Royal scandals have graced the front pages of tabloids for decades. In the 1930s, one woman shook up the British monarchy so dramatically that a king gave up his crown for her.
In 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne for a woman named Wallis Simpson, an American socialite and two-time divorcée.
The media painted her as a seductive temptress and gold-digger trying to cause the downfall of the British monarchy for her own personal gain. The scandal was nearly impossible for the public to comprehend.
Edward and Wallis got married in 1937. They spent much of their marriage in exile, first in the Bahamas and then in post-war France. In May 1972, Edward died of throat cancer. Wallis died in 1986 and was buried next to her husband.
Overall, Wallis Simpson forever changed the line of succession to the English throne. So, who was this woman who drove the king to choose love over loyalty to his royal family?
Before she became the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis was navigating high society. She was born in 1896 in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, to a well-off family.
In 1914, she graduated from a private boarding school and became a debutante. She married American naval pilot Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. two years later. They divorced in 1928.
The same year her divorce was finalized, she married Ernest Simpson, a British-American shipbroker and fellow divorcée. They lived together in London.
In 1934, Wallis was 38 years old when she was introduced to Edward through his American mistress, Lady Furness. They quickly fell in love.
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Edward inherited the throne after King George died in 1936, but he soon gave it up to marry Wallis. Edward’s younger brother, Albert, became King George VI.
It was unheard of for a monarch to marry a divorced person, especially if their spouse was still alive. The British government and the royal family refused to accept Wallis as a suitable wife for the king.
So, the only option left was for Edward to step down. Edward was the only monarch in British history who willingly gave up his right to the throne.
In his final broadcast, he said, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”
Wallis and Edward had their wedding on June 3, 1937. From then on, they became known as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. They rarely returned to England. They only came back for funerals and a ceremony in 1967.
By the time Edward died in 1972, the couple had been married for almost 35 years. Wallis passed away in 1986 at the age of 89 and was buried alongside her husband at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
