Biografía

His name and primary title changed eight times in his life: he was born Prince Edward of York, then became Prince Edward of Cornwall and York in January 1901, Prince Edward of Wales in November 1901, Duke of Cornwall in May 1910, Prince of Wales in June 1910, King Edward VIII (His Majesty The King) in 1936, untitled (The Prince Edward) from December 1936 to March 1937, and finally Duke of Windsor in 1937.

As the first son of King George V and heir apparent, he was invested as the Prince of Wales in 1911.

The coronation that had been planned for him went on as scheduled on May 12, 1937 but for his brother King George VI.

He was the last monarch to serve his entire reign as Emperor of India.

His close friend Winston Churchill (then a backbencher) suggested setting up a "King's Party" as a group to try to sway public opinion and the establishment in favor of Edward remaining on the throne after marrying Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor).

[his public statement after abdicating his throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, who became the Duchess of Windsor] "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."

I am deeply conscious of the presence of the great company of the dead, and I am convinced that could they make their voices heard they would be with me in what I am about to say. I speak simply as a soldier of the Last War whose most earnest prayer it is that such cruel and destructive madness shall never again overtake mankind. There is no land whose people want war.

It was in Britain's interest and in Europe's too, that Germany be encouraged to strike east and smash Communism forever ... I thought the rest of us could be fence-sitters while the Nazis and the Reds slogged it out.

[to Freda Dudley Ward in 1919] I love you, love you darling, and you know it, how you mean absolutely all and everything in life. Nothing else seems to matter now, not even my bloody job of which I am so, so sick.

Each day, I long more and more to chuck this job and be out of it. The more I think of it all, the more certain I am that, really, the day for kings and princes has passed. Monarchies are out of date.