What if Edward didn't abdicate?

Only way him not abdicate is that he never marry Wallis Simpson. Marriage with divorcee was only reason why Edward VIII was enforced to abdicate. If that doesn't happen it wouldn't change much. British monarch hadn't anymore real power so there is not much what he couldn't do. Even his Nazi sympathies wouldn't matter. Government just bar him to speak to BBC or other medias.
 

Baby Kata

Banned
Only way him not abdicate is that he never marry Wallis Simpson. Marriage with divorcee was only reason why Edward VIII was enforced to abdicate. If that doesn't happen it wouldn't change much. British monarch hadn't anymore real power so there is not much what he couldn't do. Even his Nazi sympathies wouldn't matter. Government just bar him to speak to BBC or other medias.

It's my understanding that Wallis was just an excuse to get rid of him, since he was an infertile Nazi sympathizer who shirked his duties.
 
Well that understanding is incorrect. Most reliable assessments of Edward's political views show nothing outside of what was generally "acceptable" within the British social, economic and political establishment during the 1930s in terms of British views towards Anglo-German relations and attitude towards the peoples of the British Empire.

To save me time, here is a previous post on this issue:
Lets take a step back here, this isn't a game of A Very British Civil War after all.

The first question is, why does he change his mind and dig in? However once it becomes clear that the King will not abdicate, its pretty clear whats going to happen.

The first action will be that the government will resign and call an election explicitly over the issue. Baldwin was a pretty savvy operator and he's going to win a massive majority. Baldwin will also draw into the idea of maintaining the concept of a National Government (even if its overwhelming Conservative) and Labour nor the Liberals are going to support the King - Attlee's and Sinclair's OTL actions and responses would suggest they wouldn't. This is going to be 1918's Coupon Election in overdrive with the big three parties all aligned to send a message to the King that parliament authority is supreme, and that the will of the nation is against him.

So on balance, the parties are not going to hemorrhage many supporters or members to a mooted King's party. This is trouble with any notion of a Kings Party is that it’s inherently unstable and on any other issue/policy than the King, so even if enough MPs could align on the issue, it’s more than likely to collapse and fall apart, given the wide spectrum of members it would have. It would lack any coherent policies or objectives. It lacks the local political infrastructure of the established party machines.
 
Well that understanding is incorrect. Most reliable assessments of Edward's political views show nothing outside of what was generally "acceptable" within the British social, economic and political establishment during the 1930s in terms of British views towards Anglo-German relations and attitude towards the peoples of the British Empire.


Istr reading somewhere that after returning from Germany in 1937 Edward endorsed Churchill's call for British rearmament, and that Churchill wrote to him, thanking him for this.
 

NoMommsen

Donor
Did anybody ever considered Edward to actually be talked into/ be convinced by Wallis Simpson to take her advice/offer of her to "give him up" (according to wiki third paragraph) and thereby avoiding his abdication at all ?

... maybe keeping her (at least for some time) as his - more or less - secret mistress ?
Wouldn't be the first time he had a 'lover'.

Aside from his 'traditional' unpolitical role, even if he m,ight have furthermore 'accepted' it he most likely would still produce the one or other ... 'verbal input' into public discussions on politics (similar to Kaiser Bill prior to WW 1).
And in being the King his words or opinions on politicians might have some effect on voters behavior and thereby in politicians behaviors.

What course might the british ship take with him present on the aft-deck ?
 
Did anybody ever considered Edward to actually be talked into/ be convinced by Wallis Simpson to take her advice/offer of her to "give him up" (according to wiki third paragraph) and thereby avoiding his abdication at all ?

... maybe keeping her (at least for some time) as his - more or less - secret mistress ?
Wouldn't be the first time he had a 'lover'.

Aside from his 'traditional' unpolitical role, even if he m,ight have furthermore 'accepted' it he most likely would still produce the one or other ... 'verbal input' into public discussions on politics (similar to Kaiser Bill prior to WW 1).
And in being the King his words or opinions on politicians might have some effect on voters behavior and thereby in politicians behaviors.

What course might the british ship take with him present on the aft-deck ?
Without major changes (unlikely), its likely the relationship ends - even having Wallis as a "secret" mistress is unlikely (the King is far to indiscreet because he either can't be or doesn't care to be) and its likely an ongoing source of embarrassment and speculation that will be unacceptable as part of any solution to the brewing crisis.

The political establishment indulge his "inputs" as long as they are in line with government policy. When it deviates he's promptly reminded to shut up, tow the line and go and "entertain" probably a long list of women in Fort Belvedere. Provided butterflies don't flap their wings to forcefully, once policy shifts away from appeasement and then towards/into war his role will be largely the same as George VI's - but without having the royal children angle. Depending on how he comports himself he might be reasonably successful in rehabilitating his image from any damage picked up during ITTLs "near abdication crisis".
 
One thing I am curious about is I read an article that Edward VIII was very pro-American and had a fondness for American culture especially jazz. He also in 1919 said, “We just must be closely allied with the USA, closer than we are now, and it must be lasting, and they are very keen about it.” He also told an American journalist that world peace depended on a close relationship between the two countries.
Here is the website to the article.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/real-edward-viii-nazi-sympathiser-reformer-soldier/
 
I remember reading once - and seeing in a documentary, unless my memory fails me utterly - that, contrary to what Parliament told the King - there was actually quite a lot of popular support for Edward being allowed to marry Wallis. Perhaps if Edward had been able to tap into that, he might have been able to keep both his woman and his crown - though Wallis might have had to settle for the title of Duchess of Normandy/Lancaster/Princess Consort rather than Queen, a la Camilla using the 'Duchess of Cornwall' style out of respect for Princess Diana.

I don't think it's going to make much difference to the Succession in the long term - I don't see Edward and Wallis having kids, somehow, so Queen Elizabeth II will still exist ITTL, although perhaps her father lives a little longer here, without the stress of being a wartime King. The war itself could be interesting, if Edward has the same Fascist leanings he's reported to have had OTL. Elizabeth might have to do a lot more to resurrect the monarchy's image if Edward is held to be an unpopular pro-German King during WWII.

Though, one thing I could see happening, if the King has already married a divorcee here, is that Prince Charles, or his TTL counterpart is allowed to marry Camilla Parker Bowles from the off, so we get none of the Princess Diana divorce disaster and myth that has grown up OTL.
 
Top