How long did edward viii reign

In January , George V died and Edward became king. In October, Wallis Simpson was granted a divorce from her husband, and it became clear that the new king wished to marry her, against the advice of many of his advisors who did not believe that Edward, as head of the Church of England, should marry a divorced woman.

All attempts to find a solution failed and so, on 10 December, Edward signed an instrument of abdication. The following day, after broadcasting to the nation and the empire to explain his actions, he left for Europe. Edward's brother became George VI. In June , Edward married Wallis Simpson and the couple were given the titles of duke and duchess of Windsor. For the next two years they lived mainly in France.

On a visit to Germany in , they had a controversial meeting with Adolf Hitler. After the outbreak of war, Edward was appointed governor of the Bahamas. By , the two had undoubtedly become lovers. The monarchy was not pleased with the pairing, however, and refused to allow a marriage between the future king and an American divorcee. He was a popular king, although those who worked around him found him irresponsible in regard to his official papers.

On December 11, , 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.

The couple lived in Paris, and spent most of their time shopping and partying with the international jet set. The duke made a couple of attempts to revive his political career, including a trip to Nazi Germany in October , which only served to worsen his reputation as a supporter of Adolf Hitler.

Although the post was considered a relatively unimportant job for a member of the royal family, the duke and duchess were pleased. He was buried at Windsor Castle, and 14 years later, Simpson was buried beside him. Their undying romance in the face of opposition is still regarded today as one of the greatest love stories of our time.

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! However, their social circles brought them together again, and by the time Simpson was presented to the court later that year, the prince found himself "struck by the grace of her carriage and the dignity of her movements," adding, "I looked upon her as the most independent woman I had ever met, and presently the hope formed that one day I might be able to share my life with her.

Indeed, while Simpson wasn't considered a standard beauty, she had a quick wit and an undeniable magnetism, and Edward became obsessed with this worldly woman who was unafraid to challenge his whims. On her end, here was the dashing Prince of Wales, the most eligible bachelor in the world, making her the center of his royal attention and Simpson was swept up in the romantic intrigue. By , after the prince's regular mistress departed on an extended trip, Edward began foregoing the usual airs of secrecy regarding their relationship.

They vacationed together that summer, without her husband, and the following year Wallis began accompanying the prince to royal events. George V and Queen Mary were not happy with the presence of "that woman," as Simpson was derisively known, but virtually everyone connected to the prince seemed to believe that his infatuation with the American would eventually pass, not grasping that he was determined to make her his wife.

With the death of George V on January 20, , the call to duty arrived for Edward. He immediately broke with tradition by watching the proclamation of his own accession, with Simpson by his side, and soon became the first British monarch to fly in a plane when he traveled to London for his Accession Council. As feared by royal aides, Edward showed little interest in any sort of day-to-day governorship. He was mainly preoccupied with marrying Simpson, and from her husband, at least, there was no pushback, as the businessman agreed to let the king have his way.

Convincing the Church of England and the rest of the government was another story. Around the time Simpson was granted a preliminary divorce in October , Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin finally confronted Edward about the severity of the situation.

Over several meetings, he expressed his belief that the Edward-Wallis marriage would not be supported by the government or the British people and explained why Parliament, as representative of the people, could determine who was suitable to be queen. Edward proposed a morganatic marriage, in which Simpson would not receive a royal title, but this was rejected.

So, too, was Edward's request to make his case to his subjects by way of a radio address. With no path for compromise, Edward informed Baldwin on December 5 that he would abdicate. A bill was introduced in the House of Commons on December 10, and two days later the Declaration of Abdication Act went into effect, formally freeing the former king of the "heavy burden" he spoke of.

Now known as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward and Simpson spent much of their remaining years in France, at odds with the British royal family.