In December 1936, King Edward VIII of England puts a definitive end to the constitutional crisis that had erupted in recent months by deciding to abdicate. Being the first British monarch to abdicate since the 17th century, Edward had caused a major headache for his family, the British government, the Church of England and the British people. The reason; He intended to marry a – soon to be – American divorcee, Wallis Simpson.
From an early age, Edward was a lively child. As a young man he had served and distinguished himself in World War I, and by the 1920s he had become the closest thing to celebrity there was: his position as heir to the British throne, his looks and of course the fact that he was single attracted attention of the public. In fact, he had ended up being a role model for men, with his clothing choices dictating the fashion of the time.
All this attention certainly did not go unnoticed – neither by him, nor by his family. News of his numerous affairs traveled fast. As early as the time of World War I, Edouard chose to go to Paris when he was on leave and so he formed a relationship with Marguerite Alibert, who was famous for her connections with nobles and business people. While Prince of Wales, Edward had many consorts, even married ones, which was not allowed at the time. Around 1931, Lady Furness, one of his married mistresses, introduced him to Wallis Simpson, who was estranged from her second husband.
Soon, the two became a couple, which stirred the waters in England so much that the English secret services swung into action. For a while, they followed the couple everywhere and gathered information about their relationship. In fact, after Hitler’s rise to power, the FBI was also involved in surveillance, as they suspected that the couple, who were close to the German chancellor, were transmitting information. Americans had another reason to worry: a member of the German royal family had tipped off the FBI that Simpson had had an affair with the then German ambassador to Britain – and later Nazi Germany’s foreign minister – Joachim von Ribbentrop, even as she he was Edward’s companion. It is even said that Ribbentrop used to send her 17 carnations every time they met.
All this caused great concern to the British government and the secret services, but nothing was made public. But in 1936, after the death of King George V, Edward ascended the throne and the situation became even more complicated, as he seemed determined to marry Simpson. When he announced his intentions to Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, he pointed out that such a thing could not be accepted by the British people. He even went so far as to threaten that if Edward went ahead with the marriage, his government would resign. The reason was that, on the one hand, an American divorcee with ties to the Hitler regime was certainly not the ideal candidate for the king’s wife; on the other hand, with their possible union arose a religious issue: Edward as king was also the head of the Church of England , which did not allow divorced persons to remarry while the former spouse was alive.
Having ignited a widespread political and constitutional crisis that threatened the very institution of the monarchy and its hereditary succession, and having been informed by the prime minister of Britain and the other possessions that his marriage to Simpson would not be accepted by any government, Edward VIII, after 325 days of reign, abdicated the British throne in favor of his brother Prince Albert (later George VI). On December 11, he announced his resignation to the British people in a radio address.
“Finally I can say a few words too. I never wanted to hide anything, but until now it was constitutionally impossible to speak. A few hours ago I performed my last duty as king and emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York, my first words must be that I declare my submission to him. I do it with all my heart. You all know the reasons that prompted me to abdicate the throne. But I want you to understand that in making this decision, I have not forgotten the country or the empire, which as Prince of Wales, and lately as King, I have endeavored for twenty-five years to serve. But you must believe me when I tell you that it was impossible for me to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and fulfill my duties as king as I would have liked without the help and support of the woman I love.’
The unexpected event was commented on by American newspapers, excerpts from which were quoted by “Kathimerini” on December 11, 1936: “The sudden incredible crisis in which the British Crown plunged revealed to thinking citizens of every nation the basic importance of the British Empire in the world organization The Americans have no right to offer advice on the purely internal problem of the British Empire. But they cannot hide the lively interest with which they follow the judgment. Any practice that threatened the constitution and integrity of the British Empire shook these foundations of today’s world. That a solution must be found before irreparable damage is done is the universal hope.”
The Windsors, as they became known, remained married until Edward’s death in 1972. Any fears that had arisen about the future of the monarchy after Edward’s voluntary abdication were not realized. Paradoxically, his resignation heralded a new wave of popular confidence in the institution and the new style of limited, constitutional monarchy as represented by George VI.
