Love story of the century?
King Edward VIII was willing to give up the British throne to marry the woman he loved.
As Makhosi Khoza mentioned...on this day in 1936, King Edward became the king of the United Kingdom.
He was king for only one year and he remains the only British monarch to have voluntarily renounced the throne.
The story goes that Prince Edward met the woman who would completely change his life in June of 1931.
At a party hosted by Lady Furness, the prince was introduced to Wallis Simpson - a sophisticated, charming and charismatic American woman who had recently moved to London with her husband.
She immediately captured the king's interest and later captured his heart.
By 1934, the two had undoubtedly become lovers. The monarchy was not pleased with the pairing, however and refused to allow a marriage between the future king and an American divorcee.
In 1936, the prince succeeded his father, George V, becoming King Edward VIII.
He was a popular king, although those who worked around him found him irresponsible in regard to his official papers.
On December 11, 1936, he abdicated the throne in the face of opposition to his proposed marriage to Simpson, proclaiming to the public: "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."
Edward was then given the title of Duke of Windsor, and in 1937, he married Simpson in a small private ceremony in France.
Click on the link below to listen to King Edward VIII’s abdication speech.