More heartbreak for the Queen

I agree Suzie.

And certainly maddy if you make money from that connection, you deserve no sympathy if aspects of your personal life are considered of public interest.

I dislike the selling of royal connections, whether it’s H+M or Peter Phillips or anyone else. At the risk of sounding like a complete prude (I’m not) it’s unseemly.

But if it wasn’t for his public persona, he wouldn’t have got £500,000 from Hello or obscene amounts for advertising milk in a China. Swings and roundabouts.

Things happen in all families : divorce, death, affairs etc. It's no different to the rest of us except for the publicity angle.

Life moves on.

Suzie if she wasn't a plant, she certainly came along at a most convenient time for the Govt!

I think its a pity it has to be so public. Its painful enough without the Press. magnifying it.

Maybe WS was a plant to give the Government an excuse to get rid of him? ?

Yes indeed Suzie, it was probably a very good job he abdicated, his track record re the Nazis wasn’t good.

What would never have happened?!! But for Mrs Simpson Edward would not have abdicated and who knows what sort of king he would have made! The monarchy was in far safer hands with brother Albert (George V1th) and his family, as their father observed . King James the 1st was the foremost enthusiast of the divine right of kings, this doctrine virtually disappeared from English politics after the glorious revolution in 1688. It persisted in France into the early 19th century, quite sometime after the first revolution,

And here’s the real reason he wasn’t wanted as king

‘A strong streak of anti-Semitism ran through these political groups, as well as the British government and royal family. Many were more than willing to overlook the sharp rise of anti-Jewish attacks and legislation in Germany, with Edward purportedly telling a German relative in 1933 that it was “no business of ours to interfere in Germany’s internal affairs either re Jews or re anything else.” He went on to add, “Dictators are very popular these days. We might want one in England before long.”

British intelligence had Edward and Wallis under surveillance

While Edward's strongly pro-German sentiments were shared by others, his outspokenness as heir to the throne made his words potentially dangerous. His support for Mosely and other fascist organizers (many of whom would be imprisoned after Britain went to war with Germany) increases suspicions on his political beliefs.’

Nice man

Apparently the queen believes that she has been chosen by God to be the Head of the Church, and therefore monarch. I don’t remember where I read that, but it did surprise me I must say. I wonder if it’s true.
Anyway, I don’t believe in the Divine Right of Kings/Queens, I should be surprised if anyone else does nowadays. However I do think monarchy is preferable to elected Heads of State, but as for The House of Lords, that’s a very different matter.

Most of us gave up believing in the divine right of kings many years ago, but some people still see the monarchy as almost god- like and above criticism. I would be quite happy if Prince William stood for election as H of State and won, at least it would protect us from having a mad or bad H of S which we’ve always got a chance of getting with the hereditary principle.

For me the most telling part of his abdication speech -

‘But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it
.impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and discharge my duties as king AS I WOULD WISH TO DO,
without the help and support of the woman I love.

The same year he visited the South Wales valleys and said ‘something
must be done’. This was during the depression which affected
South Wales badly

He certainly angered Baldwin.

It wasn’t a lucky escape - it would never have happened.

This affair was very weird. Edward it would appear was absolutely besotted with her to the point of threatening suicide if she left him! She in the end found herself caught in a trap unable to escape!! She and her ex husband referred to him as Peter Pan in more ways than one!! The King had had numerous affairs, (no children) as had Wallis, again, no children! Lots of rumours, but who knows?! I think the country had a lucky escape!

They wouldn’t have had children, he certainly knew what problems would arise.

But they didn't anyway.

I'm a pragmatic royalist, perfectly willing to discuss republicanism.

They could have had children, she was 40, he was 42 .

Our Queen would be in exactly the same position as she is now had her uncle been able to marry Mrs Simpson and keep the throne. The likelihood of those two having a child was remote therefore after the death of her father, the kings heir, the then Princess Elizabeth moved up a notch, would have been Edward V111th heir, and succeeded him after his death in circa 1972. So the RF would have been in exactly the same position today, with or without the abdication!

Yes annie so I did. It was in response to the post that having a president would increase the number of elections - I was making the point that without a presidential system we seem to be increasing the number of elections we have anyway. What did you think I meant? Maybe it was too elliptical.

susie you listed dates of elections

Yout post missed completely the point I was making annie

Yes suzie all those elections and the results !

Well I agree with maddy overall except I would prefer an elected HofS but she’s spot on - it’s not on the agenda at all - the best I hope for is a Scandi-style RF but actually the celebrification of our RF is getting worse so that’s not on the agenda either. ( and no I don’t blame MM for that - it started decades ago)