King Edward VIII
Person Male Born 1894 Died 1972
Reigned 20 January - 10 December 1936 when he abdicated in favour of marriage to Mrs Simpson, to the sound of Londoners singing "Hark the herald angels sing, Mrs Simpson's pinched our king". Also successfully introduced plus-fours to America. After the abdication he was given the title of Duke of Windsor, and his younger brother, Bertie, became King George VI. The Guardian published a much more unusual picture of Edward, as the Prince of Wales in 1920, surfing in Hawaii. Known to friends and family by one of his 7 given names, David.
More seriously, he was aged 42 when he succeeded as King and had already, as Prince of Wales since 1911, spent many years representing his father, King George V, on gruelling tours of the Empire, and unveiling what he described as a never-ending stream of foundation stones. The choice he had was: more of that or the woman he loved?
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