Edward VIII (born Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of the United Kingdom. He reigned from January 20, 1936, until December 11, 1936. He was born at White Lodge, Richmond Park in London.

Edward abdicated (resigned) from the throne. He wanted to marry an American woman named Wallis Simpson. Simpson had been married twice before. As King, Edward was the Head of the Church of England. The Church did not support divorce or remarriage if a former spouse was still alive. After giving up his role as king, he was known as His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor. His wife was not allowed to be called "Her Royal Highness".

Early Life of Edward VIII
Edward VIII's Short Reign
Duke of Windsor and Later Life
Titles and Styles
Images for kids
See Also

Early Life of Edward VIII

Edward was often called David by his family and friends. He was the first son of the Prince and Princess of Wales. They later became King George V and Queen Mary. As a young man, Edward did not always like his royal duties. However, he was very charming and popular with the British people.

Edward officially became the Prince of Wales in a special ceremony. This took place at Caernarvon Castle on July 13, 1911. He even learned a few words of Welsh from David Lloyd George, who later became Prime Minister.

When the First World War started in 1914, Edward was twenty years old. He really wanted to join the fighting. He saw trench warfare up close and tried to visit the front lines often. He did not face the same hardships as regular soldiers. In 1918, Edward took a military flight and later got his pilot's license.

Throughout the 1920s, Edward traveled a lot. He represented his father, King George V, both in Britain and in other countries. His popularity was very high during this time. He received a lot of attention from the public and the media.

However, his father, King George V, was worried about Edward's lifestyle. Edward did not seem interested in his royal duties. He also disliked the traditional ways of the British establishment. King George V was disappointed that Edward did not settle down. He was also unhappy about Edward's relationships. He preferred his younger son, Albert, who was a family man.

Edward had several relationships with married women. One of them introduced him to Wallis Simpson. Wallis Simpson was an American woman who had been divorced twice. Edward later became very close to Wallis Simpson. This made his relationship with his father even worse. King George V believed that Edward would face problems because of his choices.

Edward VIII's Short Reign

King George V passed away on January 20, 1936, after being ill for months. Edward then became King Edward VIII. He watched the announcement of his new role from a window with Wallis Simpson.

After only a few weeks, Edward started to cause concern in the government. His actions were seen as too involved in politics. He did not work hard as King and was not careful with important government papers. In August and September, Edward and Wallis Simpson went on a luxury yacht trip. They sailed around the Mediterranean instead of focusing on royal duties.

On November 16, 1936, Edward met with British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. He told Baldwin that he planned to marry Wallis Simpson after her divorce. Baldwin was not happy about this. He explained that the public would find it unacceptable. This was because the Church of England did not support remarriage after divorce. The people also did not approve of Wallis.

Edward knew that the government and Prime Minister Baldwin would resign if he went ahead with the marriage. This would cause a major political crisis. It could even lead to a general election. This would be very damaging for the Royal Family and the country. Because of this, he chose to give up his throne in December of that year. He married Wallis in 1937. His younger brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York, became the next king, George VI.

Duke of Windsor and Later Life

Edward reviewing a squad of SS with Robert Ley, 1937

The Duke in 1945

After he gave up the throne, Edward was given the title Duke of Windsor. He married Wallis Simpson in France on June 3, 1937. His brother and mother did not attend the wedding.

Many people became worried about Edward's views on Germany. Some thought he was too friendly towards Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler himself believed Edward was supportive of his regime. The Duke and Duchess visited Nazi Germany, even though the British government advised against it. They met Adolf Hitler at his private home. During this visit, the Duke was seen giving Nazi salutes. This caused anger in Britain.

At the start of the Second World War, the Nazis made plans. They wanted to convince the Duke to support their efforts. They even planned to kidnap him. Lord Caldecote warned Winston Churchill that the Duke was seen as "pro-Nazi." He worried that Edward could become a source of trouble. More problems arose when Edward gave an interview that seemed to suggest Britain might lose the war. This made Churchill even more upset.

After the war, the Duke and Duchess became well-known figures. They hosted parties and lived between Paris and New York. In the 1960s, the Duke's health began to get worse. On May 28, 1972, the Duke passed away at his home in Paris. This was less than a month before his 78th birthday. Wallis Simpson was not well either. She suffered from a memory illness and died 14 years later. Edward's coffin was buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Frogmore. This is behind the Royal Mausoleum of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Titles and Styles

23 June 1894 – 28 May 1898: His Highness Prince Edward of York
28 May 1898 – 22 January 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of York
22 January – 9 November 1901: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Cornwall and York
9 November 1901 – 6 May 1910: His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Wales
6 May – 23 June 1910: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall
23 June 1910 – 20 January 1936: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
- in Scotland: 1910–1936: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Duke of Rothesay
20 January – 11 December 1936: His Majesty The King
- and, occasionally, outside the United Kingdom, and with regard to India: His Imperial Majesty The King-Emperor
11 December 1936 – 8 March 1937: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward
8 March 1937 – 28 May 1972: His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor
- Edward began use of the title immediately upon abdication, in accordance with George VI's declaration to his Accession Council, but several months passed before the title was formalised by Letters Patent.

His full title as king was "His Majesty, Edward the Eighth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India".

Images for kids

Edward (second from left) with his father and younger siblings (Albert and Mary), photograph by his grandmother Alexandra, 1899
Edward as a midshipman on board HMS Hindustan, 1910
Edward in August 1915, during the First World War
Edward in Ashburton, New Zealand with returned servicemen, 1920
Edward and his staff wearing kimono (yukata) in Japan, 1922
Portrait by Reginald Grenville Eves, c. 1920
Thelma Furness and the Prince of Wales in 1932
Edward VIII surrounded by heralds of the College of Arms prior to his only State Opening of Parliament, 3 November 1936
Left-facing coinage portrait of Edward VIII
Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson on their Mediterranean holiday, 1936
Cypher on a postbox erected during his short reign
Château de Candé, the Windsors' wedding venue
Clementine (far left) and Winston Churchill with the Duke of Windsor on the French Riviera in 1948
U.S. President Richard Nixon and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1970
Edward's grave at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore
Portrait of Edward in the robes of the Order of the Garter by Arthur Stockdale Cope, 1912

Edward VIII facts for kids

Contents

Early Life of Edward VIII

Edward VIII's Short Reign

Duke of Windsor and Later Life

Titles and Styles

Images for kids

See Also