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T
he 20th century has
been no easy road for
European royalty. Two
world wars and a wave
of republicanism have taken
their toll.
newly-born child will be called
upon, sorne day, to reign over this
great Empire. But, up to the
presen t, we certainly have no
means of knowing his qualifications
or fitness for the position. From his
childhood this boy will be sur–
rounded by sycopbants and flatter–
ers by the score, and will be taught
to believe himself as a superior cre–
ation.... In due course, following
1910-"somehow failed to ma–
ture" and "remained deplorably
self-indulgent." So much so that
his father, George V, gave him a
year to survive on the throne. He
!asted 11 months.
In 191
O
George V created Ed–
ward Prince of Wales.
It
must be
said here that "Contrary to popular
belief, tbe King's eldest son does
not by rigbt become tbe Prince of
When the late Duke of Wind–
sor-the future Edward
VIII–
was born in 1894, 20 monarchs
ruled on the European
continent.
By
1951 six
survived. One, the
Spanish throne, has
How
the
British
Monarchy
Was
Saved
since been restored.
Let's be plain! Modero
constitutional monarchy
exists largely by public
approbation-and that
approval to quite a degree
is contingent on the evi–
dence of solid moral val–
ues. In the long run bad
behavior simply is not tol–
erated. Overall England's
House of Windsor has set
a sp lend id example.
That's why the Britisb
Royal Family is so uni–
versally admired.
And today's Queen
continues to command
tbe admira tion of ber
subjects.
Her courtesy is leg–
end-instilled by tbe ex-
ample of the Queen
Mother . Alastair Cooke
has defined a professional
as one who does one's
best even when not fe.el-
ing like it. The Queen is
a professional.
Wales. lf the King sbould
decide that bis first son
was unfit to bear tbe title,
he could witbhold it"
(A
King's Story,
page 73).
But Prince Edward was
still in bis midteens and
George V had no real
inkling of wbat was to
follow.
"According to the
Countess of Arlic ,
George V had said a few
montbs before bis deatb,
' J
pray to God that my
oldest son will never
marry and have cb il -
dren .. .' " (Robert Lacy,
Majesty,
page 83, 1977).
Tbat prayer was wonder–
fully answered if not in
every detail.
Few kings had ever
been better prepared for
office tban Edward VIII .
As the propbecy said, he
did undertake various in–
ternational tours in behalf
of Britain. Personally he
was the possessor of a
cbarming personality and
unlike bis brotber, tbe
Duke of York, tended to
be gregarious and outgo–
ing.
From birth she was
Princess Elizabeth–
daughter of the Duke of
York- not tbe daughter
of the Prince of Wales.
She was but
lO
when the
British monarchy carne to
crisis.
The Abdlcatlon
Crltll
The summer of 1894 brought tbe
birth of King George V's first son,
tbe future Edward VIII. There was
much rejoicing except for one tone
voice. A senior Scottish MP rose in
the Commons to prophesy . He
stunned his audience with these
words:
" The assumption is that the
18
by
John Roas Schroeder
the precedent which has already
been set, he will be sent on a tour
round the world, and probably ru–
mours of a morganatic marriage
will follow, and the end of it will be
tbat the country will be called upon
to pay the bill"
(A King's Story,
page 2, 1951).
This prophecy has proved aston–
ishingly accurate in its essentials.
According to one royal author, the
Prince of Wales- as he became in
A fatal attraction to
married women was to
mar Edward 's early
adultbood.
Tbese attractions cul–
minated in bis introduction to and
subsequent friendsbip with Wallis
Warfield Simpson , a married
woman from Baltimore, Maryland.
Edward's relationsbip with Mrs.
Simpson coincided with the final
sickness and deatb of bis father
George V. A constitutional crisis
was impending.
It
was simply not
possible for an English King to
marry a divorced woman. The
British monarchy was in serious
The PLAIN TAUTH