Once the cat was out of the bag and the whole world had learned of the whirlwind romance between the King of England and the twice-divorced American social-climber Wallis Simpson (1896 - 1986), one of the favorite social pastimes soon involved musing aloud as to whether British laws would permit him to marry such a woman. Constitutionally, the King cannot marry a Roman Catholic, which she was (although this journalist erroneously stated that she wasn't); recognizing he couldn't get around this law, he abdicated.
This article can be printed. This is a very juicy, action-packed article written in the immediate aftermath of the abdication of Edward VIII.
The journalist detailed how the whole affair evolved at 10 Downing Street and in the parliament; the reaction across the empire. The writer also endeavored to introduce the readers to the two unknown heirs: George VI (1895 – 1952) and Elizabeth II (b. 1926)."Thus the ruler of the world's greatest empire joined the shabby band of ex-kings - the wood-chopper of Doorn, Germany's forgotten All Highest; Alfonso of Spain, who roams the Continent looking for pleasure; Ferdinand of Bulgaria, an old man doddering over his stamps; Prajadhipok of Siam, Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Abdel Medjik of Turkey, and Amanullah of Afghanistan." At the end of the day, history will remember him simply as one of the most henpecked husband. Iles Brody, author of Gone with the Windsors, was no fan of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, but before he began to outline all their various faults in the attached essay, he first wanted to make one aspect of their history quite clear:
"The true story of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor cannot be told without clarifying one point right at the beginning: there was only one man who forced Edward VIII off the throne: himself. Yet millions have been led to believe that Prime Minister and Primate got together with the peers and, with the help of the British press, compelled the King to abandon his hereditary trust." An eyewitness account of the Windsors on their visit through Germany in 1937. The journalist reported that the two seemed nervous - reluctant to sign guest ledgers or photographed with Nazi leaders (except with Hitler, they seem very pleased in that photo). -from Amazon:
 Perhaps one of the unmentioned reasons for America's revolt against the crown in 1776 was our revulsion of their power to cancel publication of any book of their choosing (there have been exceptions) - primarily books they deem slanderous of The Firm. This certainly was the case in 1937 when the newly minted Duke of Windsor (previously Edward VIII) sought to block all further publication of Coronation Commentary (1937) by Geoffrey Dennis. He succeeded in doing so on grounds of libel - but not before hundreds of copies could be published. "Edward literally thumbed his royal nose at the Royal Marriage Act, ignored a legal waiting period and was wed by an unfrocked minister".
Mention is also made of the two known adulterous liaisons that took place during Mrs Simpson's second marriage. |