"The King's Party" - part 5 of our series on the Abdication crisis
When the story of the King's relationship with the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson broke in the British press, Edward VIII believed his abdication was inevitable. But for a brief "moment" on the 4th and 5th of December, it looked as if a flicker of public support might light a path for his survival.
In the latest episode of "Royal Revolutions", RHG founder Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator James Taylor discuss:
- Wallis's tumultuous escape from Britain to France
- The motivations of the King's supporters
- The media reaction and hints of public support for the King
- Why Harry Enfield ruined a teenage Gareth's life back in the 90s
- Wallis's latest attempts to break it off with the King
- The King's planned broadcast appeal that never aired
- Baldwin's fears of the constitutional settlement being overturned
- Winston Churchill's outspoken role in the crisis
- Concerns about the legality of Wallis's divorce
We are again joined by historian Adrian Phillips who helps us make sense of what the so-called "King's Party" was.