Edward VIII, 1894–1972, king of Great Britain and Ireland (1936), known in later years as the duke of Windsor; eldest son of George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert), 1865–1936, king of Great Britain and Ireland (1910–36), second son and successor of Edward VII. At the age of 12 he commenced a naval career, but this ended with the death (1892) of his elder brother, the duke of
..... Click the link for more information. . He attended the naval colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1911 he was made prince of Wales. During World War I he served as a staff officer in France, Italy, and Egypt. Between 1919 and 1936 he made state trips to the United States, Japan, South America, and the dominions. On the death of his father (Jan., 1936), Edward succeeded to the throne. He enjoyed immense popularity with his subjects until the crisis precipitated by the announcement of his intention to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson (see Windsor, Wallis Warfield, duchess of Windsor, Wallis Warfield, duchess of, 1896–1986, American-born wife of Edward, duke of Windsor, who, as Edward VIII , abdicated the British throne in order to marry her. In 1916 she married a naval lieutenant, from whom she was divorced in 1927.
..... Click the link for more information. ), an American then suing her second husband for divorce. The government, headed by Stanley Baldwin Baldwin, Stanley, 1867–1947, British statesman; cousin of Rudyard Kipling. The son of a Worcestershire ironmaster, he was educated at Harrow and at Trinity College, Cambridge, and entered the family business.
..... Click the link for more information. , opposed the marriage, and the issue developed into a struggle between monarch and cabinet. Edward insisted on his right to marry the woman of his choice, even though her marital background made her unacceptable to the public and the government. The government saw in his challenge to its wishes a threat to constitutional procedure. A proposal that there should be some kind of morganatic marriage came to nothing. Since no resolution seemed possible, the king executed a deed of abdication, ending a 325-day reign as the first English monarch to relinquish his throne voluntarily. On Dec. 11, 1936, Parliament passed a bill of abdication, and Edward's younger brother became King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George), 1895–1952, king of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1936–52), second son of George V; successor of his elder brother, Edward VIII .
..... Click the link for more information. . The ex-king was granted the title of duke of Windsor. On June 3, 1937, he married Wallis Warfield in France. In 1937, on a trip to Germany, he visited Adolf Hitler and other Nazi officials. In World War II the duke went to France as a major general, serving briefly as a liaison officer between British and French headquarters. From 1940 to 1945 he was governor of the Bahamas. After that time he lived in France but traveled a great deal. He died in Paris but was buried at Windsor.
(born June 23, 1894, Richmond, Surrey, Eng.—died May 28, 1972, Paris, France) King of the United Kingdom (1936) who abdicated voluntarily. Son of George V, he served as a staff officer in World War I. After the war he made extensive goodwill tours of the British Empire and became very popular with the British people. In 1930 he became friends with Wallis Simpson and her husband and by 1934 had fallen in love with her. In January 1936 he succeeded to the throne on his father's death. Unable to gain social and political acceptance for his proposed marriage to Simpson, he abdicated in December, becoming the only British sovereign to resign the crown voluntarily. He was created duke of Windsor and in 1937 married Simpson, who became the duchess of Windsor. At Winston Churchill's invitation, he served as governor of the Bahamas during World War II, and after 1945 the couple lived in Paris. Though they were counted among the social elite, not until 1967 were they invited to attend an official public ceremony with other members of the royal family.
Edward VIII
..... Click the link for more information. . He attended the naval colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1911 he was made prince of Wales. During World War I he served as a staff officer in France, Italy, and Egypt. Between 1919 and 1936 he made state trips to the United States, Japan, South America, and the dominions. On the death of his father (Jan., 1936), Edward succeeded to the throne. He enjoyed immense popularity with his subjects until the crisis precipitated by the announcement of his intention to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson (see Windsor, Wallis Warfield, duchess of Windsor, Wallis Warfield, duchess of, 1896–1986, American-born wife of Edward, duke of Windsor, who, as Edward VIII , abdicated the British throne in order to marry her. In 1916 she married a naval lieutenant, from whom she was divorced in 1927.
..... Click the link for more information. ), an American then suing her second husband for divorce. The government, headed by Stanley Baldwin Baldwin, Stanley, 1867–1947, British statesman; cousin of Rudyard Kipling. The son of a Worcestershire ironmaster, he was educated at Harrow and at Trinity College, Cambridge, and entered the family business.
..... Click the link for more information. , opposed the marriage, and the issue developed into a struggle between monarch and cabinet. Edward insisted on his right to marry the woman of his choice, even though her marital background made her unacceptable to the public and the government. The government saw in his challenge to its wishes a threat to constitutional procedure. A proposal that there should be some kind of morganatic marriage came to nothing. Since no resolution seemed possible, the king executed a deed of abdication, ending a 325-day reign as the first English monarch to relinquish his throne voluntarily. On Dec. 11, 1936, Parliament passed a bill of abdication, and Edward's younger brother became King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George), 1895–1952, king of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1936–52), second son of George V; successor of his elder brother, Edward VIII .
..... Click the link for more information. . The ex-king was granted the title of duke of Windsor. On June 3, 1937, he married Wallis Warfield in France. In 1937, on a trip to Germany, he visited Adolf Hitler and other Nazi officials. In World War II the duke went to France as a major general, serving briefly as a liaison officer between British and French headquarters. From 1940 to 1945 he was governor of the Bahamas. After that time he lived in France but traveled a great deal. He died in Paris but was buried at Windsor.
Bibliography
See his memoirs, A King's Story (1951); biography by F. Donaldson (1975).
Edward VIII
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The duke of Windsor (formerly Edward VIII) and duchess of Windsor on their wedding day, June 3, …
(credit: Camera Press)
Edward VIII
1894--1972, king of Great Britain and Ireland in 1936; son of George V and brother of George VI. He abdicated in order to marry an American divorc?e, Mrs Wallis Simpson (1896--1986); created Duke of Windsor (1937)
Edward VIII
(1894–1972) and Wallis Warfield Simpson (1896—) British king abdicates throne to marry divorcee (1936). [Br. Hist.: NCE, 835]
See : Lovers, Famous
Edward VIII
(1894–1972) King of Britain whose decision to marry a divorcee forced him to abdicate throne (1936). [Br. Hist.: NCE, 835–836]
See : Scandal
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