WSC and the Abdication Crisis

• George V died, and his son Edward VIII was crowned


  20th Jan 1936
• Edward VIII


  • Not a popular character within government
  • Well known for drinking, gambling, and liking many, much older women
  • Believed to be a Nazi sympathiser
• Wallis Simpson


  A twice divorced American socialite, who Edward met and fell in love with in 1935
• Edward VIII wanted to marry Wallis Simpson


  As the monarch is the Head of the Church in England, Edward was unable to remain King as marrying a divorcee was against the restrictive morals of the 1930s
• Marrying a divorcee


  Could lead to countries breaking away which would have caused serious constitutional and imperial crises
• Edward VIII's abdication


  1. Seemed intent on pursuing and marrying Wallis

  2. Led to questions of his ability to continue

  3. Triggered his abdication in December 1936

  4. In favour of his younger brother Albert
• WSC

  Winston Churchill
• WSC intervened in the crises


  He was loyal to the monarchy and had a close friendship with Edward
• As a fellow member of the aristocracy, WSC failed to realise how Edward's social indiscretions could bring the monarchy into disrepute and cause a crisis both nationally and internationally
• WSC's main message


  The King needed more time to decide whether he would abdicate or not
• WSC's speeches were not received well with most party members accusing him of opportunism and disloyalty fearing he would exploit the crisis to stage a leadership coup over PM Baldwin
• WSC's actions were encouraged


  By his friend and media baron Lord Beaverbrook who confirmed that he was doing the right thing
• People did not trust WSC


  One of the reasons why his concerns about rearmament and Hitler were ignored
• WSC retired from the House of Commons to Chartwell House becoming only an MP
• WSC was still incredibly well connected with the higher echelons of power
• WSC was in contact with a journalist who worked for the very influential Evening Standard and later the Daily Telegraph
• Three influential men WSC remained in contact with


  • Frederick Lindeman (Professor at Oxford and a great advocate of new technology - radios, tanks, and air power)
  • Brandan Bracken MP (rumoured to be WSC's bastard and Private Secretary to the Minster of Information)
  • Desmond Morton (a key intelligence officer who regularly passed on info to WSC about German rearmament)
• WSC would not have been able to make his arguments for rearmament without Morton's information
• Many saw WSC's campaign to keep the King


  As outdated and rooted in Victorian ethos demonstrating that he was out of touch with society and the public mood
• WSC's approach to the abdication


  Gave him little support
• WSC flaunted with antiquity


  Rather than raise awareness of domestic issues
• WSC failed to appreciate that the public mood was against Edward VIII


  Marrying a divorcee would have caused an upset as he was 'Head of Church'
• Many were Christian at the time
• WSC's campaign


  Highlighted that he had a lack of support
• People who supported WSC's campaign


  • Alfred Duff Cooper (The King's friend)
  • Lord Beaverbrook (head of Daily Mail)
• WSC's own party including Baldwin abandoned him
• WSC was constantly shouted down in Parliament