Chronology of events
Chronology of events
|
1910 |
Accession of George V | ||
| 1914 - 18 | His eldest son, Edward, Prince of Wales, serves as staff officer in Grenadier Guards in the Great War | ||
| 1916 - 27 | Wallis Warfield is married to Earl Winfield Spencer | ||
| 1928 | Wallis Warfield, now divorced, marries Ernest Aldrich Simpson | ||
| 1936 | January 20 - George V dies and Edward succeeds to the throne as King Edward VIII | ||
| October 20 - Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister, meets with Edward VIII and confronts him on the constitutional implications of his intended marriage | |||
| October 27 - Simpson divorce decree nisi | |||
| November 13 - letter from Hardinge, King's Private Secretary, to the King, warning of the implications of his marriage plans | |||
| November 16 - King tells Baldwin of his plan to marry Mrs Simpson; Baldwin opposes the plan on the grounds that the British public would not accept the marriage. The King declares he is prepared to abdicate | |||
| November 22 - King proposes a morganatic marriage (meaning any children of the marriage would not inherit Edward's title) as a compromise. Baldwin offers to seek advice from Cabinet and the Dominions. The King accepts the offer | |||
| November 27 - Cabinet rejects the proposal of a morganatic marriage | |||
| November 28 - Telegrams to the Prime Ministers of the Dominions, requesting their views | |||
| December 1 - Dr A W F Blunt, the Bishop of Bradford, gives speech publicly criticising the King, which is quoted in newspapers | |||
| December 3 - The story of the intended marriage breaks in the press. Churchill requests more time for the King to make his decision. Wallis Simpson goes to Cannes | |||
| December 4 - The King's request to broadcast to the nation is refused | |||
| December 9 - The King receives confirmation that the Cabinet and Dominions oppose the marriage | |||
| December 10 - King Edward VIII signs the Instrument of Abdication. Baldwin addresses the Commons | |||
| December 11 - Parliament passes Act of Abdication. Prince Albert, Duke of York, accedes to the throne as George VI. Edward, now Duke of Windsor, broadcasts farewell speech to nation, then leaves England for Austria | |||
| 1937 | April 27 - Simpson divorce declared absolute | ||
| June - Duke of Windsor informed that upon his marriage, Wallis (who has reverted to her former name Wallis Warfield) will not receive the title HRH | |||
| June 3 - Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Warfield in France | |||
| October - Duke and Duchess of Windsor visit Germany, meet with Hitler and other Nazi leaders | |||
| 1940 | Duke of Windsor is made Governor of the Bahamas | ||
| 1952 | Duke of Windsor returns from Paris to Britain, for the funeral of George VI, his brother | ||
| 1953 | March 24 - Queen Mary dies. Duke of Windsor returns from Paris to Britain for his mother's funeral | ||
| June 2 - Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The Duke and Duchess do not attend | |||
| 1967 | First formal invitation for both Duke and Duchess to an official public ceremony in Britain, for the unveiling of a plaque dedicated to Queen Mary | ||
| 1972 | May 28 - Duke of Windsor dies in Paris and is buried at Windsor | ||
| 1986 | April 24 - Duchess of Windsor dies in Paris and is buried in Windsor alongside the Duke | ||
