King Edward VIII's Abdication Speech 1936

While he was still Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII began a relationship with a married American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. He inherited the throne from George V at the beginning of 1936 and in due course let it be known to his ministers that he was determined to marry Wallis and make her his Queen. The British government and church were totally opposed to the idea of a twice divorced American woman on the throne of England (she divorced Mr Simpson towards the end of 1936) but Edward was adamant that she should become his wife. Rather than cause a consitutional crisis, he took the course of abdication and made a speech to the nation (11 December 1936) before going into exile. He became HRH The Duke of Windsor and the couple were married in June 1937, though the title "Her Royal Highness" was withheld from Wallis who became known simply as the Duchess of Windsor. The Duke died in 1972 aged 77 and the Duchess died in 1986 aged 89.

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