The year 1936 marked a dramatic shift in the British monarchy, a period now examined in a new history by Sian Evans. The book delves into the relationship between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée, which ultimately led to the king's abdication after less than a year on the throne. This period, referred to as the 'Year of Three Kings,' began with the death of King George V on January 20, 1936.
King George V died from a fatal overdose of morphine and cocaine, administered by his physician. His eldest son, Edward, the then Prince of Wales, reacted with intense grief, described as 'hysterically upset' and 'frantic and unreasonable,' despite a strained relationship with his father. This emotional display, however, is characterized in Evans's book as typical of Edward's personality: quick to anger, petulant, and self-obsessed, with an all-consuming focus on Wallis Simpson.
The Path to Abdication
Edward's desire to marry Wallis Simpson presented a significant challenge, as he was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, which did not permit remarriage if a former spouse was still living. Wallis Simpson's first ex-husband, Win Spencer, was alive, and her second husband, Ernest Simpson, was still married to her. Edward's determination to marry Simpson involved engineering her divorce from Ernest, a process that concluded with a decree absolute in October 1936, shortly after a 19-minute hearing at Ipswich Assizes. While this cleared the way for a potential marriage, it did not immediately resolve the constitutional crisis.
The British public remained largely unaware of the King's affair for much of the year, with newspapers maintaining a public silence despite their knowledge. This period also saw significant political tensions, including the Spanish Civil War, rising Nazi influence in Europe, and domestic issues like the Jarrow March in Britain.
Edward, who had been popular as the Prince of Wales, found the duties of kingship tedious, referring to it as 'kinging.' He preferred his retreat at Fort Belvedere and was consumed by his plan to marry Simpson. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, concerned about the monarchy's stability and Edward's perceived unreliability and alleged Nazi sympathies, worked to navigate the crisis. Baldwin anticipated Edward's younger brother, Bertie (later King George VI), as a more suitable successor.
Wallis Simpson, meanwhile, appeared distressed by the situation, suffering from stress-related ailments and expressing doubts about their union. In a letter to Edward, she wrote, 'I'm sure you and I would only create disaster together.' Her feelings are echoed in a message to her ex-husband Ernest, lamenting the loss of a 'lovely and simple' life.
The Final Weeks
News of the affair broke in the press on December 3, 1936, prompting Simpson to seek refuge in France. Within a week, on December 10, Edward abdicated. His father, George V, had reportedly predicted that his son would 'ruin himself in twelve months.' Edward's abdication, however, did not lead to ruin but rather to a lifetime of exile for himself and Wallis Simpson.
The abdication marked the beginning of the reign of George VI, the year's third monarch, and fundamentally altered the course of the British royal family.