Edward the 8th: Hanged for treason 1945??

Geon

Donor
Edward VIII and Spin Control

The British would definitely not want to see a trial for treason occur for a former monarch of England and his wife. The negative publicity might very well bring down the Atlee government after the war. Churchill might be chomping at the bit for such a trial but he was pragmatic enough to know the damage that would cause.

So how about this little scenario? The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are offered a deal. They can either be brought back to Britain on charges of treason. These charges will result in them being stripped of all titles and privileges and may even result in the death sentence for one or both of them. Or, they can agree to participate in a PR deception. The deception will be a PR campaign to convince the public at large that the Duke and Duchess were actually kidnaped by the Nazis and taken to Berlin where they were forced at gunpoint to make anti-British broadcasts. And before anyone yells ASB let me point out that such a plan was actually in the words by the Nazis occurding to William Shirer in Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. It might even be hinted that the Duke used these broadcasts to pass intelligence via certain code-words to British Intelligance during his "captivity".

In return for their "cooperation" the Duke and Duchess get to continue their quiet life in exile as long as they keep quiet about the deception.

Result--the Duke and Duchess come off as heros instead of traitors. The secret won't hold forever of course but it prevents the embarassment and negative publicity that a trial for treason of a former king would cause.

Geon
 
I absolutely agree. After all, in all fairness it would be difficult to prove that Edward was doing the broadcasts without a (metaphorical) gun to his head.
 

Cook

Banned
But what was his alternative? It seems to me he was in a "no win" situation.

He fled his post well before the fall of France and without orders to do so. Granted he got his posting through the British fondness for seeing Royalty play dress-ups but he should still have been subject to military discipline.
 
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