Queen Elizabeth Denied Uncle King Edward VIII's Final Request, Says New Documentary
The newly-released documentary "The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor" reveals that Queen Elizabeth refused to grant King Edward VIII's dying wish. The former king, who famously abdicated the throne to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson, desired for his wife to be styled as Her Royal Highness (HRH), as stated by a source.
In the five-episode series, King Edward's former nurse, Julie Alexander, discussed the emotional encounter between the Queen and her uncle. Speaking about Edward's health, Alexander said, "He was terribly sick. He couldn't have weighed — maybe 80 lbs., if that, and wasn't eating at all," as reported by People.
Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prince Philip and then-Prince Charles, visited Edward at Villa Windsor in Paris in May 1972. Alexander claimed that Edward's failure to secure the HRH title for Simpson was "a sore spot" for him, leading him to request that his niece grant the title to his wife.
However, Alexander continued, "The queen said no. She said no, even on that sad day. It was, you know, breaking his heart, I think. That's what he wanted. That's what he wanted, that title for her. Not having that title for his wife was a slap in his face."
Former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, shared his perspective on why the Queen rejected her uncle's plea. He believed that the monarch had valid reasons not to concede to Edward's request. "The King chose to put his marriage before the monarchy. That forced this crisis upon our nation, upon his brother. We have to understand that background, I think, to understand the Queen," he explained.
In 1936, King Edward chose to abdicate the throne to be with Simpson, resulting in his younger brother and Queen Elizabeth's father, George VI, assuming the role of monarch. Edward's decision had a significant impact on Queen Elizabeth's life.
After her father's death in 1952, following a 16-year reign, Queen Elizabeth took over the throne. She presided over the British monarchy for 70 years, celebrating her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, just months before her death on September 8th.
Comparisons have been drawn between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped back from their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, and King Edward VIII and Simpson. A source, claiming to be a friend of King Charles, told the Daily Beast that the Sussexes might face a similar outcome as the former Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
"The royals handled the abdication crisis by exiling Edward which meant he and Wallis ultimately came to seem like unimportant, misguided, disloyal, and even treacherous individuals to almost the entirety of the British people. It was a masterful operation in the service of which the Queen Mother, in particular, worked tirelessly," the source shared.
The informant added, "The same thing is already happening with Harry and Meghan and will only gather pace over the next few years under the rule of King Charles. And, of course, a wayward second son is far less of an existential threat to the fabric of the monarchy than a wayward king."
King Charles extended an invitation to Prince Harry and Markle for his coronation on May 6. Nevertheless, the couple did not reply and missed the RSVP deadline on April 3.
"The Real Crown" is set to air on ITVX on April 20.