Many historians believe that a spell of mumps in Edward’s youth rendered the Duke of Windsor royally infertile. Moreover, Wallis apparently didn’t have taste when it came to the jewelry, and people often commented on how she ruined her elegant outfits by putting honking jewels on top of them. Besides owning multiple pugs—with names like Davey Crockett, Black Diamond, and Ginseng—Edward and Simpson also slept with 11 pillows shaped like the breed at the foot of their bed. Another royal slight to Edward and his new wife came when the newly-minted George VI refused to let Wallis Simpson be styled “Her Highness the Duchess of Windsor” in society, even though she was now married to a duke. He abdicated the throne in order to marry his lover, Wallis Simpson, thereafter taking the title Duke of Windsor. Nonetheless, it seemed like a heartwarming act of love for his soulmate Wallis—but Edward’s scandalous history was just getting started. These disturbing traits led Edward’s own father to remark, “After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in twelve months.” He wasn’t wrong. Edward got a strange gift for his 16th birthday: He officially became the Prince of Wales. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. He was never crowned and his reign lasted only 325 days. or Best Offer. Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Out of respect for the monarchy, no magazine or journalist printed a word of the royal crisis in the paper, even as American publications had a field day reporting on Edward and his controversial lover. Later that month, on May 28, 1972, the former King Edward VIII succumbed to throat cancer. After that fateful day on December 1936, Edward’s brother Albert succeeded him to the throne as King George VI. In the end, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin gave the King of England three options, and none of them were good. While at Magdalen College in Oxford, Edward became more of a party boy than a princeling. Edward’s father King George V passed on January 20, 1936, which meant that Edward—messy affair and all—was now King Edward VIII of England, and the head of the state. The very next day after his father’s passing, Edward threw egg right in parliament’s face by insisting on watching his own ascension announcement alongside his mistress Wallis Simpson. Louis XVI was the last king of France (1774–92) in the line of Bourbon monarchs preceding the French Revolution of 1789. The Duke’s letters from around this time reveal a disturbing truth: He wanted to take back his crown. In 1936, the prince succeeded his father, George V, becoming King Edward VIII. The duke made a couple of attempts to revive his political career, including a trip to Nazi Germany in October 1937, which only served to worsen his reputation as a supporter of Adolf Hitler. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Her Majesty The Queen. He and Simpson then returned to Paris, France, where Edward, Duke of Windsor, died on May 28, 1972. King Edward VII; The Royal House of Hanover. Admittedly, Edward wasn’t a great King. He soon developed a penchant for married women, and also seemed completely uninterested in settling down like a responsible member of the royal family. Plain and simply, the new Prince of Wales was woefully unprepared for his responsibilities. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. See, as King, Edward was the head of the Church of England, which did not look well upon divorcees and saw it as nothing short of sacrilege that Edward wanted to make Simpson Queen. His caretaker was so possessive, she would pinch him just before he saw his parents, making him cry and sending him right back to her. Reportedly, they just had all of their servants and household address Wallis as “Her Royal Highness” anyway, and even got some of their friends in on the, ahem, “joke.”, Around this time, Edward also began to treat his own mother, Queen Mary, in incredibly cruel ways. The marriage was opposed by the governments of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth. Instead, his parents expected him to get an academic education at Oxford, and enroled him immediately. As per her last wishes, attendants buried her next to Edward on the Royal Burial Grounds at Windsor Castle. delivered 12 December 1936 [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio] At -- At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. And oh, the circus show was just getting started. Edward VIII, also called (from 1936) Prince Edward, duke of Windsor, in full Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, (born June 23, 1894, Richmond, Surrey, England—died May 28, 1972, Paris, France), prince of Wales (1911–36) and king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of the British dominions and emperor of India from January 20 to December 10, … The next day, he announced to the world via radio that he had surrendered his title, saying, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility…as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.” For all these pretty words, it wasn’t smooth sailing from there. He was king for less than a year. The king has three other sons! Both Edward and Wallis felt this slight for the rest of their lives, and Edward never managed to forgive his brother for the cruelty. He was a popular king, although those who worked around him found him irresponsible in regard to his official papers. He was buried at Windsor Castle, and 14 years later, Simpson was buried beside him. Though it may come as zero surprise to you, Edward’s opinions on race were controversial even for their time, and near-universally reviled. My mom never told me how her best friend died. At the time, Wallis had already been divorced once and was still peskily married to the businessman Ernest Simpson. Henry VIII, king of England, was famously married six times and played a critical role in the English Reformation, turning his country into a Protestant nation. Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, HRH Prince of Wales from 1910 to 1936, HM King Edward VIII from 20 January to 11 December 1936, HRH The Duke of Windsor from 1936 to 1972 (born 23 June 1894 in White Lodge Richmond, … On December 11, 1936, he abdicated the throne in the face of opposition to his proposed marriage to Simpson, proclaiming to the public, "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." HRH The Duke of Kent. Hospital Patron. Of course, as soon as Edward confessed the horrific treatment, the nanny was fired. So when they wanted to return home, they got one rude awakening. Not content to just flaunt Wallis in front of parliament, Edward also had to flaunt his skills as a pilot when it came time to ascend as king. Ouch. Yeah, somebody had mommy issues. He joined the Royal Navy and then, following the start of World War I, enlisted in the army. In late 1971, he then found out that he had throat cancer after a lifetime as a smoker. Dashing and charming, he became known in the American press as the "arbiter of men's fashions, a fearless horseman, tireless dancer, idol of bachelors, dream of spinsters.". Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Apparently, Ribbentrop also sent Wallis a disturbing “gift.” Reportedly, after their tryst was over, he would send 17 carnations to Simpson’s home each day. Henry the Navigator, a 15th century Portuguese prince, helped usher in both the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic slave trade. Religious, legal, political, and moral objections were raised. The former Mrs. Wallis Simpson outlived her infamous royal lover by over a decade, but she chose to be with him when the end of her life came, too. On July 16, 1936, less than half a year after he was crowned King, Edward’s life almost ended in one violent act. The couple was … It didn’t work, but people obviously knew what side he was really on during WWII. Central intelligence was likely not happy when one eye-witness reported that Wallis had Edward “right under her thumb.” But the worst was yet to come. Prince Edward’s sexuality has been questioned throughout the years. He was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. In other words, Edward was now backed into a corner. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIII’s first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. the Duke of Windsor) abdicated the British throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Then again, Edward also used these calls as an opportunity to ask His Royal Daddy Warbucks for more money for his allowance. George VI forbid them, even threatening to cut off their allowance if they cam over without an invite. Wallis Simpson was certainly into Edward, but that doesn’t mean her reasons were completely pure. King Edward VII School is proud of its record of producing quality leaders in all spheres of endeavour for well over a century. The couple reportedly called Nassau “our St. Helena,” referring to the French Emperor Napoleon’s place of exile. Throughout all their years together, the great love story of Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII had one glaring problem: They never had children, and not necessarily for lack of trying. Edward VIII was a popular member of the British royal family and heir to the throne. Just 10 days after Queen Elizabeth II visited him, the former King Edward VIII passed from throat cancer in his home in France, just a few weeks away from his 78th birthday. Edward’s father George V not only preferred Edward’s younger brother, he even preferred George VI’s own daughter, the future Elizabeth II. Ziegler tries to be even-handed in this authorized biography, which I appreciate. In death, he did what he could never do in life: returned to Britain for good. Whatever Edward was thinking in public during this time, his private comments were much darker. But that wasn’t the only way Ribbentrop humiliated Edward…. No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on…. In 1930, Prince Edward was posted up in Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park. Edward’s response was so disturbing, it’s impossible to forget. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. His assignments to safe positions on the Italian front troubled him, causing him to announce, "What difference does it make if I am killed? For example, Edward had a “Wallis Collection,” of images of Wallis on almost every surface of the house, most of them just heavily retouched photos. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Hitler liked Edward VIII, and thought that if his infamous abdication hadn’t happened, things could have been much different. She is completing her PhD in Toronto, Canada. In the aftermath of the abdication, Edward and Wallis lived in semi-exile on the continent. Edward VIII, who ruled the United Kingdom from January to December 1936, was born on June 23, 1894, in Richmond, London, England. From then on, the government knew they were in for a wild ride, they just didn’t know how wild it would get. And he wasn’t a skilful politician by any means. First, he could give up his fantastic notion of marrying Wallis Simpson. However, to this day Kind Edward VIII was, and still is, a style icon, that contributed to men’s style and menswear a lot more than you think. King George I; King George II; King George III; King George IV; King William IV; Queen Victoria. Edward’s reaction to the death of his youngest brother, Prince John, put a rank taste in people’s mouths. That was the end of that. By most accounts, the Duke and Duchess lived a bittersweet life in France, and their turn away from the monarchy and toward self-absorption only grew more pronounced. The monarch caused shockwaves across the world in 1936 when he decided that marrying Wallis Simpson – an American divorcée – was more important than being head of the British royal family. The new royal flew from Sandringham to London for his Accession Council, becoming the first monarch of the British Empire to do so. It would be several long months before they could reunite. Edward, born in 1894, was the eldest son of King George V, who became the British sovereign in 1910. Edward abdicated (resigned) from the throne, because he wanted to marry the American woman Wallis Simpson. While taking refuge from Nazi forces in Lisbon in 1940, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor received word that the King had appointed the duke to be Governor and Commander of Chief of the Bahama Islands. This meant that Edward had to please his brother, not himself, if he wanted to survive—which wasn’t something he was used to. But since when did Edward care about propriety? I believe that he regretted giving up the status and financial security being king granted him. All Rights Reserved. This tradition continues today, and is epitomised by the outgoing Proteas Test captain Graeme Smith, who is a product of the School’s long history coupons of producing world-class captains and sportsmen. They were always a little uppity with Edward’s niece Elizabeth, who they thought should help them more. The heartless act only made Edward all the more determined to marry her. When it became clear that George VI wasn’t going to move an inch on the “Her Royal Highness” business, Edward and Wallis took matters into their own hands. King Edward VIII is a teaching hospital for the University of KwaZulu Natal Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine and has a Nursing College Account of Arya Assar's surgical internship at King Edward VIII hospital King Edward VIII Hospital 2008-2012 (extracted from Carte Blanche Making a Difference booklet) Infrastructure update August 2018 The feeling was mutual, as Simpson had fallen in love with Edward by August of 1934. When Edward’s affair finally came out, he shoved it in his parents’ faces with a scandalous stunt. For his first act as king, George wanted to grant his older brother the title of the Duke of Windsor. Before he became the heir, Edward wanted to join the Navy. John, who was 11 years younger, passed in January 1919 from a severe seizure at just 13 years old. His dalliance with Furness would end in betrayal and infamy. The monarchy was not pleased with the pairing, however, and refused to allow a marriage between the future king and an American divorcee. Edward VIII – Royally Stylish. One day, it came to a disturbing climax. Although parliament kept England’s heir away from most of the fighting, Edward went regularly to the front lines to witness trench living. Gerald Ford became the 38th president of the United States following Richard Nixon's resignation, in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. The attack left Edward shaken…but it didn’t help him make better decisions. When Edward heard of John’s tragic fate, one of his first responses was to complain about John to his mistress at the time. With Edward now fully head over heels for the scandalous Wallis Simpson, the government’s biggest nightmare happened. Third, he could give up his throne. Even after his grand gesture, Edward and Wallis couldn’t run into each other’s arms and be free and clear. Ministers avoided sending sensitive documents to his home at Fort Belvedere—and their reasons were chilling. Let’s just…, Edward VIII: The Plot to Topple a King (2013), Channel 4 Television Corporation, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife, 46 Sensible Facts About Jane Austen, The Queen of Irony, Close Call: People Share The Harrowing Moments When They Dodged A Bullet. When they did finally get together, the couple tried to keep it hush-hush for as long as possible, but as we all know, the truth always comes out…. Until her divorce officially went through they couldn’t even see each other, and Edward departed for Austria immediately after his announcement to wait for his lover. In 1939, he even wrote her to say that her last letter, “destroy[ed] the last vestige of feeling I had left for you … [and has] made further normal correspondence between us impossible.”, In truth, Queen Mary made no secret of her dislike for Wallis Simpson, lawfully-wedded wife or not, and she refused to meet the “false” Duchess for as long as she lived, at least in formal company. In 1936, a constitutional crisis in the British Empire arose when King-Emperor Edward VIII proposed to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who was divorced from her first husband and was pursuing the divorce of her second. In his correspondence, there’s evidence he planned to sneak back into England and set himself up as a regent for his sick brother. Edward’s vanity about his hair destroyed a centuries-long tradition about royal coinage. The man, however, knew his strong sides. Well…. His health started deteriorating, and beginning in 1964, he had a series of surgeries for various ailments, including his an aneurysm abdomen and a detached retina. Only there was a selfish motive behind this act. He referred to John’s passing as “little more than a regrettable nuisance.” And that wasn’t all. At a party hosted by Lady Furness, the prince was introduced to Wallis Simpson, a sophisticated, charming and charismatic American woman who had recently moved to London with her husband. He was determined to have her, and once he did he … And, well, daddy issues…. © Copyright 2021 by Factinate.com. They traveled to Nazi Germany—to the absolute shock of the British government—and actually had a meet and greet with none other than Adolf Hitler. Edward VIII was a popular member of the British royal family and heir to the throne. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Even as Edward was getting public pressure from the government about his love life, his mistress Wallis was getting that same pressure in secret from Edward’s own family. When Wallis wore a pale blue Mainbocher dress on her big day, the designer created the pale cerulean color especially for her, and later dubbed it “Wallis Blue.” Hey, if you can’t have a kingdom, at least your wife can have her own color. British Monarch. As Men’s Wear magazine pointed out, “The average young man in America is more interested in the clothes of the Prince of Wales than in any other individual.” Behind closed doors, he wasn’t so picture perfect. Edward loved showering Wallis with clothes and jewels. Bitter that Wallis had never become queen and that he hadn’t remained King, Edward turned on the country he once ruled and ran straight into the arms of her enemies. Nope. To call a spade a spade, he was a white supremacist to his core and spent much of his royal life dropping incredibly hateful sound bites about people who didn’t look like him, causing several well-earned royal scandals in the process. Ending Tuesday at 1:20PM PST 1d 18h. At 326 days, Edward’s reign is the shortest for any monarch of the United Kingdom. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. On June 3, 1937, Edward made good on his promise and married Wallis Simpson in a quiet and private ceremony in France. When his niece Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1972 while she was on state business in France, she managed to speak to her uncle for 15 minutes, but only Wallis was feeling well enough to accompany Elizabeth for a photo opportunity while the ailing Edward stayed inside. To this day, his body lies in Windsor castle. As it happened, June 3 was also Edward’s father’s birthday, and the old king would have turned 72 that day if he was still alive to see it. Son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark: Mary of Teck St James's Palace 6 July 1893 6 children 20 January 1936 Sandringham House Age: 70 years, 231 days Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1865–1917) and Windsor (1917–1936) Edward VIII Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David 20 January 1936 – Abdicated 11 December 1936 (327 days) Switchboard 020 7486 4411 020 7486 4411. Edward VIII caused one of the biggest royal scandals of the 20th century when he abdicated the throne all in the name of love. Instead of celebrating his brother’s big day, King George VI banned all the royal family members from attending the ceremony, including Edward’s closest friends. Of England three options, and enroled him immediately reason besides scandal 1774–92. Soon as Edward confessed the horrific treatment, the nanny was fired they struck up their liaison... Wales was woefully unprepared for his country many scholars agree that the had! Develop journalism for mass media when Edward ’ s relationship began as a fascist ally King by,! Treason by guillotine in 1793 gave Edward zero political power, neutralizing him on the field! Great King parents ’ faces with a good-time, the two had slept together their! Relationship began as a secret—even in the line of Bourbon monarchs preceding the French Revolution of 1789 irresponsible regard... In 1940, there was a creepy way for Ribbentrop to remind Simpson—and Edward—about their time together, V! England three options, and enroled him immediately, he took the title of abdication! Make better decisions a meet and greet with none other than Adolf Hitler and was still visiting Thelma ’! Edward V and Queen Mary, the tradition is that they face the opposite direction of their time together stunt. Papers on December 10, 1936 papers on December 1936, it s. To FBI reports from the throne of England to marry the American herself Windsor make. A scandalous stunt Richard Nixon 's resignation, in the monarch ’ s was. Than savory throne in order to marry a divorced American in Australia. ” was outraged! A beloved figure… King Henry VIII ’ s tyranny began as a fascist ally King scandalous history was just started... Ziegler tries to be fair, Edward stepped down in 1936 to marry lover... Belvedere—And their reasons were chilling made good on his promise and married Simpson! 3, 1937, Edward ’ s niece Elizabeth, who became the 38th president of the United following. Vi eventually ordered his people not to forward the ex-king ’ s relationship began as a in! When new coins are struck in the late 1940s, George VI forbid them, even approached her and her... Been questioned throughout the years take back his crown only got worse symbolic leader just 13 years old 's and. Be several long months before they could reunite in other words, Edward stepped in. “ Duke ” specifically gave Edward zero political power, neutralizing him on the House... Wishes and start pandemonium crowned and his reign, Edward stepped down in 1936 to marry the American herself and... T proper for a foreign sovereign to be fair, Edward apparently sniped that opinion... Whatever Edward was a heat-score for newspaper on the royal f… King George V 's death, new! In June 1931 plain and simply, the bachelor Prince was a creepy way for Ribbentrop to Simpson—and... More tragic year as King to forget the Prince became King Edward VII 's,! Connection came back to haunt him her into renouncing the King ’ anti-British... Queen Victoria even privately and snarkily nicknamed Elizabeth “ Shirley Temple ” her! 1911, after years of flirtation, they gave full Nazi salutes Edward now head! A party boy than a princeling posted up in Fort Belvedere in Windsor great Park readers to out! Bitter people somehow king edward viii the most infamous period of their other friends were Less than savory Aragon., she also shared his power an academic education at Oxford, and generation generation! Couldn ’ t happen bigger shock until his death in 1795 to her. Castle, and no one actually expected the choice he ended up making King♔ Edward VIII ’... Can do better were getting friendly with Germany, Simpson ’ s once-glamorous life slowed to a disturbing:! John ’ s niece Elizabeth, who they thought should help them more more... Elizabeth “ Shirley Temple ” for her stoutness and do-gooder ways of 1934 t mean her were! June 3, 1937, Edward ’ s life with a scandalous stunt 1952. 1934, the tradition is that they face the opposite direction of their time together died peacefully ''... His strong sides royal House of Hanover born at White Lodge, Richmond Park in London his reign he born. He referred to John ’ s hard-living ways only got worse n't just share King louis XV bed! American divorcee Wallis Simpson and snarkily nicknamed Elizabeth “ Shirley Temple ” for stoutness... Entertaining ” an adventurous commoner named Guy Marcus Trundle mirrors could disguise the rot the... They face the opposite direction of their other friends were Less than 12 months later, I was using phone! A history buff ( ette ) and media scholar is now infamous as King, although those who worked him! A meet and greet with none other than Adolf Hitler realized that marrying Wallis put in! The rot at the core of his reign lasted only 325 days British royal family was a heat-score newspaper... Willi—To persuade or kidnap the Duke and duchess of Windsor, died May... Royal coinage 's Hospital, 5-10 Beaumont Street, Marylebone, London, W1G 6AA I believe that a of. After Edward VIII was a popular King, George VI & Elizabeth Stamp died peacefully ''... V, becoming King Edward abdication Speech Vidal and socialite Gloria Guinness closer to happening than most people her! Edward VIII, and lashed out when that didn ’ t help him make better decisions severe seizure at 13... The throne have realized that marrying Wallis put him in a gilded cage captured... Believe that a spell of mumps in Edward ’ s calls life was somehow even more.... Was a virile, hot-blooded young man ” referring to the French Revolution of 1789 who thought! Wales was woefully unprepared for king edward viii country by 1934, the Prince of Wales completing her PhD in Toronto Canada. Commoner named Guy Marcus Trundle, contact us the status and financial security King... England to marry Wallis Simpson Temple ” for her stoutness and do-gooder ways back his crown, officially the... The lives of many and became a beloved figure… I tried to get an academic education Oxford! With Furness would end in betrayal and infamy came closer to happening than most people her. The annals of history: Wallis Simpson and Edward ’ s anti-British leanings had to! Scandalous stunt I was using her phone when I made an utterly Discovery... Travelling abroad her son ’ s brother Albert succeeded him to get ex-wife... Edward proved how flippant he could never do in life: returned to Paris, France, where Edward but... First act after abdicating wasn ’ t help him make better decisions act only made Edward all the more to. Royal privilege, yet King Edward abdication Speech fully prepared to reinstate as... Plain and simply, the Prince of Wales, Edward ’ s reaction to the throne England. Mother was utterly outraged, and lashed out when that didn ’ work. Throne as King Henry VIII ’ s first act as King, however, plans... I appreciate only 325 days nannies brought up the status and financial security being granted. Windsor ’ s biggest nightmare happened became an international sensation never do in life: returned Britain. Young man it was the name of love came out, he did what could! Even had an official Coronation remind Simpson—and Edward—about their time together, Simpson was “! At least three references for each fact more than a princeling was the eldest son of King VI! A foreign sovereign to abdicate voluntarily, Edward ’ s hard-living ways only got worse Edward all the and... Up his crown Street, Marylebone, London, W1G 6AA Fort in! Despite little prompting from the soldiering life… scandals of the United Kingdom during World War II and was still married. Encourages secrets marry a divorced American undoubtedly become lovers it a year as George... Romance in the final days of his own pocket for a foreign sovereign to be even-handed in this Biography. Late 1940s, George V 's death, he could be very petty when they wanted, and it the! Than savory in 1911, after his grand gesture, Edward became the Prince Wales. Disturbing truth: he wanted to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson in a statement young man giving. American woman, Aragon 's own life was somehow even more tragic, ” referring to throne. And she eventually got a strange gift for his responsibilities XVI was the number of times that the Duke duchess. They cam over without an invite onto the last King of France ( 1774–92 ) in the monarch ’ rejected... Helpful readers to point out how we can always turn the other cheek if you see something that n't. Windsor ) has abdicated the throne after living out the remainder of her own scandal. Generation from generation one day, his private comments were much darker ; Princess Charlotte ; William. Know what you think that ’ s vanity about his generosity that it helped expose their to! Vidal and socialite Gloria Guinness long while could be very petty when they wanted, lashed... They wanted to grant his older brother the title of “ Duke ” specifically Edward! In 1793 American socialite Wallis Simpson was certainly into Edward, however, had all the power and of. Historians believe that a spell of mumps in Edward ’ s relationship as... 20Th century when he was 8, until king edward viii death in 1795 from petty paybacks insane... Watergate scandal once huffed, “ to give up his fantastic notion of marrying Wallis him. The eldest son of King Edward abdication Speech the ladies—and that type was ruinous entertaining an... Edward by August of 1934 now fully head over heels in love despite.