Changes

| type = monarch

| type = monarch

| name              = Edward VIII

| name              = Edward VIII

| image            = HRH The Prince of Wales No 4 (HS85-10-36416).jpg

| image            = King Edward VIII.png

| alt              =  

| alt              =  

| caption          = Edward in 1919

| caption          = Edward in 1936

| reign            = 20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936

| reign            = 20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936

| succession = [[List of British monarchs|King of the United Kingdom]] and the [[British Dominions]], [[Emperor of India]]

| succession = [[List of British monarchs|King of the United Kingdom]] and the [[British Dominions]], [[Emperor of India]]

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

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

Edward [[abdicated]] (resigned) from the [[throne]], because he wanted to [[marriage|marry]] the [[United States|American]] woman [[Wallis Simpson]]. Simpson had been married twice before. As King, he was Head of the [[Church of England]], and the Church did not support [[divorce]]. After abdicating as king, he was known as His Royal Highness the '''Duke of Windsor'''.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34349 |date= 12 December 1936|page=8111 }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34350 |date=15 December 1936 |page=8115 }}</ref> His wife was not allowed to be called "Her Royal Highness".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34402 |date=28 May 1937 |page=3429 }}</ref>

Edward [[abdicated]] (resigned) from the [[throne]], because he wanted to [[marriage|marry]] the [[United States|American]] woman [[Wallis Simpson]].<ref name=abd>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20231208-a-royal-crisis-the-shocking-moment-king-edward-viii-announced-his-abdication-to-the-nation|title=A Royal crisis: The shocking moment King Edward VIII announced his abdication to the nation|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=11 December 2023|accessdate=5 September 2024}}</ref> Simpson had been married twice before, and as King, Edward VIII was Head of the [[Church of England]], and the Church did not support [[divorce]].<ref name=abd/> After abdicating as king, he was known as His Royal Highness the '''Duke of Windsor'''.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34349 |date= 12 December 1936|page=8111 }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34350 |date=15 December 1936 |page=8115 }}</ref> His wife was not allowed to be called "Her Royal Highness".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34402 |date=28 May 1937 |page=3429 }}</ref>

== Early life ==

== Early life ==

Edward, commonly known by those close to him as David, was born as the first son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King George V and Queen Mary. As a young man, he disliked his royal duties, but his charisma made him popular with the British people. Edward was officially invested as Prince of Wales in a ceremony at Caernarvon Castle on 13 July 1911 and was even tutored by the future Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] to speak a few words of Welsh.

Edward, commonly known by those close to him as David, was born as the first son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King George V and Queen Mary. As a young man, he disliked his royal duties, but his charisma made him popular with the British people. Edward was officially invested as Prince of Wales in a ceremony at Caernarvon Castle on 13 July 1911 and was even tutored by the future Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] to speak a few words of Welsh.

[[File:The Duke of Windsor (1945).jpg|thumb|280px|right|Edward [[Duke of Windsor]]  in 1945]]

[[File:The Duke of Windsor (1945).jpg|thumb|280px|right|Edward [[Duke of Windsor]]  in 1945]]

After his abdication, he was given the title Duke of Windsor. He married Simpson in France on 3 June 1937. His brother and mother did not attend the ceremony. Many people became alarmed with what they thought was Edward's pro German stance. Some even said that he favoured German fascism. Hitler considered Edward to be friendly towards Nazi Germany. Even in the 1960s, Edward privately said to a friend, Lord Kinross, "I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap".<ref>[[Patrick Balfour, 3rd Baron Kinross|Lord Kinross]], ''Love conquers all'' in ''Books and Bookmen'', vol. 20 (1974), p. 50: "He indeed remarked to me, some twenty-five years later, 'I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap'."</ref> The Duke and Duchess visited Nazi Germany, against the advice of the British government, and they met [[Adolf Hitler]] at his private retreat. During the visit, the Duke gave full Nazi salutes, causing anger in Britain. At the start of the Second World War, the Nazis plotted to persuade the Duke to support the Nazi effort and planned to kidnap him. Lord Caldecote warned Winston Churchill that "[the Duke] is well-known to be pro-Nazi and he may become a centre of intrigue".<ref>[[Philip Ziegler|Ziegler, Philip]] (1991). ''King Edward VIII: The official biography''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. {{ISBN|0-394-57730-2}}.</ref> More problems arose when Edward gave a "defeatist" interview, which angered Churchill even more.

After his abdication, he was given the title Duke of Windsor. He married Simpson in France on 3 June 1937. His brother and mother did not attend the ceremony. Many people became alarmed with what they thought was Edward's pro German stance. Some even said that he favoured German fascism. Hitler considered Edward to be friendly towards Nazi Germany. Even in the 1960s, Edward privately said to a friend, Lord Kinross, "I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap".<ref>[[Patrick Balfour, 3rd Baron Kinross|Lord Kinross]], ''Love conquers all'' in ''Books and Bookmen'', vol. 20 (1974), p. 50: "He indeed remarked to me, some twenty-five years later, 'I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap'."</ref> The Duke and Duchess visited Nazi Germany, against the advice of the British government, and they met [[Adolf Hitler]] at his private retreat. During the visit, the Duke gave full Nazi salutes, causing anger in Britain. At the start of the Second World War, the Nazis plotted to persuade the Duke to support the Nazi effort and planned to kidnap him. Lord Caldecote warned Winston Churchill that "[the Duke] is well-known to be pro-Nazi and he may become a centre of intrigue".<ref>[[Philip Ziegler|Ziegler, Philip]] (1991). ''King Edward VIII: The official biography''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. {{ISBN|0-394-57730-2}}.</ref> More problems arose when Edward gave a "defeatist" interview, which angered Churchill even more. Many historians have suggested that Adolf Hitler was prepared to make Edward the king again in the hope of creating a fascist [[puppet government]] in Britain after [[Operation Sea Lion]] in 1940.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tpt.org/edward-viii-the-nazi-king/|title=Edward VIII - The Nazi King|publisher=TPT.org|accessdate=5 September 2024}}</ref>

After the war, the Duke and Duchess became celebrities and hosted parties and lived between Paris and New York. In the 1960s, the Duke's health became worse. Because he was a heavy smoker from an early age, he had throat cancer. On 28 May 1972, the Duke died at his home in Paris, less than a month before his 78th birthday. Wallis Simpson was not strong. She suffered from [[dementia]] and died 14 years later. The coffin was buried in the [[Royal Burial Ground]] behind the Royal Mausoleum of [[Queen Victoria]] and [[Prince Albert]] at [[Frogmore]].

After the war, the Duke and Duchess became celebrities and hosted parties and lived between Paris and New York. In the 1960s, the Duke's health became worse. Because he was a heavy smoker from an early age, he had throat cancer. On 28 May 1972, the Duke died at his home in Paris, less than a month before his 78th birthday. Wallis Simpson was not strong. She suffered from [[dementia]] and died 14 years later. The coffin was buried in the [[Royal Burial Ground]] behind the Royal Mausoleum of [[Queen Victoria]] and [[Prince Albert]] at [[Frogmore]].

<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>

<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>

File:Edward VIII Christening.jpg|Edward with his father [[George V|George]], grandfather [[Edward VII|Edward]], and great-grandmother [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]

File:Edward VIII Christening.jpg|Edward with his father [[George V|George]], grandfather [[Edward VII|Edward]], and great-grandmother [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]

File:Prince of Wales 9.2-inch gun HMS Hindustan Flickr 4454627308 cd3c9739e8 o.jpg|As a midshipman on board {{HMS|Hindustan|1903|6}}, 1910

File:Prince of Wales 9.2-inch gun HMS Hindustan Flickr 4454627308 cd3c9739e8 o.jpg|As a midshipman on board {{HMS|Hindustan|1903|6}}, 1910

File:Thelma Furness and the Prince 1932.jpg|With [[Thelma Furness]], 1932

File:Thelma Furness and the Prince 1932.jpg|With [[Thelma Furness]], 1932

</gallery>

</gallery>

== References ==

== References ==