
Abdication
By Brian Inglis
In 1936, the Britain monarchy was thrown into crisis when King Edward VIII proposed to American socialite Wallis Simpson.
A twice-divorced American without a drop of royal blood in her veins, both the government and the public deemed her unsuitable to be his Queen, and the King was forced to choose between love and the throne. He chose his fiancé, surrendering the crown to his brother, George VI, in a move that 80 years later would pave the way for his great-great-nephew, Prince Harry, to marry Hollywood divorcee Meghan Markle.
Author Brian Inglis seeks to uncover the truth behind the event which shook the monarchy – and the world – to its core. How did the crisis arise? What did Edward’s abdication reveal of the social and moral values of the time? And what did the English think of the debacle? Abdication is a must read for those interested in British history and the Royal Family.
Brian Inglis was an Irish journalist, historian and TV presenter. His other books include The Forbidden Game: A Social History of Drugs and The Story of Ireland.