Edward VIII and Germany

In 1937 during his visit to Nazi Germany, it was commented by the Austrian ambassador, Albert von Mensdorff, that he believed Edward VIII (obviously he had been deposed before visiting) to be favourable in his opinion to Nazi Germany and that had Edward remained the Monarch, Anglo-German relations would've been warmer than they became after 1937.

Is there any actual basis to this?
 
It's very difficult to say. The King didn't have much say in foreign policy (or any policy) and if Edward was King he would be kept at barge-pole distance by his ministers. Mine and RogueBeaver's TL Irrevocable Determination deals with Edward becoming King in 1930 and staying on the throne permanently, and Britain builds stronger relations with Italy, not Germany. This is as a result of butterflies, however, and as of the latest updates in about 1937, Edward has begun to make inappropriate statements about fascism and may be expected to say some public things about the Germans that his government will not like.

However that's just one very specific reading. With a 'perfect storm' scenario of Edward becoming King and a lackey of his becoming PM - although he and Churchill were close, getting Churchill to trust the Germans is ASB in the extreme and he was nobody's lackey - you might see warmer Anglo-German relations. I wouldn't like to say how that could come about though.
 
Yes, to an extent. Edward VIII having a warm regard for Nazi Germany does not mean that, had he somehow remained King, the British government or the nation as a whole would have warmer relations with Germany.

This subject came up the other week:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=192842

Ahh right :eek: my bad :)

Thank you very much giving me some clue as to what might've happened Medow and Lord Grattan.

Of course, while saying that, surely the King would've had some impact upon the Establishment regarding Germany.
 
Of course, while saying that, surely the King would've had some impact upon the Establishment regarding Germany.


Quite a bit of the Establishment had views not far removed from Edward's. If not exactly pro-Nazi, they though Nazism/Fascism a lesser evil to Communism, and hoped that a modus vivendi with Germany was possible.

This is not, of course, incompatible with British rearmament. Edward himself favoured that.
 

Cook

Banned
had Edward remained the Monarch, Anglo-German relations would've been warmer than they became after 1937.

Is there any actual basis to this?

Not really. Upon Chamberlain’s return from Munich in 1938 he was driven to Buckingham Palace at appeared on the balcony with George VI to the approval of the crowds. The mood began to swing afterwards.

In the Twentieth Century Kings do as Prime Minister’s wish, not the other way around.
 
Assuming he remains loyal and other events occur roughly as in OTL would Edward VIII be more prominant as a symbol than Georgve VI was in otl.

I wonder. Could he have outshined Churchill.

On the other hand I have heard the view that George, being normal and even a little flawed was a better symbol for what was the people's war against fascism
 
Definitely more prominent, because Edward was highly charismatic. He'd be less prominent than Churchill, but it would be a tactile charisma like Diana's rather than a rhetorical one (above-average, but no more) like Churchill's.
 
No. Churchill would probably still end up in charge, and he was pretty close to Edward. (He advised him not to abdicate IOTL). In fact, Churchill's crazy Invasion of Russia plan might have had royal support, had that happened.
 
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