An American divorcee left one of Britain’s most eligible royal bachelors utterly devastated before they abandoned their duties, fled abroad and lived happily ever after. Sound familiar?
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may be the first people to think of it, the story of an equally fascinating relationship between Wallis Simpson and then-King Edward VIII some 88 years ago royal legend.
Edward’s abdication on 11 December 1936 threw the royal family into crisis as it became clear that his relationship with the American socialite would never be considered a marriage.
The grand gesture highlighted his devotion to Ms Simpson, yet their fledgling romance caused such a stir in Whitehall that Radical Plans briefly intervened.
Newly viewed cabinet documents reveal that conversations about a cash settlement to get rid of Mrs Wallis were actually proposed by her lawyers at the height of the crisis.
King Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936 after it became clear that his relationship with American socialite Wallis Simpson would never be accepted as a marriage
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If the deal had gone ahead, the royal family would look completely different today, with a different monarch sitting on the throne.
The new evidence comes from notes written by government officials and Downing Street adviser Horace Wilson. When the crisis broke out in 1936, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin commissioned Wilson to record information about the situation.
On December 7, according to Wallis’s notes, there was a visit from Wallis’s lawyer, Theodore Goddard, who seemed to suggest that King’s partners would leave if the appropriate sum was paid.
“After further conversation, I discovered that what Mr. Goddard was actually talking about was the price that would be paid to clean up Mrs. Simpson,” Wilson’s notes read.
Their relationship was controversial and marked a crisis for the royal family
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The document then details how attorneys dropped the topic when the proposal didn’t receive a positive response.
The king resigned just four days later, making him one of only two kings in nearly 1,000 years not to be crowned.
Edward met Ms Simpson when she moved to London in January 1931, just six months after his abdication, and the pair eventually married in France, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
There was strong opposition to the marriage within the British government and royal family for religious, moral and political reasons.
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As Simpson became queen, the rumors surrounding her led many to believe her behavior was unfit for the throne
Simpson had been divorced once and was in the process of divorcing her second husband when Edward proposed in November 1936.
There are also religious connotations. At that time, the Anglican Church, headed by King Edward, did not allow divorced people to remarry while their ex-spouse was still alive.
Since Simpson’s divorce was not due to adultery – the only type of divorce recognized by the Church of England – she was not legally divorced in the eyes of the Church.
The two married in June 1937
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Ultimately, King Edward chose his love for Simpson over the throne, and his reign only lasted 326 days.
The day after he signed his abdication papers, he made a famous broadcast statement on the BBC, in which he explained to the British public that he would not be able to carry out his royal duties without “the woman I love”.
His younger brother Albert (father of Queen Elizabeth II) succeeded him on the throne and later became King George VI.
Royal experts have compared the couple’s situation to that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in recent years.
Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not king or heir to the throne, they stepped down as senior members of the royal family in 2020, triggering another crisis for the royal family.
The pair now live in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Royal expert and author Tom Quinn told the Mirror that Prince Harry still hopes to play a minor role in the royal family four years after his exit.
Mr Quinn said: “Even Edward VIII was given some minor roles after his abdication. Harry will be aware of that.”
He added that the relationship between Edward and Mrs Simpson broke down over time, which could happen to Harry and Meghan.
He added: “There is a real danger that Harry will feel lost – just as Edward VIII felt lost after his relationship with Mrs Simpson cooled”.
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