Edward VIII Marries Wallis Simpson
Edward VIII, who became known as the Duke of Windsor after his abdication, made headlines in the 20th century when he married American socialite Wallis Simpson on June 3, 1937, in France. This union followed Edward's controversial decision to abdicate the British throne in December 1936, primarily due to the opposition he faced regarding Simpson’s status as a twice-divorced woman, which was deemed unacceptable by the British government and the Church of England. His abdication marked a significant moment in royal history, as he prioritized personal love over royal duty, leading to his brother, King George VI, ascending the throne.
Following their marriage, Edward and Wallis lived abroad, largely shunned in Britain and without official recognition of her title as duchess. The couple spent significant time in France and the United States, becoming fixtures in international social circles. Their lives were documented in several books, and a film adaptation of Edward's memoirs further cemented their legacy. Edward passed away in 1972, with Wallis following in 1986; they were buried together in a royal cemetery near Windsor Castle. This story of love, sacrifice, and societal challenge continues to fascinate and provoke discussion about the intersection of personal choices and public duty.
Edward VIII Marries Wallis Simpson
Edward VIII Marries Wallis Simpson
On June 3, 1937, the former British king Edward VIII, now known as Edward, Duke of Windsor, married Wallis Simpson in a small ceremony in France. In one of the greatest romantic scandals of the 20th century, Edward had abdicated his throne in order to marry the woman he loved.
Edward was born on June 23, 1894, in Richmond Park, England. He was educated at the Royal Naval College and Oxford University before serving in World War I. Edward became King Edward VIII after his father King George V died in January 1936. Shortly thereafter rumors began to circulate about his relationship with Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American woman. Because she was in the process of obtaining her second divorce, Simpson was deemed by the British government and society in general to be an unacceptable candidate for queen. Divorce carried a stigma, and divorced persons were not allowed to remarry in the Church of England (of which Edward was titular head). Unwilling to give up Simpson, Edward surrendered his crown on December 11, 1936. His brother, the duke of York, became King George VI and gave Edward the title of duke of Windsor. When Simpson's second divorce was finalized in May 1937, her name became Wallis Warfield and then Wallis Warfield Windsor, duchess of Windsor, after her marriage to Edward.
The couple chose to live abroad, since Wallis was shunned in Britain and her rights as a duchess were not recognized. They lived in France until the outbreak of World War II, when King George made Edward the governor of the British-ruled Bahamas to keep him out of the grasp of the Nazi armies sweeping across Europe. There he and Wallis lived until 1945, when the war ended and they moved back to France. The couple spent most of their time in France and the United States, avoiding Britain except for events such as George VI's funeral in February of 1952, which Edward attended. Edward and Wallis were active in international social circles, and they also wrote several books about their lives: Edward penned A King's Story (1951) and Windsor Revisited (1960), while Wallis wrote The Heart Has Its Reasons (1956). A documentary film version of A King's Story came out in 1965, narrated by Orson Welles and starring the Duke and Duchess of Windsor as themselves. Edward died on May 28, 1972, in Paris, where Wallis also died on April 24, 1986. She was buried next to him in a royal cemetery near Windsor Castle.