King Edward VIII

King Edward VIII

King Edward VIII took the throne after his father, King George V, passed away. King Edward VIII only occupied the throne for a short period before finally deciding to abdicate in favor of his brother, King George VI. In his abdication address, King Edward VIII talked extensively about his arrival on a decision to abdicate. However, based on his address, there were two main reasons why he chose to leave the monarchy.

First, King Edward VIII said that after careful thought and consideration, he had come to the conclusion that he could not manage to take on the responsibility that came with being King and Emperor. He had already been crowned King, but after some time, he came to the realization that he could not continue in this position. So, he made a decision to abdicate in favor of his brother, whom he knew was well prepared and willing to take on the mantle of King and Emperor. King Edward VIII also noted that this was not a sole decision, and neither was it imposed on him by his family or by the cabinet. He had consulted them prior to making the decision because he felt that their support was essential.

The second reason was that he felt that he would not be able to conduct his affairs as King and Emperor and still live with the love of his life. He was torn between the two but eventually chose the latter. In this regard, he mentioned that it was his belief that his brother was best suited to serve as King and Emperor because he had the support of his loving wife and family.