SearchWiki:
Add Page:

SideBar (edit)

Associated Sites

Page History Edit Page Links to This Page

Edward VIII (1894-1972) became King of England after the death of his father, George V, on January 20, 1936.

The Coronation was planned for May 12, 1937. The August 1936 issue of Luggage and Leather goods carries this story about planning in the textile trades for timely designs.

Of course, the Coronation was never to be, at least not as originally planned.

Nearly 42-years-old and a bachelor, Edward then made known his desire to marry an American woman named Wallis Warfield Simpson, whom he had known since 1931. He sought the approval of his family, the Church of England, and the political establishment to marry her, but met with strong opposition. She had been married twice and her second divorce was still pending.

This love affair and possible royal marriage resulted in sensational newspaper headlines around the world and created a storm of controversy, but did not sway Edward.

On December 10, 1936, King Edward VIII submitted his abdication and it was endorsed by Parliament the next day. He thus became the only British monarch ever to resign voluntarily. His younger brother, George VI, took the throne on May 12, 1937.

The speech below is from December 11, when Edward publicly announced his decision via radio to a worldwide audience. http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/edward.htm


Categories: 1936

Edit Page - Page History - Printable View - Recent Changes - SearchWiki
Page last modified on September 04, 2005, at 09:57 PM