Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1894-1972) and (1895-1986)

[Denville]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

Was Edward VIII concerned for the ceremonial and symbolic responsibilities of kingship?

He walked out on being King less than a year from his father's death. Does that sound like someone who was concenred about Kingship?

[Denville]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

Was Edward VIII concerned for the ceremonial and symbolic responsibilities of kingship?

He walked out on being King less than a year from his father's death. Does that sound like someone who was concerned about Kingship?

[Betsypaige]

deleted post

[Durham]

Originally Posted by Denville

He walked out on being King less than a year from his father's death. Does that sound like someone who was concerned about Kingship?

Well no it doesn't. Although the sentence does come across as rather blunt. I'm sure it wasn't meant to was it?

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

When he was the Prince of Wales, did not Edward speak about any future accomplishments he would like to be involved with when he was the King?

His famous quote was "Something must be done", after seeing the unemployment in the Welsh mining valleys.

Now it's early 20th century royal speak and I'm sure even David was moved by the poverty and privation he saw, however he did not say the "something" needed to be done or headed by him.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

When he was the Prince of Wales, did not Edward speak about any future accomplishments he would like to be involved with when he was the King?

No I don't believe he did. He was very ambivalent about being King..

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

His famous quote was "Something must be done", after seeing the unemployment in the Welsh mining valleys.

Now it's early 20th century royal speak and I'm sure even David was moved by the poverty and privation he saw, however he did not say the "something" needed to be done or headed by him.

As I recall he was King then.. but was considering abdication.. so his Something must be done, was hardly any serious plan to be of help to the poor..

[Durham]

Originally Posted by Denville

As I recall he was King then.. but was considering abdication.. so his Something must be done, was hardly any serious plan to be of help to the poor..

Yes he was king & as you say already thinking about going. So, in retrospect a pointless thing for him to say. Not to mention annoying for the government
as well as overstepping his constitutional remit.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Durham

Yes he was king & as you say already thinking about going. So, in retrospect a pointless thing for him to say. Not to mention annoying for the government
as well as overstepping his constitutional remit.

Yes it was.. and was qute empty as well, because he was planning on leaving.. and he did not do very much after his abdication in the charity line.

[sndral]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

When he was the Prince of Wales, did not Edward speak about any future accomplishments he would like to be involved with when he was the King?

From what I’ve read he was pretty involved in certain causes while POW, so much so that there were concerns that he was too outspoken/political. He definitely wanted to modernize the monarchy. This article summarizes some of his work as POW https://www.historyextra.com/period/...ormer-soldier/
He was a complex character.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by sndral

From what I’ve read he was pretty involved in certain causes while POW, so much so that there were concerns that he was too outspoken/political. He definitely wanted to modernize the monarchy. This article summarizes some of his work as POW https://www.historyextra.com/period/...ormer-soldier/
He was a complex character.

Not realy. His ideas of modernising the monarchy were mostly concerned with saving money (getting rid of staff) and reducing ceremony.. His "political" remarks were not of any significance, since he was already on his way out of the monarchy when he made them. After his abdication he showed little interest In doing anyting to help others or improve the world.

[MARG]

^^^^^ Too true. He and his wife spent a life of useless excess. They did not involve themselves with the little people just the cafe society and general titled riff raff that swamped Europe and France after WWII.

[CyrilVladisla]

Would you say that Edward wanting to step down was a great disappointment to Queen Mary?

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

Would you say that Edward wanting to step down was a great disappointment to Queen Mary?

If you are at all familiar with Queen Mary, you know her name is shorthand for "doing one's duty".

She was horrified, baffled, and yes, tremendously disappointed. She could not comprehend how on Earth her son, and more importantly the nation's king, had gone so wrong.

Despite their somewhat difficult relationship even pre-Abdication, she did still love David. There's something in her diary to the effect of "David is here, I have not seen him for eleven years". And while she never met Wallis, she did receive a placatory letter from her during the war with news of David, and wrote back to him saying approx "I send my regards to your wife."

No, she never got over or understood the Abdication or forgave the Duke for doing that, yes, disappointed is probably an understatement – but she did care quite a bit about her son and hoped he was well.

[sndral]

Originally Posted by Denville

Not realy. His ideas of modernising the monarchy were mostly concerned with saving money (getting rid of staff) and reducing ceremony.. His "political" remarks were not of any significance, since he was already on his way out of the monarchy when he made them. After his abdication he showed little interest In doing anyting to help others or improve the world.

I do remember that in one of the biographies I read (which I can’t access at the moment since most of my books are at my other house than the one I’m hunkered down in) in the less than a year he was King he was downsizing the staff at either Balmoral or Sandringham to ‘save money.’
He was very focused on money, he reportedly was upset that unlike his brothers he did not receive a bequest when his father died and he lied about how much he had saved to George VI when he abdicated.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by sndral

I do remember that in one of the biographies I read (which I can’t access at the moment since most of my books are at my other house than the one I’m hunkered down in) in the less than a year he was King he was downsizing the staff at either Balmoral or Sandringham to ‘save money.’
He was very focused on money, he reportedly was upset that unlike his brothers he did not receive a bequest when his father died and he lied about how much he had saved to George VI when he abdicated.

yes, that's true. He talked abuot modernising, but a lot of it was about cutting staff in order to save money. He got rid of staff, he saved up a lot of money and then pleaded poverty to George VI.

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by Denville

yes, that's true. He talked abuot modernising, but a lot of it was about cutting staff in order to save money. He got rid of staff, he saved up a lot of money and then pleaded poverty to George VI.

The question about the money focus is was it shared, triggered, or just encouraged by Wallis, since she had very strong feelings about money?

Was he so obsessed with it prior to becoming obsessed with her?

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

The question about the money focus is was it shared, triggered, or just encouraged by Wallis, since she had very strong feelings about money?

Was he so obsessed with it prior to becoming obsessed with her?

Im not sure. I haven't read a biography in a long time. But possibly, he didn't think much about money when younger because he had always had it...had never had to earn it... But when he thought of leaving the throne, he wanted to ensure that he had his own money to finance his new life and to give Wallis the sort of luxury she wanted/expected. I would imagine he suddenly became scared that he might not have enough and became a bit unscrupulous about the money issue.

[Prinsara]

Has anyone ever seen "Edward & Mrs. Simpson"? I'm almost tempted to start a thread for it.

It was very, VERY well done, with a tastefulness and restraint (and lack of romanticizing) I don't think you would ever get these days.

Unfortunately it's absolutely not available online.

[Durham]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

Has anyone ever seen "Edward & Mrs. Simpson"? I'm almost tempted to start a thread for it.

It was very, VERY well done, with a tastefulness and restraint (and lack of romanticizing) I don't think you would ever get these days.

Unfortunately it's absolutely not available online.

There's bits on youtube. There's also a very interesting interview with Diana Mosley on youtube where she talks about about a biography she wrote of the duchess.