King Edward VIII abdication speech 1936

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

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.

The speech is from December 11, when Edward publicly announced his decision via radio to a worldwide audience.

His younger brother, George VI, took the throne and immediately gave Edward the title, Duke of Windsor. The Duke and Simpson were married in France on June 3, 1937 and lived in Paris. During World War II, Edward served as governor of the Bahamas. He died in Paris on May 28, 1972. His wife died there, April 24, 1986.

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• king
• Edward
• VIII
• abdication
• speech
• 1939

[baraxor]

God, I'm sick of that "the Royals are nothing but Germans" crap. Who were the Stuarts? Emigres from Brittany and Normandy via England and Scotland. The Tudors? Descended from a Welsh knight who married Henry V's French widow. Plantagents? Normans--which is to say Vikings. Virtually all of them married foreign royalty. There haven't been "English" kings in England since 1066.

[jensww22]

I despise this medium for all the opportunities it provides for all the cranks, idiots, half-witted, half-baked, evil and nasty to post their comments here.

[michelicnek]

edward was nothing more than a inherited imperialist who got the handed down title of emperor of india...he was useless man who tried to justify his existence thru a few policy changes...what a useless human being he was!!...lol

[catsatonthemat]

Edward V111 was forced to abdicate by the British government because he was a Nazi and actively promoted Hitler and Mussolini. The Mrs. Simpson stuff was a smokescreen to hide the extent of support Hitler enjoyed from him some of the British aristocracy.

[soletongray]

@appleandhoneyspice alright and it did not come out wrong i am sorry if i gave you the impression that it did .. Thank you for your reply :)

[appleandhoneyspice]

@soletongray i just think he was awsome he was strong and proved that when the chips were down he held strong,King george was stronger,more determined, he stood behind his country,during the war,saw it through. unlike edward who was weak,and when i said he was a better speech maker, he just sounded more confident than edward. i am sorry if it came out wrong.

[appleandhoneyspice]

@soletongr

[BoxerBoycie]

@drsteerforth how old are you ?

[soletongray]

@appleandhoneyspice Why is it that the better brother took the throne ?

[appleandhoneyspice]

personally i think she was his excuse to give up the throne he wanted out of being a king and she helped him get out.but as history shows the better brother went to the throne and showed strength on so many levels.and the queen mother and king george were there for thier country when the people needed them,and one note king george even with a stutter,was the better speech maker .

[retro91adam]

@spiderlegs1987 no he is her uncle