The abdication of King Edward VIII. From the Crown Season 1, Episode 3 'Windsor'. All copyright goes to Netflix. #queen #queenelizabeth #queenelizabethii
The look King George gives to his daughter at the end, as if to say "I'm so sorry for this. I'm so sorry for what we're going to put you through" and young Elizabeth's reaction; fear, anxiety and trepidation.
🙄🙄🙄 right... "Im sorry that you'll have infinite privilege and very, very few responsibilities, and a huge fortune at you disposal"... sounds like a nightmare...
Not many people pointed this out, but i always found it interesting that the casting directors always got the actresses playing Mary of Teck so accurate. Even in this series or in the king's speech
And too bad that Eileen Atkins never got a recognition for this performance. Neither the Screen Actors Guild recognize that when the series got a SAG nomination for best ensemble and she was not included 🤦♂️
Watching this scene now after the death of the Queen at 96 years old lends so much more weight to the glances that Elizabeth and her father exchange. She was never meant to be Queen before her uncle abdicated, and she and her father never wanted the job. However, they both gave their lives to it, with the Queen being the longest reigning monarch in English history, and the 2nd longest reigning in world history.
@@jcs1025 Given that Edward VIII was expected to have Wallis as his long term mistress and not get married it was expected that Elizabeth would become Queen at some point. Given she was a women born to a second son she could have been surpassed in the line of succession but that was not expected to happen at this stage. If Edward didn't abdicate Elizabeth becomes Queen in 1972 and rules for 50 years dying after her Golden Jubillee not "Platinum" jubilee(which should have been 75 not 70 years but the govt wanted an excuse to have a party and they knew Elizabeth wouldn't make it to 2027).
@@commodorezero What he was expected and what could have happened are two different things. He would not have been the first man in his later years to father a child. Of course there are rumors he was unable to- but rumors are exactly that, rumors.
You can see how stressed George VI was towards the end of the speech. It's as if it finally sank into him that "Oh fuck...I'm the King now..." and he's not sure if he's up for the job.
He sure was up to the job (he guided the country through the war after all) but that job literally killed him. He never expected to be king, or at the very least not that quickly. The stress of the job caused him to start smoking, develop lung cancer and died at just 56. The Queen also didn't expect to be Queen at such a young age but mercifully was granted good health for most of her life.
Possibly not. Her father was the heir apparent as David/Edward did not have children at the point so she was second in line. Even if he didn't abdicate, there was no guarantee that he would have married someone more acceptable than Wallis and had legitimate children of his own.
A story I heard was that David had mumps as a teenager which left him infertile. If that's true, then Elizabeth would have become queen eventually, probably when her uncle died in 1972. This is assuming that her own father still died of lung cancer in 1952. Instead of becoming queen as a young woman of 25, she would have become queen as a middle aged woman of 45.
@@RudesMom Heir presumptive not apparent. As there was a chance that Edward could have a child who would then remove him as heir. That way when her father was King. Then Princess Elizabeth was heir presumptive, not apparent like Charles was or William is now. As they are first-born children. Sons before the Perth Agreement in 2011 changed it to first-born child regardless of sex.
King George wanted a peaceful life with his family but he became one of great britain greatest king during ww2 And now father and daughther are reunited 😢
Someone needs to give the little girl playing baby Elizabeth a damn medal for this scene. That *look* she gives George VI at the end is absolutely chilling.
Looking back abdicating was the only good thing he did. His brother was a better man and a great and hard working King who stood with his people to fight one of the most cruel regimes that ever existed on this earth and his daughter was as dutiful as he and one of the best monarchs that England ever had. God save the King 🙏
"My first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart." Says the guy who is suspected to fraternize with Nazi Germany and possibly be part of a plan to remove his brother from the throne should the UK fall. Aside from the abdication, his association with the nazis was shameful to say the least.
@@Orcawhale1 actually it isn't invented. The Crown got that much right, tje Marburg files are real Edward VIII sold Britain out to the Nazis and you can't argue he was niave and had no idea because there were tensions between Germany and Europe when George V was on the throne. He was a traitor thats why he was exiled and not allowed in the UK unless the Sovereign gave permission for him to come back
Queen Mother and King George were also Nazi sympathizers so there no difference expect George and Queen Mother had to play it t safe and pretend to be for the people when their hearts didn't align what they preached.
@GamerKat'71 He also gave full Nazi salutes as well, what a shame he wasn't tried for treason he was lucky he lived in relative comfort in exile and he still bitched about that! He deserved far worse than he got
In actuality, the Wallis Simpson was not there during this final meeting. She was already in France. Queen Mary vowed never to "receive" her after the abdication.
The fallout from the abdication continues to echo to this day. George and Elizabeth likely would have inherited the throne eventually since it’s likely he was sterile, but since Elizabeth was forced to become Queen so early she was unable to properly parent her children. All the damage affected how each generation would raise the next.
Yup. Charles would have grown as a secure man, and married the woman he loved without a hassle. No clueless teenage girls would have been added in the equation. William and Harry would have been ugly as hell with that DNA. But no biggie.
On your last point, I feel it's more important to say that we would have had an outstanding Queen for a less amount of time and that would have been very bad.
I'm not a citizen of the Commonwealth, but they were much better off with George VI. I shudder to think what would have happened if Britain carried on with a king who was chums with Hitler and hated non-whites.
The throne would have passed onto his brother Bertie's bloodline anyway, since he never had any kids and after he dies in 1972 the next in line would be Elizabeth 2 (assuming Bertie is also dead in this alternate universe, where Edward 8 carried on but Bertie still died the same year he did in ours, in 1952), then Charles 3 etc, the world would be much the same only a few decades with a different king
@@terranrepublic7023 - if he'd married someone other than Wallis Simpson, he very well might have had children. She seems to have been sterile. Either way, he would have been a terrible king.
I am not religious, but the Brits were either totally lucky - or had major help from above - when Edward left. Considering, what came after, George VI was so much better.
Actually, Sir John Reith, the BBC Director General had termed the former king as ' His Royal Highness, PRINCE Edward' when introducing him to the radio audience before he made his Abdication statement. He'd technically already abdicated hours earlier so the announcer couldn't call him 'His Majesty, the King'. It wouldn't be until the next day that he'd get informally termed as 'the Duke of Windsor' though this wouldn't be made official for some months afterwards. Oh, and Queen Mary only appealed to him via writing him instead of meeting him in person [and continued to refuse to meet Wallis]!
The past days in the UK, during the period of national mourning, have taught me not just about the Queen's sacrifice and duty, but also the enormous impact on her family. A family clearly mourning the death of their beloved mother and grandmother all whilst under the watchful eye of the press, having to get on with succession rather than being allowed to grieve like the public could do. You could see the burden clearly on King Charles and Prince William's faces especially as they watched what their futures would be. Watching this clip you can see how much that burden weighs on King George looking at Elizabeth and knowing how her life will forever be changed.
@@Reichsritter Do nothing? He helped lead the UK through the Second World War. He helped stabilize the monarchy. The UK decolonized a ton under him. He’s easily amongst the greatest monarchs ever.
The young actress who plays Princess Elizabeth as a child bears such a s resemblance to Claire Foy who played Elizabeth as an adult that I wonder if the two actresses are related. It makes for a more dramatic scene but I believe that when the former King Edward/Duke of Windsor gave his abdication message Wallis Simpson was not present. Maybe someone else can add a comment but my recollection is that Wallis was with friends at her or their home listening to the radio. I find it hard to believe Queen Mary would allow herself to be in the same room as her son's mistress. Quite a while before this, Wallis was presented at Court before the King and Queen and I think Wallis was later at a gathering at Buckingham Palace with the Queen present but before the situation had escalated to the point of abdication.
The fortune of the UK, that George VI was a real man, while overcoming doubts, insecurities and a great reluctance manned up and did his duty. He became a great King that was loved not only by his wife and children, but by the nation he served. He was in a word, a hero....while his brother was a self centered egocentric prick (And probable traitor) who in a strange twist of fate, sacrificed everything for a wicked harpy who never loved him.
History buffs Wallis and Edward had to be in separate countries at this time because if she was there, it was a legal liability that Edward would be guilty of collusion. Actually, he was more than guilty of.
I actually bought an old book that was published in early 1936, a book mourning the passing of George V and recapping the life of the Prince of Wales now Edward VIII, and how it predicts a long and good reign of his majesty. Boy, talk about a time capsule.
well later he wanted to get back on the throne by the help of the Nazis.. that agreement ofcourse would've meant the execution of George VI and his family.
as FIRST BORN SON, he was supposed to marry first, have an heir. but was a single 'play boy', dating around & living the carefree life. then meets twice divorced wallis.
He had a string of mistresses, every one of them married, several of them American. No one would have cared if he'd married and fathered the traditional heir-and-spare, especially if he'd been discreet about it. It was the choice of someone he could not constitutionally marry, who had already had two marriages with no children and was almost certainly sterile, that sank him.
@@evansquilt that's what i wrote!! mine is the shorter version. it boils down to: 'he did not fulfill his duty to marry an English girl, have an heir'.
Now, him not marrying per se (and Albert having to take the throne after David dies childless) was still not the end of the world; like Bertie said in “The King’s Speech”, David could give his new mistress Wallis a title and a big house and he could cavort with her at night all he wants so long as he shows up for work at day. But he wouldn’t even do that.
This was so well played. You can feel the trepidation in George V1, and you can see the weight fall on young Elizabeth's shoulders. The look they exchange is just incredible. They both change forever in that moment when the abdicated Edward says, "God save the King." And only the two of them can really understand the burden. Fantastic!
Neha Patwey: You fool, “destiny” had nothing to do with it. Her father was next in line and he only had two daughters. When he died, his daughter became Queen.
@@johnpickford4222 Have you forgotten her uncle, elder than her father who was originally face to the crown and who left the crown for her beloved girlfriend and then there happened a very early death of her father who forced her to handle the monarch in such an early age this is what I was talking about in my comment
All George VI wanted was a quiet life with his family, but his selfish brother robbed him of all of that. While I’m so grateful he was King during that time, especially during WWII, I’m so resentful of Edward. He dumped all his responsibilities on his younger brother. Total selfish prick
The SarWow: REALLY, YOU’RE KIDDING! NO WAY! I mean NO ONE EXCEPT YOU would know or care to waste their time posting an a**hole response like that as you did.
"I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge the duties of my responsibilities as king..." Very ironic given that even when he was on the throne, he was a disinterested, lazy slacker who had to be pushed to do the minimum required of him.
I wonder if David had any regrets giving up the throne and having his brother handle 2 world wars. That is a HUGE burden to put on someone’s shoulders.
Elisabeth was way more normal than Edward...she did the best she could. Your comment sounds like she was totally unhinged. She was the most sane one from all of them considering the pressure she was under. We are all flawed and she was too but in those circumstances, she turned out fine.
Always find the lighting of such scenes as this a source of curiosity; certain character's faces in times of affliction are lit in such a way that one side is shadowed. Is this just styling for atmosphere or is it a subtle attempt by the DP to further suggest inner conflict, also? There's a great example of this in the Godfather when Hagen is being interrogated by Sollozzo.
That look at the end between George VI and Elizabeth II is just something else. Imagine being that little girl and realising that you were almost certainly going to become Queen. Quite different to knowing from birth. Old enough to realise what it meant. And still, never expecting to become Queen so young. Yes, before that point she was already 2nd in line for the throne... but Edward VIII might have had a child. Now her only hope was that her 36 year old mother would get pregnant again - and have a son.
2:29 and therefore that day, both Bertie and Elizabeth's destinies are changed forever, a heavy duty they both never wanted, Elizabeth knows now that in the near future she'll become queen when her father will be gone
The Anglican Church was founded by Henry VIII on the basis of securing a divorce, multiple divorces as it turns out. I wonder if Edward ever pointed that out? He could have added, "What's in another one, more or less? I'm just joining the queue." Defender of the Faith. What utter BS.
It's good that he did abdicate though, I don't think England would have survived WWII. He and Wallis Simpson had ties and were seen as sympathizers for Nazi beliefs.
and ever since that day, David a.k.a. King Edward VIII became forever hated and shunned by the entire Royal Family and therefore went into exile, he could have chosen any other woman, but she was the only one for him
Is the dark haired woman standing by him in this scene and on the couch when he speaks on the radio supposed to be Wallis Warfield Simpson? Because she wasn’t with him when this occurred; I thought she was being driven to southern France. Another playing with facts that THE CROWN does so well!!
'The Crown' should reflect reality. Edward VIII chose not to serve his people. By contrast, Elizabeth II's life of service remind us of the huge, tangible power for peace and stability the British monarchy is for everyone in Britain, the commonwealth and for the world. In the 19th & 20th centuries the U.S.A, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece suffered in various ways civil wars, political storms, and dictatorships. This shows what can go wrong in the absence of a head of state which is above politics, which opposes illegal dictatorship and helps keep the peace. If there are many reasons England, Wales, Scotland, Canada and Australia have had no civil war since Culloden in 1746, having a constitutional monarchy to unify all the people is an important one. In the UK, 'peace' in formal speech is "The Queen's Peace". Of course Elizabeth II & Prince Philip had their failings as parents, and Prince Philip could be tactless. Whatever mistakes the royal family have made, let us be grateful for the service they give, and for the difference the monarchy makes for the better, in the world. There will always be violence in the world, and billions of people who know or understand nothing of the British monarchy. The value of the British crown since the 1700s is, many billions of people have lived under it without civil war, lynching, dictatorship in their lives.
Maybe if you knew about law, you’d realise that over the years, monarch’s political power is waning to the point that one day there will be no use for them
People forget that Elizabeth would have been Queen even without the abdication. King Edward VII had no children with Wallis Simpson and the Duke of York/King George VI died in 1952. This would have moved Elizabeth to the next in line as heir presumptive. When Edward dies in 1972 with no children Elizabeth becomes Queen, just 20 years later.
@言行一致 The Letters Patent creating the Windsor title specified: *That it was for Edward's lifetime only. *Only Edward was to be HRH Prince (a move that some thought went against convention). *The title could not be inherited by any children from the marriage. They would be Mr. Or Miss (a moot point, as the marriage was childless).
This is somewhat inaccurate. The scene where Queen Mary confronts the uncrowned King one last time, Wallis Simpson was already in the south of France, where she had fled to escape the voracious British press and to hope that the King Edward VIII would change his mind and decide not to abdicate.
Even if he didn’t abdicate, and Hitler somehow didn’t take England had he not abdicated; Elizabeth still would have ended up being Queen at some point. I feel like no one gets that
So the Yorkist has won the war of the roses after All 😅 More seriously... How horrific it must be to live their lives, maybe you got "power", money etc... But I find it so dreadful. I would rather die than live in that conditions.
Eddie VIII got removed mainly because his potential alignment to Nazi Germany and praise of Adolf Hitler (Wallace Simpson was believed a Nazi sympathizer as well). The cabinet in the UK were worried that in a war Edward would sell out to the Germans so they forced him to abdicate, using his marriage plan as the reason.
As much as I feel sorry for George, and his family line to this day, every Royal is given what ordinary folk would consider tremendously unfair priveliges and wealth in exchange for their duty, and readiness for a situation where the monarchy should die or abdicate. They may mess around while prince or princess, but once the calling comes, they must perform. In that sense, George VI adapted soundly, Queen Elizabeth stoic in her duty, and Charles loving to his people and proud of his country. Edward VIII should be ashamed of himself - a lifetime to prepare, and threw away his duties for a marriage outside his league😅
Charles should have stepped down, or and stood up to Elizabeth,and his granny Elizabeth. Too stay with Camilla . Elizabeth,put her foot down,to marry Phillip ,and got to marry the man she wanted . She pulled the same,with Anne and Margaret ,who weren’t allowed to marry the men they wanted . Margret ended up a mess, Luckily Anne was stronger. This guy married ,the woman he loved, since he told a big F you to his crown.
Efia Ahimah: I believe Mrs. Simpson had left the country and was in France. Other shows indicate she did not want him to abdicate. I also believe Queen Mary would have walked out of the room had she seen her.
It was also because he had positive opinions of Hitler/Nazi Germany and it was feared that he would allow fascists like Oswald Mosley to gain high spots of power in the UK government.
Lexus Driver: Well times and attitudes change. Look how welcome they made Meghan feel! And she was bi-racial but per William, “They most certainly are not a racist family.” WRONG!!
It was far bigger than that. Parliament was not going to accept it. Even if Stanley Baldwin somehow convinced the UK parliament to approve it, the other realms were against it. They are not just King of the UK, but Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa (at this time) and they were not happy with the marriage to a divorcee. British monarchs rule by parliament as constitutional monarchs. "The Australian High Commissioner Stanley Bruce already indicated to Baldwin that Prime Minister Joseph Lyons regarded any form of marriage to Wallis as unacceptable. Bruce claimed he was so distressed he and his wife would refuse to attend the Coronation. Abdication was the only solution. Lyons followed up with a cable, “There would be outspoken hostility to His Majesty’s proposed wife becoming Queen while any proposal that she should become consort and not Queen … would not be approved by my Government.”
@@MightyJosh1985 So even though Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin covinced the UK Parliament to approve it, the other realms were against it because they believe it would set a bad example for the Commonwealth realms?
So Edward had to abdicate because he couldn't marry a divorcee, but Charles became King even though he cheated on his wife with a married woman and later married that woman when they each divorced their spouses. If ethics change according to the times, then they're not worth anything during their times.
Tbh my opinion is that Wallis was probably just the straw that broke the camel's back. Apparently it was known that Edward was quite neglectful of his duties even before he became king (for example he was apparently notorious for leaving confidential papers out in the open for his party guests to read). With a war on the horizon, the establishment was already wondering if this guy was gonna be able to lead them- then for a consort he chose Wallis, who was 1) still married to her husband when Edward announced his intention to marry her and 2) literally in bed with Nazis. Heck, his own father George V already had misgivings about him when he was still Prince of Wales. He famously remarked that he wished Edward would never have children so nothing would stand between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne. AND he foretold that Edward would ruin himself within a year of his death. Not exactly a shining endorsement for his ability as a future king.
Different times and a different woman. In the 1930's Mrs Simpson was seen as a social climber, a twice-divorced woman. At that time the Church of England did not allow a divorced person to remarry or marry if their ex-spouse was still alive. She was also an American and of low birth, with no royal or noble blood. Charles was different, as times changed. The Church of England had changed it policies. Camilla was not of low birth as her family was nobility. Not to mention that they were long time lovers. They were always meant to be together. Side note. Dianna had more affairs than Charles.
To this day, for this part in particular (the abdication, not the nazi stuff), i cant understand all the hate for him. He wanted to marry for love, he couldnt, he left, end of story. Why the hell the hate? WTFFF
The look King George gives to his daughter at the end, as if to say "I'm so sorry for this. I'm so sorry for what we're going to put you through" and young Elizabeth's reaction; fear, anxiety and trepidation.
…even though she would have been Queen anyway.
@@davido9080If there was any monarchy left to begin with.
@@usagi18 touché.
@@davido9080 it's ironical that a social climber saved the monarchy, isn't it?
🙄🙄🙄 right... "Im sorry that you'll have infinite privilege and very, very few responsibilities, and a huge fortune at you disposal"... sounds like a nightmare...
Not many people pointed this out, but i always found it interesting that the casting directors always got the actresses playing Mary of Teck so accurate. Even in this series or in the king's speech
And too bad that Eileen Atkins never got a recognition for this performance. Neither the Screen Actors Guild recognize that when the series got a SAG nomination for best ensemble and she was not included 🤦♂️
I agree she nailed it.
The casting for the first four seasons are amazing.
eileen atkins also plays queen mary in a miniseries called “bertie and elizabeth”
To be fair, not the first time that she has played the role.
Watching this scene now after the death of the Queen at 96 years old lends so much more weight to the glances that Elizabeth and her father exchange. She was never meant to be Queen before her uncle abdicated, and she and her father never wanted the job. However, they both gave their lives to it, with the Queen being the longest reigning monarch in English history, and the 2nd longest reigning in world history.
Actually, Edward the 8th never had any children so Elizabeth would’ve became Queen anyway, albeit much later in life
@@crambo000 I said was never meant to be Queen before her uncle abdicated. But we don’t know how history would have played out had he not.
@@jcs1025 well you were inaccurate so I corrected your statement, you’re welcome
@@jcs1025 Given that Edward VIII was expected to have Wallis as his long term mistress and not get married it was expected that Elizabeth would become Queen at some point. Given she was a women born to a second son she could have been surpassed in the line of succession but that was not expected to happen at this stage. If Edward didn't abdicate Elizabeth becomes Queen in 1972 and rules for 50 years dying after her Golden Jubillee not "Platinum" jubilee(which should have been 75 not 70 years but the govt wanted an excuse to have a party and they knew Elizabeth wouldn't make it to 2027).
@@commodorezero
What he was expected and what could have happened are two different things. He would not have been the first man in his later years to father a child. Of course there are rumors he was unable to- but rumors are exactly that, rumors.
You can see how stressed George VI was towards the end of the speech. It's as if it finally sank into him that "Oh fuck...I'm the King now..." and he's not sure if he's up for the job.
He is Tsar Nicholas II as he should've been.
Fortunately, for the British Empire and the rest of the world, he was.......
He sure was up to the job (he guided the country through the war after all) but that job literally killed him. He never expected to be king, or at the very least not that quickly. The stress of the job caused him to start smoking, develop lung cancer and died at just 56. The Queen also didn't expect to be Queen at such a young age but mercifully was granted good health for most of her life.
He wasn't becoming king id what killed George vi
The moment when Elizabeth's fate changed forever
Possibly not. Her father was the heir apparent as David/Edward did not have children at the point so she was second in line. Even if he didn't abdicate, there was no guarantee that he would have married someone more acceptable than Wallis and had legitimate children of his own.
A story I heard was that David had mumps as a teenager which left him infertile. If that's true, then Elizabeth would have become queen eventually, probably when her uncle died in 1972. This is assuming that her own father still died of lung cancer in 1952. Instead of becoming queen as a young woman of 25, she would have become queen as a middle aged woman of 45.
No, she would have been Queen anyway
@@RudesMom Heir presumptive not apparent. As there was a chance that Edward could have a child who would then remove him as heir. That way when her father was King. Then Princess Elizabeth was heir presumptive, not apparent like Charles was or William is now. As they are first-born children. Sons before the Perth Agreement in 2011 changed it to first-born child regardless of sex.
Not really. She would have become Queen anyway. His abdication only caused that to happen sooner.
King George wanted a peaceful life with his family but he became one of great britain greatest king during ww2
And now father and daughther are reunited 😢
Someone needs to give the little girl playing baby Elizabeth a damn medal for this scene. That *look* she gives George VI at the end is absolutely chilling.
Probably best he did abdicate, given his somewhat fondness of the guy with the mustache
SpaceJamSham: Who are you talking about? What character?
@@johnpickford4222 Hitler
@@johnpickford4222 Hitler,
@@johnpickford4222 Hitler lol
He fancied Tommy?!? The scandal! 😮
Watching this side by side with the original
He sounds just like him it’s insane
Well done to the actor
He was not introduced as the Duke of Windsor as he did not yet have that title. He was introduced as His Royal Highness Prince Edward.
What a masterpiece of history and how this story is told. Edwards abdication gave us eventually a great queen, how lucky we were
It also gave the UK a great king in George VI.
If he didn’t abdicate she would have been Queen in 1972. Wallis Simpson wasn’t able to have children.
Assuming the monarchy survived the war. Her father was a much much better king than her uncle.
@@susansurles3776 I mean, it's not like they'd abolish it, winning the war and all...
Mary of Teck was so regal and dignified.
And so complex, she was centered in her duties and those of her family but she still loved them, and she lost so many of them before she died
Looking back abdicating was the only good thing he did. His brother was a better man and a great and hard working King who stood with his people to fight one of the most cruel regimes that ever existed on this earth and his daughter was as dutiful as he and one of the best monarchs that England ever had. God save the King 🙏
"My first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart." Says the guy who is suspected to fraternize with Nazi Germany and possibly be part of a plan to remove his brother from the throne should the UK fall. Aside from the abdication, his association with the nazis was shameful to say the least.
Invented drama, along with the coup scene.
@@Orcawhale1 actually it isn't invented. The Crown got that much right, tje Marburg files are real Edward VIII sold Britain out to the Nazis and you can't argue he was niave and had no idea because there were tensions between Germany and Europe when George V was on the throne. He was a traitor thats why he was exiled and not allowed in the UK unless the Sovereign gave permission for him to come back
Queen Mother and King George were also Nazi sympathizers so there no difference expect George and Queen Mother had to play it t safe and pretend to be for the people when their hearts didn't align what they preached.
@GamerKat'71 He also gave full Nazi salutes as well, what a shame he wasn't tried for treason he was lucky he lived in relative comfort in exile and he still bitched about that! He deserved far worse than he got
@GamerKat'71 The implication that he plotted with the Nazis to depose his brother however is absolutely nonsense which neither side ever entertained
She took that deep breath as i did. Felt that
In actuality, the Wallis Simpson was not there during this final meeting. She was already in France. Queen Mary vowed never to "receive" her after the abdication.
The fallout from the abdication continues to echo to this day. George and Elizabeth likely would have inherited the throne eventually since it’s likely he was sterile, but since Elizabeth was forced to become Queen so early she was unable to properly parent her children. All the damage affected how each generation would raise the next.
Yup. Charles would have grown as a secure man, and married the woman he loved without a hassle. No clueless teenage girls would have been added in the equation.
William and Harry would have been ugly as hell with that DNA. But no biggie.
At least Prince (now King) Charles had plenty of time to parent…right? 🤔
I dont think she was sterile but Wallis and him were not that young anymore when he became King.
He/She was not sterile! He and she were friends with Hitler... The echo of a non-abdication would have been worse...
On your last point, I feel it's more important to say that we would have had an outstanding Queen for a less amount of time and that would have been very bad.
2:54 She's like "Oh shit..."
members of the royal family do not think with that word, especially young kids
@@DaveFisher-cq2dr, I bet they do. They just don't say it.
Either way she would have been Queen. Just later in 1972 not 1952.
@@ladyv5655 maybe, but not kids, they probably just think "oh crap"
I'm not a citizen of the Commonwealth, but they were much better off with George VI. I shudder to think what would have happened if Britain carried on with a king who was chums with Hitler and hated non-whites.
I dream of what could have been.
Perhaps we wouldn't be in the mess we are today.
@@NorthernTemplar bro.
The throne would have passed onto his brother Bertie's bloodline anyway, since he never had any kids and after he dies in 1972 the next in line would be Elizabeth 2 (assuming Bertie is also dead in this alternate universe, where Edward 8 carried on but Bertie still died the same year he did in ours, in 1952), then Charles 3 etc, the world would be much the same only a few decades with a different king
@@terranrepublic7023 - if he'd married someone other than Wallis Simpson, he very well might have had children. She seems to have been sterile.
Either way, he would have been a terrible king.
@@terranrepublic7023 if he was to stay king, I doubt he could have married Wallis. Maybe with other women, he could have had children. Who knows
when you compare this scene with the original one it is so accurate like the actor’s voice is literally the same
I am not religious, but the Brits were either totally lucky - or had major help from above - when Edward left. Considering, what came after, George VI was so much better.
Actually, Sir John Reith, the BBC Director General had termed the former king as ' His Royal Highness, PRINCE Edward' when introducing him to the radio audience before he made his Abdication statement. He'd technically already abdicated hours earlier so the announcer couldn't call him 'His Majesty, the King'. It wouldn't be until the next day that he'd get informally termed as 'the Duke of Windsor' though this wouldn't be made official for some months afterwards.
Oh, and Queen Mary only appealed to him via writing him instead of meeting him in person [and continued to refuse to meet Wallis]!
The past days in the UK, during the period of national mourning, have taught me not just about the Queen's sacrifice and duty, but also the enormous impact on her family. A family clearly mourning the death of their beloved mother and grandmother all whilst under the watchful eye of the press, having to get on with succession rather than being allowed to grieve like the public could do. You could see the burden clearly on King Charles and Prince William's faces especially as they watched what their futures would be.
Watching this clip you can see how much that burden weighs on King George looking at Elizabeth and knowing how her life will forever be changed.
Burden? I am pretty positive he pulled the plug on her bc he was tided of waiting to be king haha
George VI was the man they needed
No
@@Reichsritter whatchu mean no? George VI was the King Britain needed during that period of time.
@@theofficialphoenixtv5765 He was a do nothing mascot
@@Reichsritter Do nothing? He helped lead the UK through the Second World War. He helped stabilize the monarchy. The UK decolonized a ton under him. He’s easily amongst the greatest monarchs ever.
@@TheMrTobiasRieper He lost an Empire, what an achievement
Queen Mary never saw Wallis in person after a public presentation at a palace event David took Wallis to
The young actress who plays Princess Elizabeth as a child bears such a s resemblance to Claire Foy who played Elizabeth as an adult that I wonder if the two actresses are related.
It makes for a more dramatic scene but I believe that when the former King Edward/Duke of Windsor gave his abdication message Wallis Simpson was not present. Maybe someone else can add a comment but my recollection is that Wallis was with friends at her or their home listening to the radio. I find it hard to believe Queen Mary would allow herself to be in the same room as her son's mistress. Quite a while before this, Wallis was presented at Court before the King and Queen and I think Wallis was later at a gathering at Buckingham Palace with the Queen present but before the situation had escalated to the point of abdication.
The fortune of the UK, that George VI was a real man, while overcoming doubts, insecurities and a great reluctance manned up and did his duty. He became a great King that was loved not only by his wife and children, but by the nation he served. He was in a word, a hero....while his brother was a self centered egocentric prick (And probable traitor) who in a strange twist of fate, sacrificed everything for a wicked harpy who never loved him.
She never loved him and yet she stayed with him until his death? Yeah, what a witch 🤡
@@sarahtobore2832 - it's called "money."
@@evansquilt how much money could it have been ? Lol 🤣
@@sarahtobore2832 a lot.
@@sarahtobore2832 enough that she could held a party in personal palace every day.
History buffs Wallis and Edward had to be in separate countries at this time because if she was there, it was a legal liability that Edward would be guilty of collusion. Actually, he was more than guilty of.
Three Kings in one year...
I actually bought an old book that was published in early 1936, a book mourning the passing of George V and recapping the life of the Prince of Wales now Edward VIII, and how it predicts a long and good reign of his majesty.
Boy, talk about a time capsule.
@@davidw.2791 What is the title of the book?
@@Shalashaskaa “Long Live The King - George V - King and Emperor; Prince and Sovereign Edward VIII” published by Winston, Toronto house.
“We three Kings from England Are.” Bearing no gifts we’re local so we didn’t travel far.”
@@Shalashaskaa Are you really going to read it?
Abdicating must have haunted him especially as he grew older😬😬
Once it's gone it's gone
He talks about being happy but come on
well later he wanted to get back on the throne by the help of the Nazis.. that agreement ofcourse would've meant the execution of George VI and his family.
I would have never abdicated
He chose love. I am sure he was happy.
@@nomahope3182 people love wat you can give them
Get the difference
@@nomahope3182 I've never been sure if it was ever about happiness--he had to have known that saying he made a mistake would've gotten him nowhere.
as FIRST BORN SON, he was supposed to marry first, have an heir. but was a single 'play boy', dating around & living the carefree life. then meets twice divorced wallis.
He had a string of mistresses, every one of them married, several of them American. No one would have cared if he'd married and fathered the traditional heir-and-spare, especially if he'd been discreet about it. It was the choice of someone he could not constitutionally marry, who had already had two marriages with no children and was almost certainly sterile, that sank him.
@@evansquilt that's what i wrote!! mine is the shorter version. it boils down to: 'he did not fulfill his duty to marry an English girl, have an heir'.
he was a twat
Now, him not marrying per se (and Albert having to take the throne after David dies childless) was still not the end of the world; like Bertie said in “The King’s Speech”, David could give his new mistress Wallis a title and a big house and he could cavort with her at night all he wants so long as he shows up for work at day.
But he wouldn’t even do that.
And Wallis was ugly af. He was king and she was the best he could do? Lmao what a joke.
This was so well played. You can feel the trepidation in George V1, and you can see the weight fall on young Elizabeth's shoulders. The look they exchange is just incredible. They both change forever in that moment when the abdicated Edward says, "God save the King." And only the two of them can really understand the burden. Fantastic!
I certainly enjoyed listening to Edward's letters to his beloved.
She treated him very badly. Cheated on him and belittled him.
“No one wants to hear from a private individual.”
It was all nothing but the destiny that brought the crown to Queen Elizabeth ll
Neha Patwey: You fool, “destiny” had nothing to do with it. Her father was next in line and he only had two daughters. When he died, his daughter became Queen.
@@johnpickford4222 Have you forgotten her uncle, elder than her father who was originally face to the crown and who left the crown for her beloved girlfriend and then there happened a very early death of her father who forced her to handle the monarch in such an early age this is what I was talking about in my comment
After the abdication, poor George Vi broke down and sobbed.
and I'm sure young Elizabeth was worried about her new future, all the hard work and duties that lie ahead of her now
All George VI wanted was a quiet life with his family, but his selfish brother robbed him of all of that. While I’m so grateful he was King during that time, especially during WWII, I’m so resentful of Edward. He dumped all his responsibilities on his younger brother. Total selfish prick
@@kagomefan101
Truly, the worst way to backstab someone.
The moment Elizabeth realizes…
The best thing David did was to applicate It led us to have 70 years of the most amazing monarch of our time
the King Edward VIII's cast Alex Jenning were also play a role as Prince Charles in The Queen
The SarWow: REALLY, YOU’RE KIDDING! NO WAY! I mean NO ONE EXCEPT YOU would know or care to waste their time posting an a**hole response like that as you did.
And Eileen Atkins had previously played Queen Mary of Teck in the TV drama Bertie and Elizabeth.
"I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge the duties of my responsibilities as king..."
Very ironic given that even when he was on the throne, he was a disinterested, lazy slacker who had to be pushed to do the minimum required of him.
I have vintage crockery made for the would-be coronation of Edward VIII in May 1937 - the coronation that was instead held for his brother
Massive scene.
rip queen Elizabeth🙏🙏🙏
I wonder if David had any regrets giving up the throne and having his brother handle 2 world wars. That is a HUGE burden to put on someone’s shoulders.
George VI was only king during WW2. It was his father George V who was king during WW1.
He did with all his heart.
“Now that I am no longer King, I have more time to play with my new friend Hitler.”
love it ❤
@@Vic35102 The fact that Edward VIII was a Nazi Sympathizer wasn’t exactly kept hidden very well.
Lots of prominent Brits were sympathetic towards Hitler and the Nazis at the beginning. Edward was hardly alone in that.
@@golden-63 the fact he never stopped being sympathetic has always been a black stain on the Royal Family. He’s as bad as Joseph Kennedy Sr in the US.
Wow the resemblance in her features!
njs: You can thank the casting director for that.
Imagine how different the crown would be if he kept the crown and George VI had raised his daughters to be somewhat normal.
Considering his views at the time, I would say it’s for the better he never became king.
Assuming that he had no children, Elizabeth would have become Queen 20 years later (in 1972 instead of 1952).
Elisabeth was way more normal than Edward...she did the best she could. Your comment sounds like she was totally unhinged. She was the most sane one from all of them considering the pressure she was under. We are all flawed and she was too but in those circumstances, she turned out fine.
Edward expected Hitler to place him back on the throne.
Huge inaccuracy-Wallis wasn't there...she was in France.
I don't think that was Wallis. Might have been a secretary.
Incredibly minor, actually.
I discharged my last duty as King & Emperor !
Always find the lighting of such scenes as this a source of curiosity; certain character's faces in times of affliction are lit in such a way that one side is shadowed. Is this just styling for atmosphere or is it a subtle attempt by the DP to further suggest inner conflict, also? There's a great example of this in the Godfather when Hagen is being interrogated by Sollozzo.
this abdication speech was also well read by Guy Pearce who played David in "The King's Speech"
When you realise you're going to spend the rest of your life as a ribbon cutter 😂
That look at the end between George VI and Elizabeth II is just something else. Imagine being that little girl and realising that you were almost certainly going to become Queen. Quite different to knowing from birth. Old enough to realise what it meant. And still, never expecting to become Queen so young.
Yes, before that point she was already 2nd in line for the throne... but Edward VIII might have had a child. Now her only hope was that her 36 year old mother would get pregnant again - and have a son.
Commoner : Long live the king.
Royal guy : Er...that's my brother, Go and speak to him.😁
Not all commoners support monarchy
George face like :oh Edward what do you do???
2:29 and therefore that day, both Bertie and Elizabeth's destinies are changed forever, a heavy duty they both never wanted, Elizabeth knows now that in the near future she'll become queen when her father will be gone
The Anglican Church was founded by Henry VIII on the basis of securing a divorce, multiple divorces as it turns out. I wonder if Edward ever pointed that out? He could have added, "What's in another one, more or less? I'm just joining the queue." Defender of the Faith. What utter BS.
It's good that he did abdicate though, I don't think England would have survived WWII. He and Wallis Simpson had ties and were seen as sympathizers for Nazi beliefs.
and ever since that day, David a.k.a. King Edward VIII became forever hated and shunned by the entire Royal Family and therefore went into exile, he could have chosen any other woman, but she was the only one for him
Is the dark haired woman standing by him in this scene and on the couch when he speaks on the radio supposed to be Wallis Warfield Simpson? Because she wasn’t with him when this occurred; I thought she was being driven to southern France. Another playing with facts that THE CROWN does so well!!
She may have been a secretary or an assistant of some sort.
The show is a drama, not a documentary. They don't pretend to say the events that they show are historically accurate.
'The Crown' should reflect reality. Edward VIII chose not to serve his people. By contrast, Elizabeth II's life of service remind us of the huge, tangible power for peace and stability the British monarchy is for everyone in Britain, the commonwealth and for the world. In the 19th & 20th centuries the U.S.A, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece suffered in various ways civil wars, political storms, and dictatorships. This shows what can go wrong in the absence of a head of state which is above politics, which opposes illegal dictatorship and helps keep the peace. If there are many reasons England, Wales, Scotland, Canada and Australia have had no civil war since Culloden in 1746, having a constitutional monarchy to unify all the people is an important one. In the UK, 'peace' in formal speech is "The Queen's Peace".
Of course Elizabeth II & Prince Philip had their failings as parents, and Prince Philip could be tactless. Whatever mistakes the royal family have made, let us be grateful for the service they give, and for the difference the monarchy makes for the better, in the world. There will always be violence in the world, and billions of people who know or understand nothing of the British monarchy. The value of the British crown since the 1700s is, many billions of people have lived under it without civil war, lynching, dictatorship in their lives.
Mel Brooks is wrong: it's not good to be a king - or queen.
Maybe if you knew about law, you’d realise that over the years, monarch’s political power is waning to the point that one day there will be no use for them
WILLIAM JOLLIFFE: Get real. It’s fiction based on historical events and to be taken as seriously.
Queen Mary was such a g
Netflix needs to make a movie about the massacres glenn cove, Scotland
People forget that Elizabeth would have been Queen even without the abdication. King Edward VII had no children with Wallis Simpson and the Duke of York/King George VI died in 1952. This would have moved Elizabeth to the next in line as heir presumptive. When Edward dies in 1972 with no children Elizabeth becomes Queen, just 20 years later.
That broad yoko ono'ed the British empire
1:08 - incorrect - he was introduced as The Prince Edward.
Correct, as he was created Duke of Windsor the day after His Late Majesty George VI became King.
@言行一致 The Letters Patent creating the Windsor title specified:
*That it was for Edward's lifetime only.
*Only Edward was to be HRH Prince (a move that some thought went against convention).
*The title could not be inherited by any children from the marriage. They would be Mr. Or Miss (a moot point, as the marriage was childless).
All those strings of pearls….
The pretty girls. .
We got a second Elizabethan age thanks to this abdication. I think it worked out exactly has it meant to.
She would have been Queen regardless when he died since he had no children and his brother died decades before.
We were deff spared a terrible king in david
Wallis wasn’t there.
This is somewhat inaccurate. The scene where Queen Mary confronts the uncrowned King one last time, Wallis Simpson was already in the south of France, where she had fled to escape the voracious British press and to hope that the King Edward VIII would change his mind and decide not to abdicate.
Wallis was skulking in France, not there at all
Wallis wasn't in the country let alone in the room.
Walis was in France
Even if he didn’t abdicate, and Hitler somehow didn’t take England had he not abdicated; Elizabeth still would have ended up being Queen at some point. I feel like no one gets that
Pemeran ratu Elizabeth II versi kecilnya kayak lady sarah anaknya putri Margaret
Not many people recognize this that if Edward VIII had not abdicated Elizabeth would have been Queen anyways much later but still.
1972 it would have been
So the Yorkist has won the war of the roses after All 😅 More seriously... How horrific it must be to live their lives, maybe you got "power", money etc... But I find it so dreadful. I would rather die than live in that conditions.
I hated how Edward treated Bertie.
Sad.
Why is there no sound?
Rebekah Chapman: The abdication was so hurtful to the that the Royal Family they couldn’t speak.
And superficially we think that for the royals getting married to anyone they like would have been much easier than commoners😝
Eddie VIII got removed mainly because his potential alignment to Nazi Germany and praise of Adolf Hitler (Wallace Simpson was believed a Nazi sympathizer as well). The cabinet in the UK were worried that in a war Edward would sell out to the Germans so they forced him to abdicate, using his marriage plan as the reason.
At least he was just a traitor not an adulterous blasphemer like the new weirdo on the throne.
Mate a traitor is worse
Hunny, he was a nazi. And every king has been an adulterer, don't be naive.
As much as I feel sorry for George, and his family line to this day, every Royal is given what ordinary folk would consider tremendously unfair priveliges and wealth in exchange for their duty, and readiness for a situation where the monarchy should die or abdicate.
They may mess around while prince or princess, but once the calling comes, they must perform. In that sense, George VI adapted soundly, Queen Elizabeth stoic in her duty, and Charles loving to his people and proud of his country. Edward VIII should be ashamed of himself - a lifetime to prepare, and threw away his duties for a marriage outside his league😅
this scene is entirely fiction -- Mary only met Wallis once, at a palace reception.
Wallis was not with him around that time ... definitely the scene of the two with Queen Mary is wrong. No?
Soy yo o jorge vi no seve muy feliz al ver que ahorra sera rey
They should have saved the actor for s4 to 6 and have him play charles.
Ironically he does play Charles in The Queen
@@raiderglace8641 thats what I ment. He is so like charles that he could be his body double
@@mattep74 Oh I agree. they did get a pretty good actor for the 90's version for the Crown tho.
Charles also married a divorced women just like Edward the only difference is that Edward was forced to abdicate the throne
He played Charles in The Queen
Charles should have stepped down, or and stood up to Elizabeth,and his granny Elizabeth.
Too stay with Camilla .
Elizabeth,put her foot down,to marry Phillip ,and got to marry the man she wanted .
She pulled the same,with Anne and Margaret ,who weren’t allowed to marry the men they wanted .
Margret ended up a mess, Luckily Anne was stronger.
This guy married ,the woman he loved, since he told a big F you to his crown.
She completely ignored Wallis' courtesy 😅🤔. Should've gotten married first and have children.
Efia Ahimah: I believe Mrs. Simpson had left the country and was in France. Other shows indicate she did not want him to abdicate. I also believe Queen Mary would have walked out of the room had she seen her.
Queen Mary was interesting.🙂
I think the lady might have been a secretary or an assistant.
No.
Season one is a huge difference in quality compare to season 5. Not saying it was a bad season tho
The reason why Edward abdicated is because of marrying an American who was a divorcee and it's frowned upon in the royal family.
It was also because he had positive opinions of Hitler/Nazi Germany and it was feared that he would allow fascists like Oswald Mosley to gain high spots of power in the UK government.
Lexus Driver: Well times and attitudes change. Look how welcome they made Meghan feel! And she was bi-racial but per William, “They most certainly are not a racist family.” WRONG!!
It was far bigger than that. Parliament was not going to accept it. Even if Stanley Baldwin somehow convinced the UK parliament to approve it, the other realms were against it. They are not just King of the UK, but Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa (at this time) and they were not happy with the marriage to a divorcee. British monarchs rule by parliament as constitutional monarchs.
"The Australian High Commissioner Stanley Bruce already indicated to Baldwin that Prime Minister Joseph Lyons regarded any form of marriage to Wallis as unacceptable. Bruce claimed he was so distressed he and his wife would refuse to attend the Coronation. Abdication was the only solution.
Lyons followed up with a cable, “There would be outspoken hostility to His Majesty’s proposed wife becoming Queen while any proposal that she should become consort and not Queen … would not be approved by my Government.”
@@MightyJosh1985 Wow! You learn something new everyday.
@@MightyJosh1985 So even though Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin covinced the UK Parliament to approve it, the other realms were against it because they believe it would set a bad example for the Commonwealth realms?
So Edward had to abdicate because he couldn't marry a divorcee, but Charles became King even though he cheated on his wife with a married woman and later married that woman when they each divorced their spouses. If ethics change according to the times, then they're not worth anything during their times.
The Church of England has also changed their rules on divorce and remarriage since Edward. It was much more conservative then.
There were other issues. Not spoken of at the time, mainly their love of Nazis.
@@gidzmobug2323The CofE changed the rules because of Charles, there was a quiet campaign that began soon after Margaret died
Tbh my opinion is that Wallis was probably just the straw that broke the camel's back. Apparently it was known that Edward was quite neglectful of his duties even before he became king (for example he was apparently notorious for leaving confidential papers out in the open for his party guests to read). With a war on the horizon, the establishment was already wondering if this guy was gonna be able to lead them- then for a consort he chose Wallis, who was 1) still married to her husband when Edward announced his intention to marry her and 2) literally in bed with Nazis.
Heck, his own father George V already had misgivings about him when he was still Prince of Wales. He famously remarked that he wished Edward would never have children so nothing would stand between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne. AND he foretold that Edward would ruin himself within a year of his death. Not exactly a shining endorsement for his ability as a future king.
Different times and a different woman. In the 1930's Mrs Simpson was seen as a social climber, a twice-divorced woman. At that time the Church of England did not allow a divorced person to remarry or marry if their ex-spouse was still alive. She was also an American and of low birth, with no royal or noble blood.
Charles was different, as times changed. The Church of England had changed it policies. Camilla was not of low birth as her family was nobility. Not to mention that they were long time lovers. They were always meant to be together.
Side note. Dianna had more affairs than Charles.
Harry and Meghan need to take that wise advice at 0:33 and become private citizens
CHANGE your record THE NEEDLE is stuck !!!
What is it about Royals and ambitious divorced American women? Like moths to a flame…
Caratacus: I take it you couldn’t land one? Also, American women are supposed to be ‘wild’ in bed compared to the English.
To this day, for this part in particular (the abdication, not the nazi stuff), i cant understand all the hate for him. He wanted to marry for love, he couldnt, he left, end of story. Why the hell the hate? WTFFF
Something to do with his supporting the nazis against his own people ?. And being a doormat for that nasty american woman ?.
"noone wants to hear what you have to say"
take note, Harry and Meghan.
CHANGE your record THE NEEDLE is stuck NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOU EITHER !
Baltimore=2 Britain=0