Would Edward VIII have any REAL effect on WW2 if he didn't abdicate?

However I don't think that he would have opposed the parliament in it's actions in the early years of the war and pushed for capitulation without invasion or starvation.


He doesn't need to do anything at all in Public. Just one small action imagine if he privately spoke to Lord Halifax about the PM post and made it clear that the country needs him etc. The King doesn't have to be publicly anything. A conversation with the King would be a major pause for thought for any politician.
 
Didn't he meet Hitler at some reception, in a non-official quality when he wasn't part of the government?

I don't think so. I know Churchill was touring Germany in the very early 30s pre Hitler in power and he was offered the chance to meet Hitler. However time constraints meant the meeting had to be cancelled.
 
I don't think so. I know Churchill was touring Germany in the very early 30s pre Hitler in power and he was offered the chance to meet Hitler. However time constraints meant the meeting had to be cancelled.

IIRC, he wrote about his personality as though they'd met in Hitler and his Choice, which was published in 1937. I don't know for certain, though.
 
They never met. As OG said, they nearly met once when Churchill was on tour/holiday in Bavaria, IIRC, but I think Churchill pulled out or something.
 
They never met. As OG said, they nearly met once when Churchill was on tour/holiday in Bavaria, IIRC, but I think Churchill pulled out or something.

Hitler pulled out when it was reported to him that Churchill said "I don't understand what is is this man has about the Jews" to an official.

Or at least that is Churchill's version.
 
Top