Cemetery used by the British Royal Family. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch Emperor/Empress of India ( Badishah -e-Hind in Hindustani) was used as a Title by the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning renouncing from ab, away from and dicare, to declare to proclaim as not belonging to one Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was the second monarch of the House of Windsor, his father having changed the name of the Royal house from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917. The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms The older part is a branch of the Saxe-Coburg Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha served as the name of the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in

Before his accession to the throne, Edward VIII held the titles of Prince Edward of York, Prince Edward of Cornwall and York, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, and Prince of Wales (all with the style Royal Highness). The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first Dukedom created in the Peerage of England. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the As a young man he served in World War I, undertook several foreign tours on behalf of his father, and was associated with a succession of older married women. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Only months into his reign, Edward forced a constitutional crisis by proposing marriage to the American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Wallis Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer, then Simpson; 19 June 1895 or 1896 &ndash 24 April 1986 was an American Although legally Edward could have married Mrs. Simpson and remained king, his various prime ministers opposed the marriage, arguing that the people would never accept her as queen. Edward knew that the ministry of British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin would resign if the marriage went ahead; this could have dragged the King into a general election thus ruining irreparably his status as a politically neutral constitutional monarch. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major A general election is an Election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Rather than give up Mrs. Simpson, Edward chose to abdicate, making him the only monarch of Britain, and indeed any Commonwealth Realm, to have voluntarily relinquished the throne. The Edward VIII abdication crisis occurred in the British Empire in 1936 when the desire of King-Emperor Edward VIII to marry his mistress Wallis A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch ^[1] He is one of the shortest-reigning monarchs in British history, and was never crowned. The Coronation of the British Monarch is a Ceremony (specifically Initiation rite) in which the Monarch of the United Kingdom and of the other

After his abdication he reverted to the style of a son of the sovereign, The Prince Edward, and was created Duke of Windsor on 8 March 1937. The Peerage title Duke of Windsor was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937 for The Prince Edward, formerly King of the United Kingdom Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. During World War II he was at first stationed with the British Military Mission to France, but after private accusations that he held pro-Nazi sympathies, was moved to the Bahamas as Governor and Commander-in-Chief. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and After the war he was never given another official appointment and spent the remainder of his life in retirement.

Early life

Edward VIII was born on 23 June 1894, at White Lodge in Richmond, England. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common White Lodge is a Georgian house situated in Richmond Park, on the south-western outskirts of London. Richmond is a town and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[2] He was the eldest son of The Duke of York (later King George V), and The Duchess of York (formerly Princess Victoria Mary of Teck). Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953 was the queen-empress consort of George V of the United Kingdom His father was the second son of The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and The Princess of Wales (formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark). Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Carolina Marie Charlotte Louise Julia 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925 was Queen Consort to Edward VII of the United Kingdom His mother was the eldest daughter of The Duke of Teck and The Duchess of Teck (formerly Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge). Francis Duke of Teck (Francis Paul Charles Louis Alexander 28 August 1837 &ndash 21 January 1900) was a member of the British Royal Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth 27 November 1833 &ndash 27 October 1897) was a member of the British As a great grandson of Queen Victoria in the male line, Edward was styled His Highness Prince Edward of York at his birth. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Edward of Wales Little David, photographed by his grandmother Queen Alexandra

He was baptised in the Green Drawing Room of White Lodge on 16 July 1894, by Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Edward White Benson ( July 14 1829 &ndash October 11 1896) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1882 until his death The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the ^[3] Edward VIII was named after his late uncle, who was known to his family as "Eddy" or Edward, and his great-grandfather King Christian IX of Denmark. Prince Albert Victor Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward 8 January 1864 &ndash 14 January 1892 was a member of the British Royal Family. Christian IX ( April 8, 1818 - January 29, 1906) was King of Denmark from November 16, 1863 to January 29 The name Albert was included at the behest of Queen Victoria. His last four names – George, Andrew, Patrick and David – came from the Patron Saints of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Saint Patrick (Patricius Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Roman Britain -born Christian Missionary and is the Patron saint Saint David ( c. 500–589 ('Dewi Sant' was a church official later regarded as a Saint and as the Patron saint of Wales. The Prince was nevertheless, for the rest of his life, known to his family and close friends by his last given name, David.

Edward's parents, The Duke and Duchess of York, were often removed from their children's upbringing, like other upper-class English parents of the day. Edward and his younger brother Albert were abused by one of the royal nannies. The nanny would pinch Edward before he was due to be presented to his parents. His subsequent crying and wailing would lead the Duke and Duchess to send Edward and the nanny away. ^[4] His father, though a harsh disciplinarian,^[5] was demonstrably affectionate^[6] and his mother displayed a frolicksome side when dealing with her children that belies her austere public image. She was amused by the children making tadpoles on toast for their French master,^[7] and encouraged them to confide matters in her which it would have provoked their father to know. ^[8]

Prince of Wales

Official Investiture Medallion

Edward automatically became Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay when his father, George V, ascended the throne on 6 May 1910. The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first Dukedom created in the Peerage of England. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The new King created him Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on 23 June 1910, and officially invested him as such in a special ceremony at Caernarfon Castle on 13 July 1911. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in Medieval England. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Caernarfon Castle (Castell Caernarfon was constructed at Caernarfon in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, by King Edward I of England, following his Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year ^[9] For the first time since 1616, and the evidence for that ceremony is thin, the investiture took place in Wales at the instigation of the Welsh politician David Lloyd George, Constable of the Castle, who at that time held the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Liberal government. David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party ^[10] Lloyd George invented a rather fanciful ceremony which took the form of a Welsh pageant, and coached Edward to utter some sentences in Welsh. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic

Military career

Edward during World War I

When the First World War (1914–18) broke out, Edward had reached the minimum age for active service and was keen to participate. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[11] He had joined the army, serving with the Grenadier Guards, in June 1914, and although Edward was willing to serve on the front lines, the Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, refused to allow it, citing the immense harm that would occur if the heir to the throne was captured. The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS is the most senior Regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and as such is the most senior regiment of infantry The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British Cabinet -level position first applied to Henry Dundas Lord Kitchener may refer to Horatio Kitchener 1st Earl Kitchener (1850–1916 prominent British soldier in the Sudan, the Second Boer War ^[12]

Despite this, Edward witnessed trench warfare firsthand and attempted to visit the front line as often as he could, for which he was awarded the Military Cross in 1916. The Military Cross ( MC) is the third level Military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993 other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to His role in the war, although limited, led to his great popularity among veterans of the conflict. ^[13] As of 1911 he was also a Midshipman in the Royal Navy, making Lieutenant in 1913. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Edward undertook his first military flight in 1918 and later gained his pilot's licence. ^[14] On his succession he became Admiral of the Fleet in the Navy, Field Marshal in the Army, and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Admiral of the Fleet is a rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies equating to the NATO rank code OF-10 Please see " Field Marshal " for other countries which use this rank Field Marshal is the highest military rank of the United Kingdom Marshal of the Royal Air Force ( MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. ^[15]

Royal duties

HRH The Prince of Wales canoeing in Canada, 1919

Throughout the 1920s Edward, as Prince of Wales, represented his father, King George V, at home and abroad on many occasions. Canoeing is the activity of paddling a Canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip Sport, or transportation. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page He took a particular interest in visiting the poverty stricken areas of the country,^[16] and undertook 16 tours to various parts of the Empire between 1919 and 1935, in the process acquiring the Bedingfield ranch, near Pekisko, Canada. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Location of Pekisko in Alberta Pekisko is a hamlet in Southern Alberta Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In 1924, he donated the Prince of Wales Trophy to the National Hockey League. The Prince of Wales Trophy, or simply the Wales Trophy, is a National Hockey League (NHL trophy awarded to the Eastern Conference (formerly The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America The trophy is currently presented to the Eastern Conference playoff champion, and from 1974 to 1993 the conference was known as the "Prince of Wales Conference". The Eastern Conference (Conférence de l'Est is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League (NHL used to divide teams ^[17]

His attitudes to many of the Empire's subjects and various foreign peoples, both during his career as Prince of Wales and later as Duke of Windsor, were little commented upon in their time but have soured his reputation since. ^[18] He said of Indigenous Australians: "they are the most revolting form of living creatures I've ever seen!! They are the lowest known form of human beings & are the nearest thing to monkeys. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. "^[19]

He soon became the 1920s version of a latter-day movie star. At the height of his popularity, he became the most photographed celebrity of his time and he set men's fashion. ^[20]

Romances

In 1930, King George V gave Edward a home, Fort Belvedere, near Sunningdale, England. Fort Belvedere is a Country house on Shrubs Hill in Windsor Great Park, England very near Sunningdale, Berkshire, but actually over Sunningdale is a large Village and Civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[21] There, Edward had relationships with a series of married women including half-British half-American textile heiress Freda Dudley Ward, American film actress Mildred Harris, and Lady Furness (born Thelma Morgan), an American woman of part-Chilean ancestry, who introduced the Prince to fellow American Wallis Simpson. Winifred May Marquesa de Casa Maury ( 28 July 1894 &ndash 16 March 1983) universally known by her first married name as Freda Dudley Ward Mildred Harris ( November 29, 1901 &ndash July 20, 1944) was an American Actress of the Silent film era Thelma Viscountess Furness ( August 23, 1904 &ndash January 29, 1970) born Thelma Morgan, was the woman who preceded Wallis Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Wallis Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer, then Simpson; 19 June 1895 or 1896 &ndash 24 April 1986 was an American Mrs. Simpson had divorced her first husband in 1927 and had subsequently married Ernest Simpson, a half-British half-American businessman. Ernest Aldrich Simpson ( May 6, 1895 &ndash November 30, 1958) was a British shipping executive best known as the second husband of Mrs. Simpson and the Prince of Wales, it is generally accepted, became lovers while Lady Furness travelled abroad, though Edward adamantly insisted to his father, the King, that he was not intimate with her and that it was not appropriate to describe her as his mistress. ^[22]

British Royalty
House of Windsor
George V
Edward VIII
George VI
Mary, Princess Royal
Henry, Duke of Gloucester
George, Duke of Kent
Prince John
Edward VIII

King George V was disappointed in Edward's failure to settle down in life and disgusted by his many affairs with married women. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms The older part is a branch of the Saxe-Coburg The Princess Mary Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary Lascelles née Windsor 25 April 1897 &ndash 28 March The Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester (Henry William Frederick Albert 31 March 1900 – 10 June 1974 was a member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V The Prince George Duke of Kent (George Edward Alexander Edmund 20 December 1902 - 25 August 1942) was a member of the British Royal Family The Prince John (John Charles Francis 12 July 1905 &ndash 18 January 1919 was a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest son of King George V and Queen The King was reluctant to see Edward inherit the Crown, and was quoted as saying of Edward: "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in 12 months". ^[23] He later said of his second son, Albert ("Bertie"), and granddaughter, Elizabeth, ("Lilibet"): "I pray to God that my eldest son Edward will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II "^[24] Edward's relationship with Mrs. Simpson further weakened his poor relationship with his father. Although the King and Queen met Mrs. Simpson at Buckingham Palace in 1935,^[25] they later refused to receive her. ^[26] But Edward had now fallen in love with Wallis and the couple grew ever closer.

Edward's affair with the American divorcée led to such grave concern that the couple were followed by members of the Metropolitan police Special Branch, to examine in secret the nature of their relationship. An undated report detailed a visit by the couple to an antique shop, where the proprietor later noted that: "the lady seemed to have POW [Prince of Wales] completely under her thumb. "^[27] The prospect of having an American divorcée with a questionable past having such sway over the heir apparent caused some anxiety to government and establishment figures at the time. An heir apparent is an Heir who (short of a fundamental change in the situation cannot be displaced from inheriting the term is used in contrast to Heir presumptive

Reign

Royal Cypher of Edward VIII

King George V died on 20 January 1936, and Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. A Royal Cypher, or Royal and Imperial Cypher is the sovereign 's Monogram or the initials of their name and title usually surmounted by a crown Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The next day, he broke royal protocol by watching the proclamation of his own accession to the throne from a window of St. James's Palace in the company of the then still-married Mrs. St James's Palace is one of London's oldest Palaces It is situated on Pall Mall in London, just north of St Simpson. ^[28] It was also at this time that Edward VIII became the first monarch of the Commonwealth Realms to fly in an aeroplane, when he flew from Sandringham to London for his Accession Council. A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch Overview Fixed-wing aircraft range from small training and recreational aircraft to Wide-body aircraft and military cargo aircraft. Sandringham is a Village and Civil parish in the north of the English County of Norfolk. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, the Accession Council is a ceremonial body which assembles on the death of a Monarch to proclaim his or her successor king or queen and to receive ^[29]

Edward caused unease in government circles with actions that were interpreted as interference in political matters. On visiting the depressed coal mining villages in South Wales the King’s observation that "something must be done"^[29] for the unemployed coal miners was seen as directly critical of the Government, though it has never been clear whether Edward had anything in particular in mind. Government ministers were also reluctant to send confidential documents and state papers to Fort Belvedere because it was clear that Edward was paying little attention to them and because of the perceived danger that Mrs. Simpson and other house guests might see them. ^[30]

Left-facing currency portrait of Edward VIII

Edward's unorthodox approach to his role also extended to the currency which bore his image. He broke with the tradition that on coinage each successive monarch faced in the opposite direction to his or her predecessor. Edward insisted his left side was superior to his right, and that he face left (as his father had done). ^[31] Only a handful of coins were actually struck before the abdication, and when George VI succeeded he also faced left, to maintain the tradition by suggesting that had any coins been minted featuring Edward's portrait, they would have shown him facing right. ^[32]

On 16 July 1936 an attempt was made on Edward's life. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An Irish malcontent, Jerome Brannigan (otherwise known as George Andrew McMahon) produced a loaded revolver as the King rode on horseback at Constitution Hill, near Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Police spotted the gun and pounced on him; he was quickly arrested. At Brannigan's trial, he alleged that "a foreign power" had approached him to kill Edward, that he had informed MI5 of the plan, and that he was merely seeing the plan through to help MI5 catch the real culprits. The court rejected the claims and sent him to jail for a year. It is now thought that Brannigan had indeed been in contact with MI5 but the veracity of the remainder of his claims remains open. ^[33]

By October it was becoming clear that the new King planned to marry Mrs. Simpson, especially when divorce proceedings between Mr. and Mrs. Simpson were brought at Ipswich Crown Court. Ipswich ( ˈɪpswɪtʃ is a Non-metropolitan district and the County town of Suffolk, England on the Estuary of the River Orwell ^[34] Preparations for all contingencies were made, including the prospect of the coronation of King Edward and Queen Wallis. Because of the religious implications of any marriage, plans were made to hold a secular coronation ceremony not in the traditional religious location, Westminster Abbey, but in the Banqueting House in Whitehall. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church The Banqueting House is the only remaining component of Whitehall Palace, and is found at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall, London. ^[35]

Abdication

Main article: Edward VIII abdication crisis

On 16 November 1936, Edward invited Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin to Buckingham Palace and expressed his desire to marry Wallis Simpson when she became free to re-marry. The Edward VIII abdication crisis occurred in the British Empire in 1936 when the desire of King-Emperor Edward VIII to marry his mistress Wallis Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Wallis Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer, then Simpson; 19 June 1895 or 1896 &ndash 24 April 1986 was an American Baldwin informed the King that his subjects would deem the marriage morally unacceptable, largely because remarriage after divorce was opposed by the Church of England, and the people would not tolerate Wallis as Queen. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican ^[36] As King, Edward held the role of Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and was expected by the clergy to support the Church's teachings. The Supreme Governor of the Church of England is a title held by the British Monarchs which signifies their titular leadership over the Church of England.

Edward proposed an alternative solution of a morganatic marriage, in which Edward would remain King but Wallis would not become Queen. A morganatic marriage is a type of Marriage which can be contracted in certain countries usually between people of unequal Social rank, which prevents the passage She would enjoy some lesser title instead, and any children they might have would not inherit the throne. This too was rejected by the British Cabinet^[37] as well as other Dominion governments,^[38] whose views were sought pursuant to the Statute of Westminster 1931, which provided in part that "any alteration in the law touching the Succession to the Throne or the Royal Style and Titles shall hereafter require the assent as well of the Parliaments of all the Dominions as of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (22 & 23 Geo "^[39] The Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and South Africa made clear their opposition to the King marrying a divorcée;^[40] the Irish Free State expressed indifference and detachment and New Zealand, having never even heard of Mrs. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Simpson before, vacillated in disbelief. ^[41] Faced with this opposition, Edward at first responded that there were "not many people in Australia" and their opinion didn't matter. ^[42]

The King informed Baldwin that he would abdicate if he could not marry her. Baldwin then presented Edward with three choices: give up the idea of marriage; marry Mrs. Simpson against his ministers' wishes; or abdicate. ^[43] It was clear that Edward was not prepared to give up Mrs. Simpson. By marrying against the advice of his ministers, he would cause the government to resign, prompting a constitutional crisis. ^[44] He chose to abdicate. ^[45]

Signature of King Edward VIII
The 'R' and 'I' after his name indicate 'king' and 'emperor' in Latin ('Rex' and 'Imperator').

Edward duly signed the instruments^[46] of abdication at Fort Belvedere on 10 December 1936, in the presence of his three brothers, The Duke of York, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester (Henry William Frederick Albert 31 March 1900 – 10 June 1974 was a member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V The Prince George Duke of Kent (George Edward Alexander Edmund 20 December 1902 - 25 August 1942) was a member of the British Royal Family ^[47] The next day, he performed his last act as King when he gave royal assent to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936. The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarch completes the legislative process of Lawmaking by formally assenting to an His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 c 3 was the Act of the British Parliament that allowed King Edward VIII As required by the Statute of Westminster, all the Dominions consented to the King's abdication,^[48] though the Irish Free State did not pass the External Relations Act, which included the abdication in its schedule, until 12 December. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The Executive Authority (External Relations Act 1936 was an enactment of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament in 1936. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian As a curiosity, legally, for one day Edward was King of the Irish Free State but not the rest of the British Empire. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. ^[49]

On the night of 11 December 1936, Edward, now reverted to the title of Prince Edward, made a broadcast to the nation and the Empire, explaining his decision to abdicate. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He famously said, "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love. "^[50]

After the broadcast, Edward departed the United Kingdom for Austria, though he was unable to join Mrs. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Simpson until her divorce became absolute, several months later. ^[51] His brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York succeeded to the throne as George VI, whose elder daughter, The Princess Elizabeth, became first in the line of succession, as the heiress presumptive. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II An heir presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne peerage or other hereditary honor but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir apparent

Duke of Windsor

The Windsors on their wedding day

On 12 December 1936, at his Accession Privy Council, George VI announced he was to make his brother Duke of Windsor, and also re-admit him to the highest degrees of the various British Orders of Knighthood. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery achievement or service to the United Kingdom. He wanted this to be the first act of his reign, although the formal documents were not signed until 8 March of the following year. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. But during the interim, Edward was universally known as the Duke of Windsor. The King's decision to create Edward a royal duke ensured that he could neither stand for election to the House of Commons nor speak on political subjects in the House of Lords. A duke is a member of the Nobility, historically of highest rank below the Sovereign, and historically controlled a Duchy or a Dukedom The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" ^[52]

However, letters patent dated 27 May 1937, which re-conferred upon the Duke of Windsor the "title, style, or attribute of Royal Highness", specifically stated that "his wife and descendants, if any, shall not hold said title or attribute". Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Some British ministers advised that Edward had no need of it being conferred because he had not lost it, and further that Mrs. Simpson would automatically obtain the rank of wife of a prince with the style HRH; others maintained that he had lost all royal rank and should no longer carry any royal title or style as an abdicated King. On 14 April 1937, Attorney General Sir Donald Somervell submitted to Home Secretary Sir John Simon a memorandum summarising the views of Lord Advocate T. M. Cooper, Parliamentary Counsel Sir Granville Ram and himself, to the effect that:

1. We incline to the view that on his abdication the Duke of Windsor could not have claimed the right to be described as a Royal Highness. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is the chief legal adviser of the Crown in England and Wales Donald Bradley Somervell Baron Somervell of Harrow ( 24 August 1889 &ndash 18 November 1960 was a Barrister and Conservative Party The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office John Allsebrook Simon 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC ( 28 February 1873 &ndash 11 January 1954 Her Majesty's Advocate (or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Advocate) known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Thomas Mackay Cooper 1st Baron Cooper of Culross, KC ( 24 September 1892 &ndash 15 July 1955) was a Scottish politician Judge and In other words, no reasonable objection could have been taken if the King had decided that his exclusion from the lineal succession excluded him from the right to this title as conferred by the existing Letters Patent
2. The question however has to be considered on the basis of the fact that, for reasons which are readily understandable, he with the express approval of His Majesty enjoys this title and has been referred to as a Royal Highness on a formal occasion and in formal documents. In the light of precedent it seems clear that the wife of a Royal Highness enjoys the same title unless some appropriate express step can be and is taken to deprive her of it.
3. We came to the conclusion that the wife could not claim this right on any legal basis. The right to use this style or title, in our view, is within the prerogative of His Majesty and he has the power to regulate it by Letters Patent generally or in particular circumstances. ^[53]

The Duke of Windsor married Mrs. Simpson, who had changed her name by deed poll to Wallis Warfield, in a private ceremony on 3 June 1937, at Chateau de Candé, near Tours, France. For the legal document of the same name see Deed poll. Deed Poll is a German -made Film, 2004 Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Tours is a city in France the Préfecture (capital city of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. When the Church of England refused to sanction the union, a County Durham clergyman, the Reverend Robert Anderson Jardine (Vicar of St Paul's, Darlington), offered to perform the ceremony, and the Duke accepted. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Darlington is a town in County Durham, England and the main population centre in the Borough of Darlington. The new king, George VI, forbade members of the Royal Family to attend^[54]—Edward had particularly wanted Princes Henry and George (the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent) and Lord Louis Mountbatten (Earl Mountbatten of Burma after 1947) to be there—and this continued for many years to rankle with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester (Henry William Frederick Albert 31 March 1900 – 10 June 1974 was a member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V The Prince George Duke of Kent (George Edward Alexander Edmund 20 December 1902 - 25 August 1942) was a member of the British Royal Family Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, ^[55]

The denial of the style "HRH" to the Duchess of Windsor caused conflict, as did the financial settlement—the government declined to include the Duke or the Duchess on the Civil List and the Duke's allowance was paid personally by the King. A civil list is a list of individuals to whom Money is paid by the Government. But the Duke had compromised his position with the King by concealing the extent of his financial worth when they informally agreed on the amount of the sinecure the King would pay. Edward's worth had accumulated from the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall paid to him as Prince of Wales and ordinarily at the disposal of an incoming king. The Duchy of Cornwall is with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchies in England. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom ^[56] This led to strained relations between the Duke of Windsor and the rest of the Royal Family for decades. Edward became embittered against his own mother, writing to her in 1939: "[your last letter]^[57] destroy[ed] the last vestige of feeling I had left for you. . . [and has] made further normal correspondence between us impossible. "^[58] In the early days of George VI's reign the Duke telephoned daily, importuning for money and urging that the Duchess be granted the style of HRH, until the harassed King ordered that the calls not be put through. ^[59]

The Duke had assumed that he would settle in Britain after a year or two of exile in France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. However, King George VI (with the support of his mother Queen Mary and his wife Queen Elizabeth) threatened to cut off Edward's allowance if he returned to Britain without an invitation. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite 4 August 1900 &ndash 30 March 2002 was the Queen Consort of King George The new King and Queen were also forced to pay Edward for Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle. Sandringham House is a Country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England, which is privately owned by the British Balmoral Castle is a large Estate house situated in the area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland known as Royal Deeside. These properties were Edward's personal property, inherited from his father, King George V, on his death, and thus did not automatically pass to George VI on abdication. ^[56]

World War II

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor meet Adolf Hitler in 1937

In 1937, the Duke and Duchess visited Germany, against the advice of the British government, and met Nazi leader Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Berchtesgaden (bɛʁçtəsˈgaːdən is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. The visit was much publicised by the German media. During the visit the Duke gave full Nazi salutes. ^[60] The Austrian ambassador, who was also a cousin and friend of George V, believed that Edward favoured German fascism as a bulwark against communism, and even that he initially favoured an alliance with Germany. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology ^[61] Edward's experience of "the unending scenes of horror"^[62] during World War I led him to support appeasement. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Hitler considered Edward to be friendly towards Nazi Germany, saying "His abdication was a severe loss for us. "^[63]

The couple settled in France. On the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, they were brought back to Britain by Lord Mountbatten in HMS Kelly, and the Duke, already an honorary Field Marshal, was gazetted a Major-General attached to the British Military Mission in France. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, Service Home Waters (1939 On the afternoon of 14 December 1939 the tanker ''Atheltemplar'' struck a mine laid by German destroyers off Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries In February 1940, the German Minister in The Hague, Count Julius von Zech-Burkersroda, claimed that the Duke had leaked the Allied war plans for the defence of Belgium. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those ^[64] When Germany invaded the north of France in May 1940, the Windsors fled south, first to Biarritz, then in June to Spain. Biarritz ( French: Biarritz, bjaˈʀits Gascon Occitan: Biàrritz; Basque: Biarritz or Miarritze is a town Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. In July the pair moved to Lisbon, Portugal, where they lived at first in the home of a banker with German contacts. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[65] During the occupation of France, the Duke asked the German forces to place guards at his Paris and Riviera homes: they did so. ^[66] A "defeatist" interview with the Duke that was widely distributed may have served as the last straw for the British government: the Prime Minister Winston Churchill threatened the Duke with a court-martial if he did not return to British soil. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 ^[67] In August, a British warship dispatched the pair to the Bahamas, where in the view of Winston Churchill the Duke could do least damage to the British war effort. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874

The Duke of Windsor was installed as Governor. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government He did not enjoy the position, and referred to the islands as "a third-class British colony". ^[68] The British Foreign Office strenuously objected when the pair planned to tour aboard a yacht belonging to a Swedish magnate, Axel Wenner-Gren, whom American intelligence wrongly believed to be a close friend of Nazi leader Hermann Göring. Axel Lennart Wenner-Gren ( June 5 1881 - November 24 1961) was a Swedish Entrepreneur and one of the wealthiest men in the Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member ^[69] However, the Duke was praised for his efforts to combat poverty on the island nation, although he was as contemptuous of the Bahamians as he was of most non-white peoples of the Empire. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and He said of Étienne Dupuch, the editor of the Nassau Daily Tribune: "It must be remembered that Dupuch is more than half Negro, and due to the peculiar mentality of this Race, they seem unable to rise to prominence without losing their equilibrium. Sir Étienne Dupuch ( February 16, 1899 - August 23, 1991) was the editor of the Nassau Daily Tribune from 1919 and served in "^[18] He was praised, even by Dupuch, for his resolution of civil unrest over low wages in Nassau in 1942, even though he blamed the trouble on communist agitators and draft-dodging Jews. Nassau is the Capital, largest city and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. ^[70] He held the post until the end of World War II in 1945. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The Duke in 1945

Many historians have suggested that Hitler was prepared to reinstate Edward as King in the hope of establishing a fascist Britain. ^[71] It is widely believed that the Duke (and especially the Duchess) sympathised with fascism before and during World War II, and had to remain in the Bahamas to minimise their opportunities to act on those feelings. In 1940 he said: "In the past 10 years Germany has totally reorganized the order of its society. . . Countries which were unwilling to accept such a reorganization of society and its concomitant sacrifices should direct their policies accordingly. "^[72] Lord Caldecote wrote to Winston Churchill just before the couple were sent to the Bahamas, "[the Duke] is well-known to be pro-Nazi and he may become a centre of intrigue. Thomas Walker Hobart Inskip 1st Viscount Caldecote CBE, PC, KC ( 5 March 1876 &ndash 11 October 1947 Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 "^[73] The latter, but not the former, part of this assessment is corroborated by German operations designed to use the Duke. Operation Willi was the German Code name for the unsuccessful attempt by the SS to kidnap Edward Duke of Windsor in July 1940 The Allies became sufficiently disturbed by the German plots that President Roosevelt ordered covert surveillance of the Duke and Duchess when they visited Palm Beach, Florida, in April 1941. Palm Beach is an upscale Incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the The former Duke of Württemberg (then a monk in an American monastery) had convinced the Federal Bureau of Investigation that the Duchess had been sleeping with the German ambassador in London, Joachim von Ribbentrop, had remained in constant contact with him, and had continued to leak secrets. Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (30 April 1893 – 16 October 1946 was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945 ^[74]

Some authors have claimed that Anthony Blunt, an MI5 agent, acting on orders from the British Royal Family, made a successful secret trip to defeated Germany as the war was ending in order to retrieve sensitive letters between the Duke of Windsor and Adolf Hitler and other leading Nazis from Schloss Friedrichshof, Kronberg im Taunus. Anthony Frederick Blunt (26 September 1907 Bournemouth, Hampshire &ndash 26 March 1983 Westminster, London) known as Sir Anthony The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Schlosshotel Kronberg (previously Schloss Friedrichshof) in Kronberg im Taunus was built between 1889 and 1894 for the dowager German Empress Victoria Princess Kronberg im Taunus is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis district Hesse, Germany. ^[75] What is certain is that George VI sent the Royal Librarian, Owen Morshead, accompanied by Blunt, then working part-time in the Royal library as well as for British intelligence, to Kronberg in March 1945 to secure papers relating to Victoria, Princess Royal. The office of Royal Librarian in the Royal Collection Department of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom is responsible The Princess Victoria Princess Royal (Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa 21 November 1840 &ndash 5 August 1901) was the eldest child and daughter Part of the castle's archive, including surviving letters between Victoria, Princess Royal, and her mother, Queen Victoria, as well as other valuables were stolen by looters, some of which were only later recovered in Chicago after the war. The papers rescued by Morshead and Blunt, and those returned by the American authorities from Chicago, were deposited in the Royal Archives. The Royal Archives, also known as the Queen's Archives are a division of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. ^[76]

After the war, the Duke admitted in his memoirs that he admired the Germans, but he denied being pro-Nazi. Of Hitler he wrote: "[the] Führer struck me as a somewhat ridiculous figure, with his theatrical posturings and his bombastic pretensions. "^[77]

Later life

The couple returned to France and spent the remainder of their lives essentially in retirement as the Duke never occupied another official role after his wartime governorship of the Bahamas. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Duke's allowance was supplemented by government favours and illegal currency trading. ^[78][79][29] The City of Paris provided the Duke with a house at 4 rue du Champ d'Entraînement, on the Neuilly-sur-Seine side of the Bois de Boulogne, for a nominal rent. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. The Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16ème arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt. ^[80] The French government exempted him from paying income tax,^[78][81] and the couple were able to buy goods duty-free through the British embassy and the military commissary. ^[81] In 1951, the Duke produced a ghost-written memoir, A King's Story, in which he makes no secret of his disagreement with liberal politics. ^[10] The royalties from the book added to their income. ^[78] Nine years later, he penned a relatively unknown book, A Family Album, chiefly about the fashion and habits of the Royal Family throughout his life, from the time of Queen Victoria through his grandfather and father, and his own tastes. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

U. S. President Richard Nixon and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1970

The Duke and Duchess effectively took on the role of minor celebrities and were regarded as part of café society for a time in the 1950s and 1960s. Café society was the collective description for the so-called "beautiful people" and "bright young things" who gathered in fashionable cafes and restaurants in They hosted parties and shuttled between Paris and New York; many of those who met the Windsors socially, including Gore Vidal, reported on the vacuity of the Duke's conversation. Gore Vidal (born October 3 1925 ˌgɔər vɪˈdɑːl or /vɪˈdæl/ is an American Novelist, Screenwriter, Playwright, ^[82] In 1955, they visited President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The couple appeared on Edward R. Murrow's television interview show Person to Person in 1956,^[83] and a 50-minute BBC television interview in 1970. Edward R Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25 1908 &ndash April 27 1965) was an American journalist That year, they were invited as guests of honour to a dinner at the White House by President Richard Nixon in repayment for their having entertained Nixon in Paris during the mid-1960s when his political fortunes were low. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence

The Royal Family never fully accepted the Duchess; Queen Mary refused to receive her formally. However, the Duke sometimes met with his mother and brother, King George, and attended George's funeral. Queen Mary maintained her anger with Edward and her indignation over his marriage to Wallis: "To give up all this for that," she said. ^[84] In 1965, the Duke and Duchess returned to London, England. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland They were visited by the Queen, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and the Princess Royal. Early life Princess Marina was born in Athens, Greece on 13 December 1906. The Princess Mary Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary Lascelles née Windsor 25 April 1897 &ndash 28 March A week later, the Princess Royal died, and they attended her memorial service. In 1967, they joined the Royal Family for the centenary of Queen Mary's birth. A century (from the Latin centum, meaning one hundred is One hundred consecutive Years Centuries are numbered ordinally (e The last royal ceremony the Duke attended was the funeral of Princess Marina in 1968. ^[85]

In the late 1960s, the Duke's health deteriorated. Queen Elizabeth visited the Windsors in 1972 while on a state visit to France; however, only the Duchess appeared with the royal party for a photocall. On 28 May of that year the Duke, who was a smoker from an early age, died at his home in Paris from throat cancer. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling His body was returned to Britain, lying in state at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle; an unexpectedly large number of people filed by the coffin. The funeral service was held in the chapel on 5 June in the presence of the Queen, the Royal Family, and the Duchess of Windsor, and the coffin was buried in the Royal Burial Grounds behind the Royal Mausoleum of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Frogmore. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem The Royal Burial Ground is a Cemetery used by the British Royal Family. The Frogmore Estate or Gardens comprise 33 acres of private gardens within the grounds of the Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in the English The Duchess stayed at Buckingham Palace during her visit. ^[86] Increasingly senile and frail, the Duchess died 14 years later, and was buried alongside her husband simply as "Wallis, Duchess of Windsor". ^[87]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Monarchical Styles of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Reference style	His Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Sir

Titles and styles

• 16 July 1894 – 28 May 1898: His Highness Prince Edward of York
• 28 May 1898 – 22 January 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of York
• 22 January 1901 – 9 November 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Cornwall and York
• 9 November 1901 – 6 May 1910: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Wales
• 6 May 1910 – 23 June 1910: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall
• 23 June 1910 – 20 January 1936: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
  • in Scotland: 1910–1936: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Duke of Rothesay
• 20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936: His Majesty The King
  • and, occasionally, outside of the United Kingdom, and with regard to India: His Imperial Majesty The King-Emperor
• 11 December 1936 – 8 March 1937: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward
• 8 March 1937 – 28 May 1972: His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor
  • Edward began use of the title immediately upon abdication, in accordance with George VI's declaration to his Accession Council that his first act as King would be to grant to his brother the said title. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin Maiestas, meaning Greatness. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, several months passed before the concession was formalised by Letters Patent.

From his father's ascension to the throne on 6 May 1910 until his own accession on 20 January 1936, Prince Edward held the style His Royal Highness The Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

His full style as king was His Majesty, Edward the Eighth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.

After his abdication, his full style was His Royal Highness The Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, Duke of Windsor.

Honours

British Honours

• KG: Knight of the Garter, 1910
• KT: Knight of the Thistle, 1922
• KP: Knight of St Patrick, 1927
• GCB: Knight Grand Cross of the Bath, 1936
• GCSI: Knight Grand Commander of the Star of India, 1921
• GCIE: Knight Grand Commander of the Indian Empire, 1921
• GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 1920
• KStJ: Knight of Justice of St John, 1917
• RVC: Royal Victorian Chain, 1921
• MC: Military Cross, 1916
• FRS: Royal Fellow of the Royal Society
• PC: Privy Counsellor, 1920

Edward lost almost all of his British honours upon accession, because he became sovereign of most of them. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is a British Order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George The article is about the order of chivalry known as "Star of India" The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of Chivalry founded by Victoria in 1878 The Royal Victorian Order (RVO is a Dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry in the Commonwealth realms Created by Queen Victoria The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is The Royal Victorian Chain is an award instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the Monarch (i The Military Cross ( MC) is the third level Military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993 other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to A Royal Fellow of the Royal Society is elected to the Fellowship and Foreign Membership of the Royal Society. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. When he was no longer sovereign, his brother reinstated his pre-accession honours.

Foreign Honours

• Knight of the Golden Fleece
• Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav
• Order of the Most Holy Annunciation

Military

• Mid, 1911–1913: Midshipman, Royal Navy
• Lt, 1913–1919: Lieutenant, Royal Navy
• Lt, 1914–1916: Lieutenant, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, British Army. The Order of the Golden Fleece (Orden del Toisón de Oro is an Order of chivalry founded in 1430 by Duke Philip III of Burgundy to celebrate his marriage The Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav ( Norwegian: Den Kongelige Norske St The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation ( Ordine Supremo della Santissima Annunziata) was the primary dynastic order of the Kingdom of Italy, which ceased to (World War I, Flanders and Italy)
• Capt, 10 March 1916: Captain, British Army
• Capt, 1919: Captain, Royal Navy
• Major-Gen, 1939: Major-General, British Army

Honorary military appointments

• 20 January 1936 – 28 May 1972: Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy
• 20 January 1936 – 28 May 1972: Field Marshal, British Army
• 20 January 1936 – 28 May 1972: Marshal of the Royal Air Force^[88]

Arms

As Prince of Wales, Edward's arms were the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, differenced with a blank three-point label, with an inescutcheon of the Royal arms of Wales, surmounted by a coronet (identical to those of the current Prince of Wales, Charles, Prince of Wales). Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Admiral of the Fleet is a rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies equating to the NATO rank code OF-10 Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Please see " Field Marshal " for other countries which use this rank Field Marshal is the highest military rank of the United Kingdom Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marshal of the Royal Air Force ( MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom As Sovereign, he bore the arms undifferenced, and upon his abdication, he used the arms, again differenced, but this time with the centre point bearing a crown. ^[89]

Coat of arms as Prince of Wales

Coat of arms as Edward VIII

Coat of arms as Duke of Windsor

See also

• Cultural depictions of Edward VIII of the United Kingdom

Ancestors

Notes and sources

References

• Bloch, Michael (1982). The Duke of Windsor's War. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-77947-8.  
• Bradford, Sarah (1989). King George VI. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-79667-4.  
• Donaldson, Frances (1974). Frances Annesley (née Lonsdale (1907-1994 Lady Donaldson of Kingsbridge was a British writer and biographer Edward VIII. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-76787-9.  
• Godfrey, Rupert (editor) (1998). Letters From a Prince: Edward to Mrs. Freda Dudley Ward 1918–1921. Little, Brown & Co. ISBN 0-7515-2590-1.  
• Roberts, Andrew; Edited by Antonia Fraser (2000). Andrew Roberts is the name of Andrew Roberts (historian (born 1963 historian Andrew Roberts (cricketer (born 1947 Lady Antonia Fraser, CBE (born 27 August 1932 née Pakenham, is an English author of history and novels best known as Antonia Fraser for writing The House of Windsor. London: Cassell and Co. ISBN 0-304-35406-6.  
• Williams, Susan (2003). The historical significance of the Abdication files. Public Records Office – New Document Releases – Abdication Papers, London. Public Records Office of the United Kingdom. Retrieved on 2007-02-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed
• Windsor, The Duchess of (1956). The Heart has its Reasons: The Memoirs of the Duchess of Windsor. New York: Houghton Mifflin.  
• Windsor, HRH The Duke of (1951). A King’s Story. London: Cassell and Co.  
• Ziegler, Philip (1991). This page is not about Philip A Ziegler, writer on theology or Philip C King Edward VIII: The official biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-57730-2.  

Further reading

• Bloch, Michael (1988). The Secret File of the Duke of Windsor. London: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-593-01667-X.  
• Bloch, Michael (editor) (1986). Wallis and Edward: Letters 1931–1937. Summit Books. ISBN 0-671-61209-3.  
• Menkes, Suzy (1987). Suzy Menkes (born 24 December 1943) has been head Fashion reporter for the International Herald Tribune since 1988 The Windsor Style. London: Grafton Books. ISBN 0-246-13212-4.  

External links

• Duke of Windsor Evening Wear
• Duchess of Windsor Wedding Ensemble
• Home Office memo re the Duke and Duchess's title
• The Duke & Duchess of Windsor Society: an international affinity group dedicated to the historical significance of the lives of Wallis and Edward