Kings and Queens
Edward VIII (1936)
Even before becoming King, Edward was noted for his unorthodox behaviour, particularly his famous love affair with the American divorcee Wallace Simpson, whose dubious past made her highly unsuitable as partner of the future King of England. Indeed, when he became King in 1936 and announced his desire to marry Wallace, the Prime Minister insisted he could either forget her, marry without the consent of Parliament or abdicate. Less than a year after taking the throne, Edward chose the third path, becoming the only British monarch to have voluntarily given up the throne, signing notice of abdication on 10 December.The British Parliament passed His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 the next day and he legally ceased to be King. After his abdication he married Wallace and the pair became Duke and Duchess of Windsor and during World War Two he became Governor of The Bahamas. Prior to WWII, the pair were personal guests of Adolf Hitler and some historians say that they were Nazi sympathisers.
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