The Instrument of Abdication signed by Edward VIII and his three brothers

The Edward VIII abdication crisis refers to events which occurred in 1936, when King-Emperor Edward VIII of the British Empire precipitated a constitutional crisis throughout his realms by his desire to marry his mistress, Mrs. Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (540x808, 675 KB)Edward VIIIs abdication letter From http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (540x808, 675 KB)Edward VIIIs abdication letter From http://www. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; later The Prince Edward, 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... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... A constitutional crisis is a severe breakdown in the smooth operation of government. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The marriage was opposed by the King's governments in the United Kingdom and the Dominions on religious, legal, political, and moral grounds. Mrs. Simpson was perceived as an unsuitable consort because of her two failed marriages, and it was widely assumed by the Establishment that she was driven by love of money or position rather than love for the King. Despite the opposition, the King declared that he loved Mrs. Simpson and would marry her whether the Governments approved or not. A dominion, often Dominion, is the territory or the authority of a dominus (a lord or master). ... The Establishment is a pejorative slang term to refer to the traditional and usually conservative ruling class elite and the structures of society which they control. ...

The unwillingness of the Commonwealth governments to accept Mrs. Simpson as the King's consort, and the unwillingness of the King to give up Mrs. Simpson, eventually led to the abdication of the King, and the succession of his brother Albert to the throne as George VI. This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Look up abdication in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ...

The abdicated King became "His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor", and married Mrs. Simpson the following year. They remained married until his death 35 years later.

Background

Edward VIII of the United Kingdom

Edward VIII ascended to the thrones of Britain and each of the Dominions on January 20, 1936. He was a bachelor, but for the last few years had often been accompanied at private social events by Mrs. Simpson. As the year progressed Mrs. Simpson attended more official functions as the King's guest, and her name appeared regularly in the Court Circular, but pointedly without being accompanied by her husband Mr. Simpson.^[1] In the summer, the King eschewed the traditional prolonged stay at Balmoral, and instead he and Mrs. Simpson holidayed together in the Eastern Mediterranean onboard the steam yacht, Nahlin. The cruise was widely covered in the American and continental European press, but the British press maintained a self-imposed reticence to discuss the King’s trip. Nevertheless expatriate Britons and Canadians, who had access to the American reports, were largely scandalized by the coverage.^[2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 500 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (620 × 744 pixel, file size: 71 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edward VIII of... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 500 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (620 × 744 pixel, file size: 71 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edward VIII of... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Court Circular is the official record of all the engagements carried out by the British Royal Family, as well as appointments to their staff and to the court. ... Ernest Aldrich Simpson (1895—1958) was a British shipping executive best known as the second husband of Wallis Simpson, who married the former Edward VIII of the United Kingdom. ... // Places There are several places named Balmoral. ...

By October it was becoming apparent that Edward intended to marry Mrs. Simpson, as soon as she was free to marry. At the end of that month, the crisis came to a head as Mrs. Simpson filed for divorce from her husband and the American press announced that the marriage between her and the King was imminent.^[3]

On November 13 the King's private secretary, Alec Hardinge, wrote to the King warning him that: November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... Alexander Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst KCB GCVO MC PC (17 May 1894–29 May 1960) was Private Secretary to the Sovereign during the Abdication Crisis of Edward VIII and during most of the Second World War. ...

The following Monday, November 16, the King invited his Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, to Buckingham Palace and informed him that he intended to marry Mrs. Simpson. The Prime Minister informed the King that such a marriage would not be acceptable to the people and "the Queen becomes the Queen of the country. Therefore in the choice of a Queen the voice of the people must be heard."^[5] November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 – 14 December 1947) was a British statesman and thrice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ...

Arguments opposing the marriage

Opposition to the marriage came from several directions.

Religious

As King of the United Kingdom, Edward was also Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Church of England did not allow divorced persons to remarry in church while a former spouse was still living. Consequently, it was felt that Edward could not retain the office of Supreme Governor (i.e. King) and marry a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands.^[6] Henry VIII was the founder of the Church of England yet did not hold the title of Supreme Governor. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ...

Legal

Wallis's first divorce (in the United States on the grounds of "emotional incompatibility") was not recognised by the Church of England and if challenged in the English courts may not have been recognised under English law. Consequently, under this argument, her second (and third) marriages would have been bigamous and invalid.^[7] Any of Edward and Mrs. Simpson's children would have been illegitimate and ineligible for the throne. Polygamy, literally many marriages in ancient Greek, is a marital practice in which a person has more than one spouse simultaneously (as opposed to monogamy where each person has a maximum of one spouse at any one time). ... // Illegitimacy is a term that was once in common use for the status of being born to parents who were not validly married to one another. ...

Moral

If the King's advisors had considered Mrs. Simpson a suitable consort, they might have made more of an effort to find a legal solution to his problem. But his ministers (like his family) found Mrs. Simpson's background and behaviour unacceptable for a queen. The King's mother, the dowager Queen Mary, was even told that Mrs. Simpson may have held some sort of sexual control over Edward as she had released him from an undefined sexual dysfunction through practices learnt in a Chinese brothel;^[8] a view partially shared by Dr Alan Campbell Don, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who wrote that he suspected that the King "is sexually abnormal which may account for the hold Mrs. S. has over him."^[9] Even Edward VIII's official biographer, Philip Ziegler, noted that: Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953) was the Queen Consort of George V. Queen Mary was also the Empress of India and Queen of Ireland. ... The Revd Alan Campbell Don (1885-1966) was Chaplain and Secretary to Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury between 1931 and 1941, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons between 1936 and 1946, and Dean of Westminster between 1946 and 1959. ... The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader and senior clergyman of the Church of England, recognized by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... Highly regarded British biographer and historian. ...

The private papers of Walter Turner Monckton, legal advisor to Edward, were released by the Bodleian Library in Oxford on March 1, 2000, (except for one batch, which remains embargoed until 2037).^[11] They provide a valuable insight into the facts and attitudes behind the abdication, and the rumours and innuendo that shaped them, most notably concerning Wallis Simpson. Walter Turner Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, GCVO, KCMG, MC, PC (1891-1965) was a British politician. ... Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A rumor (British English: rumour) is a piece of purportedly true information that is circulated without substantiating evidence. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Wallis's "other" lovers

Police detectives following Mrs. Simpson reported back that while involved with King Edward, Wallis was also involved in another sexual relationship, with a married car mechanic and salesman named Guy Trundle.^[12] This may well have been made known to senior figures in the establishment, including members of the Royal Family.^[13] Joseph Kennedy, the American ambassador, described her as "a tart", and his wife refused to dine with her.^[14] King Edward, however, remained unaware of his mistress's alleged infidelity with another man. A third lover has also been suggested, Edward Fitzgerald, Duke of Leinster, Ireland's premier peer and close friend of her future husband.^[15] Joseph Joe Patrick Kennedy, Sr. ... Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (July 22 , 1890 - January 22, 1995) married into the Kennedy family and became its matriarch in the second half of the 20th century, when its members helped shape American politics. ... Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster (6 May 1892 - 8 March 1976) was Irelands premier peer of the realm. ...

"Gold digger"

Wallis was perceived to be pursuing Edward for his money; his equerry wrote that she would eventually leave him after "having secured the cash".^[16] The future Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain wrote in his diary: Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940), known as Neville Chamberlain, was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. ...

Political

The British establishment feared Edward's desire to modernise the Monarchy and opposed his wish to make it more accessible.^[18] When he visited depressed mining villages in Wales his unguarded comments led to concerns that he would interfere in political matters, traditionally avoided by a constitutional monarch. As Prince of Wales he had publicly referred to left-wing politicians as "cranks",^[19] and made speeches counter to government policy.^[20] His refusal to accept the advice of ministers continued as King, when he opposed the imposition of sanctions on Italy after the invasion of Ethiopia (then called "Abyssinia" by Europeans), refused to receive the deposed Emperor of Ethiopia, and would not support the League of Nations.^[21] This article is about the country. ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... The Emperor (Geez ንጉሠ ነገሥት, , King of Kings) of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1975. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919-1920. ...

Far more damagingly, the British government was told that Wallis Simpson was a "Nazi agent." A German diplomat leaked to the Foreign Office that dispatches sent by the German Reich's Ambassador to the Court of St. James's (i.e. Britain), Joachim von Ribbentrop revealed his strong view that the abdication was motivated by the wish "to defeat those Germanophile forces which had been working through Mrs. Simpson."^[22] It was rumoured that Wallis had access to confidential government papers which were sent to King Edward, and which he notoriously left unguarded at his Fort Belvedere residence.^[23] Even as Edward was abdicating, reports were sent to Downing Street from the personal protection officers guarding Wallis in exile in France, claiming that she might "flit to Germany."^[24] The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... The Court of St Jamess is the popular name of the royal court of the United Kingdom. ... Joachim von Ribbentrop with his son. ... Fort Belvedere Fort Belvedere is a country house in Sunningdale, Berkshire. ... Downing Street Downing Street gates Downing Street is the street in London which contains the buildings that have been, for over two hundred years, the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers, the First Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Prime Minister of...

Files of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation reveal a further series of claims. The most damaging alleged that in 1936, while simultaneously having an affair with King Edward, she was also having an affair with Ambassador von Ribbentrop. The Bureau's source (the ex-Duke of Wurttemberg) not only claimed that Wallis and von Ribbentrop had had a relationship, but that von Ribbentrop every day sent her 17 carnations, one for each time they slept together. The FBI claims were symptomatic of the extremely damaging gossip made against the woman who could become queen, that she (and indeed her husband) were Nazi sympathisers.^[25] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), serving as both a federal criminal investigative body and a domestic intelligence agency. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg (George Philipp Albrecht Carl Maria Joseph Ludwig Hubertus Stanislaus Leopold von Württemberg) was born on 14 November 1893 in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Societal

Edward upset the aristocracy by treating their traditions and ceremonies with disdain. Many were offended by his abandonment of accepted social norms and mores.^[26][27] He became extremely unpopular with the public in Scotland after he refused to open a new wing of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, claiming he could not do so because he was in mourning for his father. On the day after the opening he was pictured in the papers cavorting on holiday. He had turned down the public event in favour of meeting Mrs. Simpson.^[28] Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or ARI is a teaching hospital in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. ...

Nationalistic

Relations between the United Kingdom and the United States were strained during the inter-war years, and the majority of Britons were reluctant to accept an American as Queen Consort.^[29]

Options considered

Stanley Baldwin

As a result of these rumours and arguments, the belief strengthened among the British establishment that Wallis could not become a royal consort. Stanley Baldwin explicitly advised King Edward VIII that the people would be opposed to him marrying Mrs. Simpson, indicating that if he did, in direct contravention of his minister's advice, the Government would resign en masse. The King responded: "I intend to marry Mrs. Simpson as soon as she is free to marry...if the Government opposed the marriage, as the Prime Minister had given me reason to believe it would, then I was prepared to go."^[30] Under pressure from the King, and "startled"^[30] at the suggested abdication, Baldwin agreed to take further soundings and suggest three options to the five Dominion Prime Ministers, of whose nations Edward was also King. These were that: Rt Honorable Stanley Baldwin File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Rt Honorable Stanley Baldwin File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 – 14 December 1947) was a British statesman and thrice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... A dominion, often Dominion, is the territory or the authority of a dominus (a lord or master). ...

1. they marry and Mrs. Simpson become queen (a "royal marriage")
2. they marry and she not become queen but receive some courtesy title instead (a "morganatic marriage")
3. he abdicate to marry Mrs. Simpson.

The second option had European precedents (for example, Austria's heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand – whose assassination in 1914 triggered off World War I) but no parallel in British constitutional history. The Commonwealth's prime ministers were consulted, and the majority agreed that there was "no alternative to course 3."^[31] A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be contracted in certain countries, usually between persons of unequal social rank (unebenbürtig in German), which prevents the passage of the husbands titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage. ... Look up abdication in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Franz Ferdinand links to here. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Edward now proposed to broadcast a speech indicating his desire to remain on the throne or to be recalled to it if forced to abdicate, while marrying Mrs. Simpson morganatically. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and the British Cabinet blocked the speech, saying it would entail a grave breach of constitutional principles (as the King proposed to speak as a private individual and without the advice of his ministers) and would shock many people.^[32] In one section, Edward proposed to say: In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen by the Prime Minister. ...

What Edward the VIII in effect proposed to do, was to negotiate with Parliament (and its/his Ministers) as an equal; on the question of whom he should marry. Edward the VIII wanted, that after such a discussion and compromise, that they (Parliament and the King), would come to be mutually agreed upon a course of action jointly satisfactory to each other.

However, since the Restoration (e.g., the assumption of the Throne by the Protestants William & Mary); England’s ruling sovereigns, have had to understand and agree that they were and are to effect their sovereignty through Parliament; by and/or with the advice of Ministers drawn from, or approved by the Parliament.

Edward the VIII did not understand his proper (British Constitutionally proper) role. Under the constitutional processes of the United Kingdom, Edward the VIII was at all times to propose any course of action (which he desired to take) to Parliament (or his/their Ministers); he was to be counseled and advised by them; and then, he was to accept their council and advice, on what course of action, he as Sovereign, would give assent to and undertake. And this process was to be followed, in each and everything he did, not the least of which was, who he would/could marry; and who could, under the law, as a consequence of such a marriage; succeed him on the Throne.

In seeking the people's support against the government, he was opting to oppose the binding advice of his ministers in all the Commonwealth states, a fundamental breach of constitutional principles dating back at least to the Glorious Revolution of 1688, perhaps earlier. The Cabinet felt that Edward's proposed speech had revealed his disdainful attitude towards the constitutions of his realms, and threatened the political neutrality of the Crown.^[34] The Revolution of 1688, commonly known as the Glorious Revolution, was the overthrow of James II of England in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange). ...

On December 5, having in effect been told that he could not keep the throne and marry Mrs. Simpson, and having had his request to broadcast to the Commonwealth to explain "his side of the story" blocked on constitutional grounds,^[35] Edward chose the third option,^[36] becoming the first monarch in modern British and Dominion history to abdicate voluntarily. December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legal manoeuvres

Following Mrs. Simpson's divorce hearing on October 27, 1936, her solicitor, John Theodore Goddard, had become concerned that there would be a "patriotic" citizen's intervention (a legal device to block the divorce), which worried Goddard, who feared such an intervention would be successful. He was handling the case as if it were an undefended divorce brought against Mr. Simpson, with Mrs. Simpson as the innocent, injured party. The courts could not grant divorce by consent of both parties, or if it was shown that Mrs. Simpson "colluded" with her husband in the divorce by, for example, having an affair or intending to marry another. On Monday December 7, 1936, the King came to hear that Goddard planned to fly to the south of France to see his client who had fled there. The King summoned him and expressly forbade him to make the journey, fearing the solicitor would put doubts in Mrs. Simpson's mind. Consequently, Goddard went straight to Downing Street and asked for Baldwin's protection. The Government immediately provided the airplane and Goddard flew directly to Cannes.^[37] October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Theodore Goddard was an English law firm based in London. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Downing Street Downing Street gates Downing Street is the street in London which contains the buildings that have been, for over two hundred years, the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers, the First Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Prime Minister of... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as aeroplanes in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada) or airplanes in North American English. ... Cannes - receding storm Cannes, as seen from a ferry speeding towards lÎle Saint-Honorat Cannes (pronounced ) (Provençal Occitan: Canas in classical norm or Cano in Mistralian norm) is a city and commune in southern France, located on the Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes département and the r...

Upon arrival, Goddard warned his client that a citizen's intervention, should it arise, was likely to succeed. It was, according to Goddard, his duty to advise her to withdraw her divorce petition. Mrs. Simpson refused to do what her lawyer advised but they both telephoned the King to inform him that she was willing to give him up so that he could now remain King. It was too late, the King had already made up his mind to go, even if he could not marry Mrs. Simpson, a belief borne out by his ultimate actions. Indeed, as the belief that the abdication was now inevitable gathered strength, John Theodore Goddard stated: "[his] client was ready to do anything to ease the situation but the other end of the wicket [Edward VIII] was determined."^[38]

Goddard's visit led to false speculation that Mrs. Simpson was pregnant, and even that she was having an abortion. As Goddard had a weak heart and had never flown before, he had asked his doctor, William Kirkwood - then a resident at a Maternity Hospital, to accompany him on the trip. The press excitedly reported that the solicitor had flown to Mrs. Simpson accompanied by a gynaecologist and an anaesthetist (who was actually the lawyer's clerk).^[39]

Abdication

King George VI; formerly Albert, Duke of York

Edward VIII's written abdication notice was witnessed by his three younger brothers at Fort Belvedere on 10 December: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ...

• Prince Albert, the Duke of York, who became King George VI by it
• Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
• Prince George, Duke of Kent

The following day, it was given legislative form by a special Act of Parliament in each of the Commonwealth Parliaments; under changes introduced in the relationship between the Monarch and his Commonwealth crowns under the Statute of Westminster (by which a singular all Commonwealth Crown was replaced by multiple crowns worn by a singular monarch), Edward's abdication required legal acknowledgment in each Commonwealth state (His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 in the UK, and the Succession to the Throne Act in Canada, for example).^[40] In the Irish Free State, however, that acknowledgment, in the External Relations Act, occurred a day later than elsewhere, leaving Edward technically as King of Ireland for a day, while George VI was king of all other Commonwealth Realms.^[41] It was Edward's Royal Assent to these Acts, rather than his abdication notice, which gave legal effect to the abdication in the United Kingdom and the British Empire. As he had not been crowned yet, the coronation that had been planned for Edward VIII became that of his brother George VI instead. George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George) (December 14, 1895 - February 6, 1952) was the third British monarch of the House of Windsor, reigning from December 11, 1936 to February 6, 1952. ... 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 of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary, and thus uncle to Elizabeth II. He was appointed regent for his niece... 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 fourth son of King George V. He held the title of Duke of Kent from 1934 to his death in 1942. ... An Act of Parliament or Act is law enacted by the parliament (see legislation). ... This article is about the Statute of Westminster relating to the British Empire and its dominions. ... His Majestys Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 was the Act of the British Parliament that allowed King Edward VIII to abdicate the throne, and passed succession to Prince Albert, Duke of York. ... The Succession to the Throne Act (1 Geo. ... Territory of the Irish Free State Capital Dublin Language(s) Irish, English Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch  - 1922–1936 George V  - 1936–1936 George VI President of the Executive Council  - 1922–1932 W.T. Cosgrave  - 1932–1937 Eamon de Valera Legislature Oireachtas  - Upper house Seanad Éireann  - Lower house Dáil Éireann... The Executive Authority (External Relations) Act, 1936 was an enactment of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) in 1936. ... The designation King of Ireland has been used during three periods of Irish history. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the sixteen sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Elizabeth II as their respective monarch. ... // 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 Act of Parliament. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ...

Many members of the Establishment were relieved by Edward's departure, as his own Assistant Private Secretary, Alan Lascelles, told Baldwin in 1927, "I can't help thinking that the best thing that could happen to him, and to the country, would be for him to break his neck."^[42] This article contains information that has not been verified. ...

Following his abdication, Edward (his title reverting for a few hours to "His Royal Highness The Prince Edward" before his brother created him "Duke of Windsor" the following morning) broadcast a message to the people from Windsor Castle on December 11. The official address broadcast had been polished by Edward's friend Winston Churchill over lunch the previous day, and was moderate in tone, speaking about Edward's inability to do his job "as I would have wished" without the support of "the woman I love".^[43] The following day, Edward left Britain for Austria. 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. ... Windsor castle, a thousand-year-old fortress transformed into a royal palace. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English politician, soldier in the British Army, orator, and strategist, and is studied as part of the modern British and world history. ...

Duke and Duchess of Windsor

Edward's younger brother Albert, now King George VI, created his elder brother Duke of Windsor with the style His Royal Highness. On May 3 the following year, Mrs. Simpson's divorce was made final. The case was handled quietly, there was no intervention, and it barely featured in some newspapers. The Times was especially disingenuous printing a single sentence^[44] below a seemingly unconnected report announcing the Duke's departure from Austria.^[45] When the Duke married Mrs. Simpson on June 3, 1937 in France, she became the Duchess of Windsor but much to Edward's disgust was not styled Her Royal Highness.^[46] 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. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Duke of Windsor lived most of the rest of his life in retirement in France. His brother gave him an allowance, free of income tax, and the Duke supplemented this income by writing his memoirs and through illegal currency trading.^[47] During World War II he served as Governor of the Bahamas, where he was plagued by rumours and accusations that he was pro-Nazi. He reputedly told an acquaintance, "After the war is over and Hitler will crush the Americans... we'll take over... They [the Commonwealth] don't want me as their king, but I'll soon be back as their leader."^[48] He told a journalist that "it would be a tragic thing for the world if Hitler was overthrown."^[48] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ...

Comments like these reinforced the belief that the Duke and Duchess held Nazi sympathies and that the effect of the abdication crisis of 1936 was to force off the throne a man whose political views could have been a threat to his country, and replace him with a king (George VI) who showed no such sympathies.^[49]

Historical precedents

Henry VIII of England

Four hundred years before the crisis, King Henry VIII of England had separated English Catholicism from Roman control, thus creating the Church of England, so he could divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn while Catherine was still alive. Henry and Catherine’s marriage was annulled in 1533 on the grounds that the marriage was incestuous under Levitical law. (Catherine had been married previously to Henry’s elder brother.) Henry then married Anne Boleyn but three years later, after Catherine’s death, Anne was convicted of treason, the marriage was declared invalid and Anne was executed. With both of his previous wives now dead, Henry was free to marry again, which he promptly did 11 days after Anne’s execution. The death of his third wife in childbirth led to Henry marrying a fourth time, to Anne of Cleves in 1540. The marriage wasn’t consummated and Henry divorced for a second time, just 6 months after the wedding, this time on the dubious grounds that Anne was promised to another.^[50] Henry went on to marry twice more, but importantly none of his wives were divorced prior to their marriage, and the divorces that did take place were sanctioned by both Parliament (because of the political necessity of Henry to produce an heir and form alliances) and Church (on religious grounds). Furthermore, technically his "divorces" were annulments (i.e., a declaration under canon law that the marriage was null and void ab initio and, therefore, they had never been validly married).^[6] This differs from Mrs Simpson's divorces, which were legal terminations under civil law of legally valid marriages. Whereas a person with an annulment can enter into a new "first" marriage, a person with a divorce has been married already. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland, from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... The specifically English church originates primarily from events in the late 6th century in the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent, and the mission of Saint Augustine. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... Catherine of Aragon (Castilian: Infanta Catalina de Aragón y Castilla; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was the first wife of Henry VIII of England. ... Anne Boleyn, 1st Marchioness of Pembroke[1] (ca. ... Events January 25 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne Boleyn, his second Queen consort. ... In the Jewish tradition, a Levite (לֵוִי Attached, Standard Hebrew , Tiberian Hebrew ) is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. ... Anne Boleyn, 1st Marchioness of Pembroke[1] (ca. ... Anne of Cleves, painted by Hans Holbein the Younger Queen Anne of England née Anne of Cleves (September 22, 1515–July 16, 1557) also known as The Flanders Mare (see below)—was the fourth queen consort of Henry VIII of England from January 6, 1540 to July 9, 1540. ... Year 1540 was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Canon law is the term used for... This is a list of legal terms with short definitions. ... In the common law, civil law refers to the area of law governing relations between private individuals. ...

Hanoverians

King George I, Elector of Hanover, divorced his wife, Sophia of Celle, on December 28, 1694, on the grounds of her adultery before he succeeded to the British throne. Importantly, neither George I nor his wife remarried after divorce. George IV tried, unsuccessfully, to divorce his wife, Caroline of Brunswick also on the grounds of her adultery.^[51] George I (George Louis; 28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was the first Hanoverian King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, from 1 August 1714 until his death. ... Hanover (German Hannover) is a historical territory in todays Germany. ... Sophia Dorothea (September 15, 1666 - November 23, 1726) , wife of George Louis, elector of Hanover (George I of Great Britain), only child of George William, duke of Brunswick-Luneburg-Celle, by a Huguenot lady named Eleanore dOlbreuze (1639-1722), was born on the 15th of September 1666. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... Events February 6 - The colony Quilombo dos Palmares is destroyed. ... George IV King of the United Kingdom George IV (George Augustus Frederick) (12 August 1762–26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 29 January 1820. ... Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (later Queen Caroline; 17 May 1768 – 7 August 1821) was the Queen Consort of George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 to her death. ...

Edward VIII was thus the first British monarch to propose marrying a divorced woman.

Modern parallel

Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall; formerly Mrs Parker Bowles

In 2005 Charles, Prince of Wales married his long-time partner and mistress, Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles. As his previous wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, was deceased, there was no bar to the Prince marrying again. However, just like Mrs. Simpson in 1936, Mrs. Parker Bowles was a divorcée whose previous husband was still living.^[52] Image File history File links Camilla,_Duchess_of_Cornwall. ... Image File history File links Camilla,_Duchess_of_Cornwall. ... The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George[2]; born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla Rosemary; formerly Parker Bowles; née Shand, Born 17 July 1947) is the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the thrones of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth Realms. ... Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances;[2] née Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. ...

Unlike the situation in 1936, though, the marriage did not lead to a constitutional crisis for several reasons:

1. Divorce is now more socially acceptable than it was in 1936.^[53]
2. The Church of England has moderated its stance on divorce, and now accepts that civil marriages after a divorce may be blessed in a religious service in a church.^[54]
3. Unlike Mrs. Simpson's first divorce, the Parker Bowles divorce is recognised by most members of the Church, on the grounds of her husband's adultery,^[55] and is valid under English law.^[56]
4. Mrs. Simpson had a reputation as an adventuress and was less socially acceptable as a bride than Mrs. Parker Bowles.^[57]
5. Camilla is styled as "Duchess of Cornwall" instead of the traditional title "Princess of Wales" for the wife of the Prince of Wales. Buckingham Palace has announced that on her husband's accession she will not use the style of "Queen", but rather will be known as the "Princess Consort".^[58] Because of this, her and the Prince's union has been referred to in the media as "a sort of morganatic marriage".^[57]
6. The marriage of the Prince and Mrs. Parker Bowles was endorsed by the Royal Family and the British Government and blessed by the Church of England.^[59]
7. The marriage would produce no children, and thus no heirs, leading the governments of the other Commonwealth Realms to deem the granting of formal approval unnecessary (unlike the Prince's first marriage, for which the Queen's Privy Council for Canada assembled to grant consent).^[60]
8. Whilst public opinion in 1936 is difficult to gauge, polls taken shortly before the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles showed widespread support.^[61]

A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be contracted in certain countries, usually between persons of unequal social rank (unebenbürtig in German), which prevents the passage of the husbands titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage. ... The Privy Council Office as it appeared in the 1880s The Queens Privy Council for Canada (French: Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada) is the council of advisers to the Queen of Canada, whose members are appointed by the Governor General of Canada for life on the...

Popular culture

The calypso Edward VIII by the Trinidadian calypsonian Lord Caresser was the most popular calypso record in 1937.^[62] Famous Last Words, a novel by Timothy Findley, is a fictional recreation of the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In it, the Duke and Duchess conspire with Ribbentrop to overthrow Hitler, with the intention of assuming control of the Nazi party and taking over Europe.^[63] Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in Trinidad at about the start of the 20th century. ... Motto Together we aspire, together we achieve Anthem Forged From The Love of Liberty Capital Port of Spain Largest town Chaguanas [1] Official languages English Government Republic  -  President George Maxwell Richards  -  Prime Minister Patrick Manning Independence  -  from the United Kingdom 31 August 1962  Area  -  Total 5,128 km² (172nd) 1... A Calypsonian is a musician, usually from Trinidad, who has studied calypso and memorised its traditional tunes and stanzas. ... Timothy Irving Frederick Findley, OC , O. Ont. ...

Notes and sources

July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Time, (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ... Highly regarded British biographer and historian. ... Highly regarded British biographer and historian. ... The Kew building. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... John Aird is: Sir John Aird (1855-1938), Canadian banker John Black Aird (1923-1995), Canadian lawyer, statesman This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; later The Prince Edward, 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... William Maxwell Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, PC (May 25, 1879 – June 9, 1964) was a Canadian – British business tycoon and politician. ... Alan John Percivale Taylor (March 25, 1906–September 7, 1990) was a renowned British historian of the 20th century. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Eamon de Valera (born Edward George de Valera, sometimes Gaelicised Éamon de Bhailéara; October 14, 1882 – August 29, 1975), was an Irish politician, best known as a leader of Irelands struggle for independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the early 20th century, and... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 2 is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article contains information that has not been verified. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Lady Antonia Fraser, née Pakenham, (born August 27, 1932) is a British author of history and novels, best known for writing biographies. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Lambeth Conferences was the name given to the periodical assemblies of bishops of the Anglican Communion (Pan-Anglican synods), which since 1867 have met at Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the archbishop of Canterbury. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Timothy Irving Frederick Findley, OC , O. Ont. ...

References

• Beaverbrook, Lord; Edited by A. J. P. Taylor (1966). The Abdication of King Edward VIII. London: Hamish Hamilton. 
• Broad, Lewis (1961). The Abdication. London: Frederick Muller Ltd. 
• Vickers, Hugo (2006). Elizabeth: The Queen Mother. Arrow Books/Random House. ISBN 9780099476627. 
• Windsor, HRH The Duke of (1951). A King’s Story. London: Cassell and Co. 
• Ziegler, Philip (1991). King Edward VIII: The official biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-57730-2.