Edward VIII - The King Who Threw Away His Crown | Free Documentary History

born to be a

king

loved by his people admired throughout the world

edward

viii

shook the world's oldest monarchy to its foundations and all for love

edward

's passion for a married woman had forced him to choose between personal happiness and duty towards his country his choice would distance him separate him from his family and send him into exile for the rest of his life I think he was ahead of his time I think he had a lot of energy and I think he was way ahead of his time I think he wanted to establish things that were a little bit not prepared for them really maybe not prepared for it although this is the extraordinary story of the

king

who

threw

away

his

crown

at the end of the 19th century Britain had become the most powerful nation in the world and the symbol of its The greatness of Victoria he was celebrating the diamond jubilee of his reign.

His 63 years on the throne came to an end in 1901 and young Edward's grandfather was

crown

ed King Edward VII. The king had come to the throne at an advanced age but was still young at heart. The Victorian era of well-dressed sobriety was swept

away

and the pursuit of pleasure became the new fashion. Edward grew up with his family on the king's estate at Sandringham. Her parents, Prince George and Princess Mary, had married in the last decade of the Victorian era and had remained true to their values, tradition, duty and loyalty, their marriage was arranged and, to her joy, she had become in one true love, like queen victoria, she had royal children in regular succession after edward, they were bertie henry mary george and baby john edward and their siblings were loved and pampered by their grandfather the king, who was always more happy at Sandringham, hosting hunting parties and spending time with friends and family.

The king prolonged the fun by advancing the clocks half an hour to make the most of the daylight. He called it Sandringham. At the age of 12, Edward left the comforts of home and family to attend Osborne Naval School on the Isle of Wight and in 1909 he graduated from the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He was aware that he was following a long royal tradition from his father. Now the heir to the throne and his grandfather the king had served at sea far from home the diminutive prince struggled with his exams and was mocked for his royal blood but respected by his fellow cadets for turning down offers of privileges in 1910 the The grandfather he adored died after only nine years on the throne, the popular king known as the Uncle of Europe was honored by a host of foreign kings, princes and potentates from all corners of the empire, among them was the little Prince Edward, who He was beginning to understand the full significance of his grandfather's passing.

One day he would become king, but now it was Edward's father who was crowned King George V and with Mary his queen the couple quickly accepted their royal duties true to ancient tradition. , set the stage for an extraordinary ceremony at Carnarvo Castle where their eldest son, now heir to the throne, was invested as Prince of Wales. It was July 13, 1911, and the castle walls were packed with ten thousand people when the young prince emerged in the suit that he privately called this absurd platform. He feared that his fellow naval cadets would mock him for the satin stockings that hugged royal legs in a shadowy marquee.

Edward was crowned by his father with a crown studded with pearls. Roars of acclamation greeted the prince as he was led to the three points of the ancient castle that the masked crowd saw. considered a triumph of royal pomp for the prince, it was a test of courage that left him feeling uneasy, Edward's role in the royal hierarchy had changed, he was now expected to carry out duties befitting the heir to the throne in his first real solo commitment. He seemed sick with fear while giving a public speech. The prince had hoped for a career at sea surrounded by his Dartmouth friends, but his father insisted that Edward needed a much broader education than the navy offered.

He was sent to Oxford University, however, with his education limited. and with no interest in academics, he soon found himself out of reach, yet the handsome young prince found pleasure in extracurricular activities such as taking pretty girls upriver. It was here that Eduardo would have his first encounter with the gentle sex. He left Oxford in June 1914. Without a degree, that summer the world of royal kings was turned upside down. After a decade of peace, Britain, bound by its treaties with other European states, declared war on Germany. Thousands of young men rushed to enlist with their hearts full of passion for the glory of war.

The war that everyone thought would be over by Christmas, Edward had accepted a position in the Grenadier Guards and was eager to see action, but just a week before his battalion was to sail, his father, the king, told him that he would not sail with He, two months later, was finally there. He was allowed to join British troops in France, but was not allowed to see action as George's heir. His responsibility was to stay alive. However, his visits to the front did wonders for morale. The prince's relaxed attitude was welcomed in the trenches, but not so for Edward.

Wanting to earn his spurs as a warrior prince, not as prince charming, he envied his younger brother, Bertie, who was serving on the cruiser Cumberland and saw spectacular action at the Battle of Joplin on May 31, 1916. The two fleets clashed in the historic battle of japan here the british battleships are firing salvos the young duke went through this battle in a collingwood turret within the armored depths of a turret like this the young duke and about 40 companions operated the complicated mechanism of modern fire control Bertier commanded his crew with distinction and was mentioned in dispatches Queen Mary wrote letters to both sons praising Bertie and comforting Edward who, confined to a secure job behind the lines, became increasingly disillusioned but Edward would be exposed to the horrors of the great war The terrible carnage he saw first-hand on a morning visit to the battlefields of the Somme affected him deeply. sixty thousand British soldiers killed in one day.

The war also had alarming repercussions for the king. In London, German-owned shops were attacked and anti-German sentiment spread. running tall george realized that the royal family name of sax cobra goat with its clearly german origin would have to disappear the house of windsor was born in the last days of 1918 germany finally surrendered crowds surged through the streets of london towards the welcoming gates of buckingham palace, the end of the war that had marked so many lives brought great joy when peace was restored. Edward's struggle to find a suitable role continued and he began to fill impatient hours with playboy pleasures, one of them being a married socialite called Freda Dudley.

She became his mistress Palace was beginning to worry about his erratic lifestyle and disapproved of Edward's family attitude towards the public believing it was damaging the royal image Her solution was to send the prince abroad as a traveling ambassador with the aim of strengthening imperial ties. With his new appointment, Edward embarked on his first world tour in August 1919. He conquered Canada on his first day in the capital, Ottawa, he was overwhelmed by the adoration that every man and woman wished to catch a glimpse of the handsome prince. The prince was received with the warmest enthusiasm. It is recorded that, with forty thousand people watching, he ran after the cap of a wounded soldier that had been blown away by a strong wind, brought it and placed it on the man's head;

The warmth of his reception temporarily robbed her of the use of her right hand, but that didn't stop her from greeting these veterans with her left at every stop on her tour. He was hailed as the perfect model of a modern prince and that rare thing: a royal ambassador with a common touch who was delighted to find Indian chiefs waiting for him in the Rocky Mountains he was crowned chief morning star next stop new york it was love at first sight Edward appreciated the relaxed attitude New York has had towards his royal status between royal engagements he explored the city's bars and nightclubs and everywhere he went he was treated like a movie star the royal tour reached distant New Zealand where the Amari tribe entertained him in australia he was greeted with a huge replica of his own emblem of the prince of wales on the way home he stopped on the pacific island of hawaii and after being presented with his own board, edward became the first member of the royalty in surfing his exploits created a stir in the tabloids at home the monarchy was riding the wave of his popularity he had become the people's prince in britain his royal duties took up everything Across the country he was moved to meet veterans of The Great War clearly interested and concerned about his well-being, but he was unenthusiastic about much of the family routine and was easily distracted;

He was escaping the thrill of the chase and the point-to-point where he rode at high speed, but a bad fall at an event left him with a damaged right arm. He took it lightly and insisted on showing up for the war veterans parade, which he never missed wearing his arm in a sling; the king instantly forbade him to attend. horse racing As heir to the throne, Edward's duty was to find a wife and settle down, but it was his younger brother Bertie who was first married. His 1923 wedding to Scottish beauty Elizabeth Beau's lion lifted the hearts of a nation. still recovering from a bitter Wall remembered that Edward was delighted by his brother and approved of his girlfriend.

Now that he was almost 30, Edward was still carrying on his affair with Frieda Dudley, married, and was on royal duty abroad. He wrote to her expressing his sadness at being a part that often found constellation in the arms of other women. In 1924, Edward returned to New York. He was greeted by a horde of journalists, all dressed in boaters in honor of the prince who had made the hat fashionable on his last visit here, under siege of cameras and questions. He was rescued by a woman. guide in manhattan the prince was treated to a parade of tickers and was thrilled to discover that his favorite hideaway now had even more to offer sensation seeking it was the era of prohibition and in new york alone there were over 30,000 underground clubs for anyone who search For a long time, this was the ideal place to be.

He was jumping. Duke Ellington led his famous jazz band at the Cotton Club in Harlem and those bold new women called flappers danced the night away. The party-loving prince was in his element, but he was. Beginning to neglect his royal appointments and although the public still adored him, his staff were concerned about his reckless behavior. In April 1926, Edward became Uncle Bertie and Elizabeth had a daughter baptized Elizabeth after her mother, the King, died. asked why Edward couldn't be more like Bertie, but Edward's thrill-seeking spirit would prove useful to the emerging airline industry, he was a skilled pilot and when the Dox, the world's largest seaplane, arrived in Britain In 1928, Edward's father, the King, contracted a life-threatening lung infection.

Eduardo received the news while he was on a trade mission to Sierra Leone. He was reluctant to leave because he was enjoying a romantic affair with the colonial officer's wife. When he returned, he discovered that his father had recovered. Having nursed him back to health at the British Industry Fair the following year, the king was still convalescing as he took his father's place at Queen Mary's side, Edward was increasingly aware of his future role as, Across the Atlantic, the wealth and excess of the Roaring Twenties had proven unsustainable when the stock market crashed, throwing the United States into an economic depression.

The effects were soon felt in Britain. Industrial conflicts, unemployment and Poverty undermined the spirit of the nation Edward traveled to South Wales to show his support for unemployed minors, but he was beginning to seem out of touch Talking to a worker he asked if his children had a brother Nanny Meanwhile Bertie was delighted with family life Bertie and Elizabeth now had two daughters Princess Margaret Rose had arrived in 1930 The young princesses became popular favorites Even her bachelor uncle was delighted Just as Bertie became a father for the second time Edward began dating another married woman , Thelma Furness, at a house party in January 1931, Thelma introduced Edward to her friend Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee In January 1932, Wallace and her second husband, Ernest, were invited to spend a weekend in The Prince of Wales's country house, Fort Belvedere, Thelma acted as hostess and Wallace's sincere charm made a lasting impression onedward, but for now she was just an interesting possibility.

Edward's royal duties diverted him to Buenos Aires, Argentina, this time accompanied by his younger brother George, a prince whose pleasure-seeking was another concern for the palace. The pair were there as joint ambassadors for British trade, but they were remembered mainly for their support of Argentine nightlife. the terrible twins, as the tabloids called them, were sent on another trade mission. to Sweden, although this trip was quieter than his recent visit to South America, the media was soon filled with speculation about the prince's relationship with his guide, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, and now I look at the Prince of Wales there, I wonder what He will be telling his brother, I think so. it must have been that he was going to return to princess george he would settle down but not with ingrid in 1934 he married princess marina of greece edward was the best man the king would have been glad that one of his wayward sons was siding with edward in the meantime increasingly spending time with wallis simpson he was fascinated by her casual and direct manner she was witty and trusting and respected no one not even a future king observers noted that he had been captivated edward's search for another married woman infuriated the King George after 25 years of rule following what he thought was a right and proper course, he became disappointed in his eldest son, the celebration of the silver jubilee of George's reign was a welcome distraction from his private worlds.

He and Maria were deeply moved by the reception they received. Words cannot express my thoughts and feelings. I can only say to you, my very dear people, that the Queen and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the loyalty and, may I say, the love with which this day and always you have surrounded us, Edward was forced to play a minor role in the festival. I want to say a few words about King George's Jubilee. There is no trust. an appeal to charity but a tribute to the king this jubilee trust will be able to expand the work of existing voluntary youth organizations in this country with the approval of the king and queen i have established this trust the jubilee cemented the popularity of the king but looking further afield of his own reign, he was worried about Edward's future, increasing the king's anxiety when he took his twice-married companion on a very public ski trip to Austria just weeks after Edward's display in the Austrian Alps , the king's health was failing him again.

This is London. the next bulletin was issued at 9 25 the king's life moves peacefully towards his robes king george v breathed his last on 21 january 1936 he died at sandringham the country house he had loved so much the next day edward was proclaimed king edward albert christian george andrew patrick david now, by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, has become our only legitimate edward

viii

, the crown with the full weight of its responsibility was now edwards to wear on a cold sunny day january the body of his late majesty king george v begins his final journey from sandringham behind the carpin his majesty walks towards the king his royal highness is the duke of york the duke of gloucester the duke of kent and lord howard in the first carriage There is the grieving figure of her majesty the queen the chief minister stanley baldwin offered his support to the new king.

The best way to honor the noble memory of King George is by rallying and supporting the young King whom we have long had the pleasure of knowing as the Prince of Wales. The cameras followed Edward wherever he went and so did the crowds. He got a beautiful figure presiding over his first troop. The color ceremony. The prince of the people had become the king of the people, but would the king ever find his queen? Everyone asked the question. When he arrived in Miami, the British playwright George Bernard Shaw was asked by a journalist, what did he make of this about King Edward, sir, what do you feel?

Do you think he will take a wife now that he ascended alone? How the hell do I know he made it to middle age without being married? Because? Shouldn't he continue with the rest without being married? There are heirs to the throne around him. He can't get married now without eliminating his niece. He is very popular at home. King Edward presided over an ancient royal tradition only for For the second time in 250 years, a king of England will distribute weapons to the poor with his own hands. Seventy elders will each receive the defense of the silver moon and a gift of about five pounds.

In reality, this year only forty-two people should have benefited, one for each year of the king's age, but his majesty is ordered that the gifts be made as if his father were still alive, so an additional 38 people They will be grateful for his majesty's generosity, but in truth, Edward had little interest in the affairs of state he was increasingly becoming involved with. obsessed with wallis ignoring royal etiquette when he invited her to accompany him to the races edward was setting new rules for royal behavior in the summer of 1936 he took wallace on a mediterranean holiday rumors soon arose that the king was having an affair with The married American spreading from the halls of Mayfair to the country mansions, the monarchy had become the subject of gossip and speculation, Prime Minister Baldwin and the barons of the British press had conspired to keep the king's affair out of the newspapers. , but the American press had a field day today the American press is full of rumors of royal romance about the possibility of King Edward marrying Mrs.

Wallace Simpson the old bell of baltimore yesterday when I was a child I lived in Maryland in this quiet and humble home in baltimore tomorrow she can live in buckingham palace king edward and mrs simpson have been photographed together in On many occasions and in this upside down world, the time may have come for an American woman to marry a British king, when Wallace filed for divorce in October 1936, the prospect of an American queen seemed a real possibility and just a month later, the king sent for Prime Minister Baldwin and expressed his desire to marry Mrs Simpson Baldwin advised to the king to reconsider by reminding him that the church of England could not approve the marriage of a divorced woman that same night Edward consulted his mother, Queen Mary, she had no sympathy for his situation and implored him to put public duty before private happiness, as Prime Minister Baldwin insisted that marriage would be impossible.

The king requested that the empire be consulted on the issue. Edward was proposing a morganatic marriage, an agreement whereby if she married Wallace, she would not become his queen. the five dominions rejected the proposal Edward traveled to Wales where the plight of the poor led him to declare that something must be done. The public due to the press blackout was still unaware of Wallace and Edward's intentions, but on the second of December the British press finally broke. his silence and the entire country discovered that his king wanted to marry a twice-divorced American. Edward was convinced that the British public would support him and asked the government to hold a referendum in which the people would decide that Baldwin rejected his request over the next few days.

Tension increased when the nation was divided into two camps: those who wanted the king to marry his beloved and those who were against our church must oppose the remarriage of divorced people. We hope that Her Majesty is willing to make a great personal sacrifice for the good. Of the people she has been called upon to lead now that Wallace's relationship with the king was public knowledge, she fled to the south of France to escape the relentless attention of the press, but journalists pursued her from her French hideout. , wallace issued a statement indicating his willingness to take the step.

Apart from allowing Edward to fulfill his role as king in London, anxious crowds gathered outside the palace. Edward had to choose between the throne or Wallis. On December 11, 1936, the transmission arrived that would astonish the world. Everyone knows the reasons that have driven me. renounce the throne but I want you to understand that when I made my decision I did not forget the country or the emperor but you must believe me when I tell you that it has been impossible for me to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and fulfill my duties as king as I would like to do without the help and support from the woman I love and now we all have a new king I wish him and you his people happiness and prosperity with all my heart god bless you all god save the king edward's reign had lasted only ten months and middle the former king became duke of windsor said goodbye to his family and left britain for austria unable to join wallace in france until lawyers completed the final details of their divorce bertie was now king recognizing the need for stability and continuity he took his father's name and became king george vi, as younger brother bertie was not at all prepared for his new role, but despite the impact of his new status and as painful as it was, bertie was prepared to fulfill with his duty, his wife Elizabeth was furious. with edward but knew she had to be strong for bertie edward's mother queen mary was distraught and shocked by her eldest son's actions told him not to attend the unveiling of a monument in memory of his father the whole family felt betrayed on May 12, 1937 the date on which it had been reserved for the coronation of Edward Bertie was crowned king and Elizabeth his queen once again our royal family stands on the most famous balcony in the world and we join the empire in claiming that god save our king and queen edward now reunited with wallis in france listen to the coronation service on the radio wallace's divorce had been finalized and the couple were planning their wedding on june 3 the world's press gathered outside the chateau de condé in the south of france on edward and wallace's special day the wedding rivaled bertie's coronation as the media event of the year and dozens of journalists had set up outside the old renaissance castle because wallace was divorced the church of england had not sanctified the marriage but a renegade vicar robert jardine had agreed to marry the couple explained why i think it is a scandalous state of affairs affairs and he was king of england and head of the church who was denied the privileges of the church when he wanted them The ceremony was simple with few witnesses Only 16 friends attended No one from the royal family came Not even Edward's mother The day of their wedding was Edward was marred by the news that the palace had denied Wallace the title of His Highness royal, but that day his resentment would be put on hold when the new Dukes of Windsor left for an uncertain future.

A local villager toasted their union after their honeymoon in Austria the Windsors visited Nazi Germany against the advice of the British government they met with Adolf Hitler and Eduardo expressed his admiration for the way the Führer had changed the fortunes of Germany . He did not know that his visit would be used as Nazi propaganda. In addition to Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister was also fooled. I had another conversation with German Chancellor Hitler and here is the document that bears his name and mine. Many people, including Eduardo, believed that peace would prevail, and in the summer of 1939 he and Wallace continued following their now familiar path to the luxury resorts of the French Riviera.

In case of war, the Duke has lately mentioned that he still holds a high rank in the British fighting forces. He too is ready to play his part, but tonight the Riviera is for fun. The music continued, but beneath the joy there was an ominous sense of impending war. On September 1, 1939, Hitler's armies invaded Poland and Great Britain and their allies. They had no choice but to declare war on Germany again Hitler has committed a crime not only against Poland but against the entire human race, that is why Great Britain is preparing to fight and never in our

history

have we been so united in the knowledge that our cause is simply Edward joined the British Expeditionary Force as a major general, but was no more than a liaison officer.

He wished to visit British troops to help raise morale as he had done in the First World War, but again was not allowed near the action. British efforts to turn the German course in France failed. The allied troops retreated to the beaches of Dunkirk, where three hundred thousand men were rescued from the German advance here in one fell swoop the allied armies leave the shore that amazing image symbolizes the miracle of liberation we take our armies away the battle of france It had been a crushing defeat for the allies and Edward was told he could no longer remain in Europe.

There were rumors that the German high command had plans to restore him.on the British throne as a puppet monarch on July 4, 1940 Edward was appointed governor of the Bahamas despite his smile for the cameras Wallace was not happy with the position, it was a place with high humidity and low expectations. Edward also did not seem delighted when he answered a question about his future to the question: Do you think he agrees with the purposes of your appointment? Ambassador to the Western Hemisphere, Your Royal Highness responds, While Great Britain has involved me in this role in the past, I very much doubt that the British Government has in mind at this time that my official activities should extend beyond the confines of the bahama islands.

In Britain, death fell from the sky night after night, German planes dropped bombs and destruction on London, and yet when morning came, there were the king and queen comforting the bereaved and the homeless when the palace was bombed. Bertie and Elizabeth boosted morale by refusing to leave. london across the atlantic edward and wallace had been given permission to sail to miami florida wallace appeared to have an infected molar and needed american dentistry the duchess and i are naturally very happy to set foot in america again, although it is It is quite difficult for her to have to undergo dental surgery the first time she returns to her homeland after so many years, however, we hope that she recovers quickly and that we can enjoy a few days of rest and tranquility to see some of Miami and Florida before we leave.

Returning to the Bahamas was a welcome break from small island politics with the added pleasure of American fascination with British royalty. The Windsors had loved this dose of American sophistication, but they were blissfully unaware that President Roosevelt had ordered the FBI to spy on them during their stay. In Miami, Edward's brief flirtation with Hitler had left him scarred in the Bahamas. Edward used his royal legend status to attract some of the world's biggest golf stars to the island. He organized a celebrity golf tournament for charity. The Windsors were praised. for his efforts to combat poverty, but Edward became increasingly frustrated.

He received word that war leader Winston Churchill was traveling to the US to enlist American support in the war. Edward and Wallis appeared in Washington and begged the Prime Minister to give them another Churchill's position told him to do his duty and stay put Churchill had persuaded the United States to join the Allied war effort in Europe and, after The landing of Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy, German forces began to withdraw on May 2, 1945, Berlin fell and six days. later Hitler's armies surrendered hostilities will officially end one minute after midnight tonight we can afford a brief period of rejoicing today is Victory Day in Europe, Edward and Wallace were able to return to Europe, but they were still not welcome in Great Britain.

His ship anchored for a time off the east coast of England and Edward caught a glimpse of his former kingdom. When they arrived in France, they discovered that they had not done so. forgotten when journalists and fans of the royal couple greeted them the romantic Frenchman admired a man who had given up everything for love Windsor would have to adapt to post-war life Edward's tour of duty in the Bahamas might have seemed trivial, but Now for the first time in his life that he had no official role, two thoughts took over his mind: finding a job and securing his wife's recognition by the royal family shortly after Edward left Wallace in France and will fly to london to visit his mother, queen mary.

He hadn't seen her in almost a decade. Mary had never accepted her son's abdication. No event in his entire life had caused him so much distress. Queen Mary was delighted to see her fugitive son, but she refused to recognize Wallis. Any hope that time had healed the wounds was crushed in 1947. Edward's hopes were crushed again when he and Wallace did not receive an invitation to the wedding of his niece, Princess Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the heir to the throne and the royal house. made it clear that the sacred ceremony of their marriage was no place for a former king with a twice-divorced wife.

When the 1950s dawned, the Windsors realized they would never return to settle in Britain, France had become home, they traveled extensively in Europe and continued to attract crowds and cameras, but the crowds were smaller now, on February 6, 1952, tragic news reached Britain. King George VI, 56, had died in his sleep at Sandringham. Edward returned to Britain to mourn his brother. His pain was real, but his heart was troubled. He and Bertie had been close for much of their lives, but the shock of the abdication and the uproar over Wallace's status had left bitterness on both sides filled with regret.

He marched behind Bertie's coffin with his only surviving brother, the widow. Henry George now Elizabeth the Queen Mother could not forget the burden Edward had inflicted on the family. A year later, Edward heard that his mother was dying. Queen Mary had been a prominent figure in his life. He had adored her and fought against her as a mother and queen, but the animosity he began once he chose Wallace had soured their relationship. Her death was mourned by thousands of people who loved her for her noble sense of duty and dedication. Edward was deeply upset but angry that even on her deathbed she had not accepted his wife.

His principles had been stronger than his will. Three months later, on June 2, the 26-year-old Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II. The Windsors watched the ceremony on television from their home in Paris. Eduardo anticipated that he would not be invited. He announced that he would not attend. He stated that no former king should appear at the coronation of another monarch. The new queen had been prepared for this day since childhood since with her father her life had changed forever. The day of Edward's abdication, Elizabeth II's accession to the throne marked the beginning of a new era for Edward and Wallace, her coronation. offered a new hope from which Elizabeth came a new generation of royals one who could be more understanding of the previous king's decisions the bitterness of those who had felt betrayed by a flawed king seemed to have diminished over the years. years for a new generation the story of edward and wallace was a moving act of The great romance for Eduardo the last decade had brought new problems as he suffered a series of health problems.

Wallis, who had been accused of ensnaring the popular monarch, was now admired for making her uncrowned king happy in extraordinary and challenging times, they would remain strong for each. On the other hand, the new palace guard had also softened their stance and in June 1967 Queen Elizabeth II invited Edward and Wallis to London to celebrate the 100th birthday of Edward's late mother, Queen Mary. I've only been here very often, no, no, for two years now. In fact, the Queen's invitation has invited us to attend the inauguration of a plaque in memory of the majestic Queen Mary on the wall of the marble house where she lived for so many years and I think that I also believe that it is natural, as her eldest son, to invite us to this purely private and family ceremony.

In honor of my mother for the Windsors, it was an emotional return to the country. They had been exiled from honoring the woman who had never accepted their union. The sun shone and the ice melted as first the queen and then the queen mother made public gestures of warmth toward the couple who had changed the course of all their lives. Love. of edward and discretion wallace had never publicly criticized the royals for excluding her had won the day after 30 years the rift had finally begun to heal in january 1970 the windsors were interviewed together for the last time what you regret when you watch back in your life Oh, about certain things, yes, I wish it had been different, but I mean, I am extremely happy and, in fact, you have had difficult times, but who hasn't, so you will have to learn to live with that. you are very happy