Shortly before the start of World War II, the world community was dumbfounded by the news of the abdication of King Edward VIII. The love story of a monarch and a married woman, thundered in all corners of the earth, is still savored among the English people. So who is Prince Edward of Wales really?
a brief description of
The ruler of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland abandoned the throne for the love of an ordinary woman. He is also known for his connections with the Nazis during the Second World War. He was exiled to the Bahamas, then returned to France, where he spent the rest of his life.
Pedigree
Prince Edward was born in 1894, June 23, in the English county of Surrey. And from birth, He had the title of His Highness, since he was the eldest great-grandson of Queen Victoria. At the time of his birth, his father had the title of Duke of York, and his mother was Princess Victoria. When the duke became king George V in 1920, his wife became Queen Mary.
The prince also had a younger brother, George, who soon became King of Great Britain George VI. In total, the royal couple had five children: Edward, Maria, Heinrich, George and John, who died of epilepsy at the age of 14.
The father of the crown prince greatly appreciated discipline. Therefore, the boy was brought up in severity, as evidenced by the lines from his memoirs, where he admits that he was a very lonely child.
Heir to the throne
He received his education in Oxford (at Magdalena College) and in Dartmoor, where he graduated from the British Royal Naval College.
After the death of his grandfather, King Edward VII, the prince involuntarily became the British successor to the throne. In the summer of the same 1910, he received the title of Prince of Wales from his father. The investment took place at Carnarvon Castle, which is located in Wales.
As a prince of Wales, he participated in the First World War. Often traveled to the front, of course, without participating in battles in the forefront. He visited places covered by the Great Depression.
However, only in 1936, when his father, George V, died, Edward becomes king at the age of 42. But he reigned less than a year. Soon he abdicates from the throne because of a love for a woman who was not accepted by the royal family.
Personal life
Prince Edward was significantly different from other heirs. Comprehensively developing, he loved tennis, horse racing, theater, airplanes, football and golf.
Besides sports, he also loved jazz and women, especially married women. He had connections with some of them that his relatives did not welcome, but this did not stop the prince. Among his ladies hearts were Freda Dudley-Ward and Thelma Furness. It was the latter that introduced the prince to the one that became in the future the reason for his abdication. This was a married Wallis Simpson - a woman whose name still dislikes many members of the royal court.
Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson
She was not beautiful, but this did not stop her from winning men's hearts. An amazing sense of style, a flexible mind, strength of character conquered many men. Before King Edward, she was married 3 times. Wally divorced her third husband when Edward ascended the throne.
None of the prince's relatives supported this relationship. The family condemned the desire of Edward to give expensive gifts to an American.
The couple met almost openly. They traveled, appeared together in public.
In the photo, Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson.
In 1936, the prince's father dies and he automatically inherits the throne. At this time, Wallis Simpson's divorce process accelerates.
Having declared his desire to marry his beloved woman, the prince is categorically rejected by his relatives and parliament. This forces him to make a decision, entailing significant changes in the domestic policy of the country.
Abdication
When Prince Edward realized that he had fallen in love completely and irrevocably, he decided to marry Wallis, as reported to Stanley Baldwin. However, the Prime Minister told him that this marriage was not possible. Otherwise, the entire parliament will resign, which threatened England with a crisis.
Then Edward announced an ultimatum, saying that the coronation would not take place if Wallis was not nearby as his wife. He even agreed to an organic marriage, which meant that neither the wife nor their common children would have the right to inherit the throne. But this option did not suit the government. And the king was denied marriage to an American who had already been divorced several times. For England, with her conservative views, this was unacceptable.
Due to rumors and gossip, Wallis leaves for Cannes. And Edward officially abdicated, informing his subjects:
“You must understand me when I tell you that it was impossible for me to bear the heavy burden of responsibility and to adequately perform the duties of a king without the help and support of the woman I love.”
This text was prepared for him by the notorious Winston Churchill. But it was he who advised the king not to retract, but simply to wait. Then, after the coronation, no one could forbid him to marry. The people loved the prince very much and would forgive him everything. And the parliament and the cabinet did not have the right to interfere in the personal life of the monarch.
Immediately after self-denial, Prince Edward leaves after his beloved woman in Cannes, where after 6 months they legalized their relationship. There were no relatives from relatives at the ceremony. But the inhabitants of Great Britain enthusiastically admired the photographs of the newlyweds.
Edward was left the title of prince, but was not allowed to return to his homeland. George VI, who became king after Edward, forbade calling "this American" her highness.
For the small content that the royal court allocated them, they lived in France. After Edward sold out some property. They also began to write memoirs, which also gave a certain income.
Duke of Windsor
When the younger brother of Prince George ascended the throne, he proclaimed his brother the Duke of Windsor and gave him back the Order of the Garter. The title was invented by him specifically for his brother based on the surname of the royal dynasty - Windsor.
In 1937, the couple arrived in Germany to meet with the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. This visit was covered by German newspapers. The Nazis had high hopes for him.
The British press also made room for this meeting, where it was said that the prince saluted the people from the balcony with his raised hand in a fascist manner.
In 1940, the couple left occupied France for Portugal. But continues to communicate with people from the German circle. When it was suspected in Britain that the prince might seek help from Hitler to return to the throne, he was exiled to the Bahamas as governor.
To the credit of Edward, I must say that he did well, and his fight against poverty in the colony had excellent results.
After the end of World War II, he was allowed to return to France, where he and his wife lived the rest of their lives, by the way, very comfortable.
The prince repeatedly came to his homeland and met with Elizabeth ∥, who was his niece. They even said that Elizabeth’s son, Prince Edward, was named after him. He made his first visits alone. And only later he began to bring his wife with him. But they could not fully establish relations with the family.
Awards and titles
Prince Edward was awarded many military ranks:
- major general;
- Royal Air Force Marshal;
- Admiral of the British Navy;
- British Field Marshal.
In other countries, he became a general and admiral.
He also had a huge number of awards and honors:
- Order of the Garter;
- Military cross;
- Companion to the Order of the Imperial Service;
- Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem;
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India;
- Knight of the Order of St. Patrick;
- Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
The prince also had many awards from other states. So in Russia he was awarded the Order of St. George. In France, he received a military cross and became a holder of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. In Romania he was awarded the Order of Mihai the Brave and the chain of the Order of Carol I. In Italy, he received the Order of the Annunziata.
