ABDICATION

Christopher Warwick

Sidgwick & Jackson 1986

On 10 December 1936 at Fort Belvedere, his private estate at Sunningdale, some six miles from Windsor Castle, His Majesty King Edward V111 calmly renounced his royal birthright by signing a document dramatically headed ‘Instrument of Abdication’. This act, arguably the most cataclysmic to befall the British monarchy in its entire 900-year history, was the result of the King’s obsessive love for Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, regarded as the very antithesis of all that the British Monarchy represented.

With his dashing good looks, Edward V111 had embodied the hopes and aspirations of the British Empire ever since he was created Prince of Wales in 1911. His decision to renounce the throne convulsed the Empire and, in the eyes of his family, brought dishonour and disgrace to the Royal House of Windsor. Upon his abdication Edward V111 became His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor and, together with his Duchess, chose to inhabit the twilight world of self-imposed exile.

This book which was published to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the abdication, reappraises the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and looks anew at the reasons why a king was forced to dash the hopes of millions.

There are five match head sized indents in the front of the dust jacket that have slightly impressed the cover board. The book is clean and tightly bound and is illustrated. IT also contains a flexi-disc recording of the King’s abdication speech, which does not appear to have been used.