Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor The late Prince of Wales - The man who would not be King

As a child in 1950s England I would often here my parents mention Edward and Mrs Simpson. For them, as fierce Royalists, he was such a disappointment.

However, in some ways they also believed that he should have been able to maintain his birthright. They thought that he should have been able to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson and keep the throne.

Still, inevitably he was forced to choose between his country and his lover, and having chosen his American lover, made many enemies.

David as he was affectionately called, by some, was to be King Edward VIII of England. This would have also made him King of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries. Back then the Commonwealth was huge and so his responsibilities would have been enormous.

Edward was born on 29th June 1894. His parents were the Duke of York, who was to become King George V, and the Duchess of York, who was previously called Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. His parents royal line included many famous royals.

Baptised by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward's, or David's, many names were all chosen as they had family significance. The names George, Andrew, Patrick and David were chosen as they are the names of the patron saints of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales respectively. David though was to end up the name used most frequently by family and friends.

Edward was the eldest child in the family. The present Queen's father was one of his younger brothers.

He was invested, officially, as the Prince of Wales on the 13th July 1911. This ceremony was designed to give the appearance of being ancient and traditional. Very different to the more recent investiture of the current Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.

It seems that this 1911 investiture was the first such ceremony to actually be held in Wales, since the 1600s. It was held at Caernaforn Castle.

When the First World War broke out, in 1914, Edward was reportedly keen to join up. The Royals are so often seen in uniform, but many have never seen active service. Some of the younger royals today have, but to what extent one can never be sure. However, Edward did attempt to visit the front line when possible. As heir to the throne his war activities were not encouraged.

He became popular among veterans of the war and this popularity was to continue. With visits to the poorest areas of England he became a popular royal. Times change and these days I imagine poverty stricken individuals may resent the intrusion of someone who has had such an easy life.

His travels abroad seem to have been mixed. It appears that he was outspoken in much the same way that Prince Phillip is these days. Back then; little that was negative was reported on any royals. I have read though that when Edward visited Australia he had this to say about the Aborigines:-

"They are the most revolting form of living creatures I've ever seen!! They are the lowest known form of human beings and are the nearest thing to monkeys".

No comment is necessary from me here.

Although he became popular it was as a reasonable looking man, who was a bit of a Beau Brummel character. There seemed little substance to the man. His father declared that he would be a disaster as a King and for England.

In so many ways there are similarities between Edward Prince of Wales and the current one, Price Charles.

He was a womaniser who seemed incapable of fully growing up, that is maturing. Many of us go through phases when we are young but, most of us, grow out of them.

There were rumours that Edward did not want to become King, even before he met Wallis. His brother George had married and had two daughters, Elizabeth, our current Queen, and Margaret. King George is reputed to have wanted Edward to remain unmarried and his son George succeed to the throne.

This was not what George's wife Elizabeth wanted though.

As George was a shy man, who stammered when under stress, his wife hoped that he would never be King. His early death was blamed on the abdication, and successive events, by the Queen Mother.

By 1930 Edward was living in Fort Belvedere and having affairs with various women. Wallis was not the first American lady to catch the Prince's eye. He was a philanderer. One of these women introduced him to Wallis and, as they say, the rest is history.

Mrs Simpson had been born Bessie Wallis Warfield and became Wallis Spencer and then Wallis Simpson. By the mid 1930s Edward and Wallis were an item. It seemed that he had finally found true love. As Wallis was a twice married American, the English authorities were far from happy.

On 28th January 1936 King George died and Edward became King Edward VIII. Mrs Simpson was still a married woman, and yet, Edward watched the ascensionceremonies with Wallis at his side. In 1930s Britain this was unthinkable.

Edward's brief reign, on the throne of England, was not a smooth one.

• In 1936 an assassination attempt was made on his life.
• Edward was a vain man and as he thought that the left side of his face was more attractive than the right he broke with traditional coinage images. It is usual for a new King or Queen to have their image facing the opposite side of the previous ruler.
• He began to interfere in politics which is not appropriate for royalty, in the UK. Some of this made him popular with ordinary people. Having claimed that something needed to be done to help the poor, when he was visiting a coal mining area of Wales, the people warmed to Edward.

Edward and Mrs Simpson, as she still was, were seen together too often. They holidayed on a cruise and more. Edward now knew that he wanted to marry Wallis come Hell or high water. It was 1936 and Hitler's presence was being felt on the World stage. Britain needed a figurehead that it could rely upon.

Edward asked to meet with the then Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin. Baldwin was a stern man and in so many ways the opposite of Edward. On 16th November Edward told Baldwin of his intention to marry Wallis as soon as she was a free woman.

Most British people believe that losing the throne meant more to Wallis than it did to Edward. However, I'll give the woman her due. She stayed with Edward even when he was in effect exiled. They never lived in poverty though and both still lived a privileged existence.

When Baldwin rejected Edward's intention to marry, Edward came up with another plan. He hoped that he could ascend to the throne as King but Wallis would not be Queen, in real terms. She would be his consort. He hoped and thought that the government would accept this compromise. The British government were having none of it though. Backed into a corner Edward did the only thing he thought he could. He abdicated.

On 10th December 1936 Edward, his ministers and relevant family members signed the papers which would allow Edward to abdicate.

Edward was made the Duke of Windsor. This title prevented Edward from becoming involved in British politics and more.

The matter was not easily settled though and some wanted the Duke and Duchess to have nothing. The Queen Mother maintained an intense dislike of both Edward and Wallis throughout her lifetime.

War with Germany was to follow in 1939 and, as we now know, Edward played the traitor on more than one occasion. He was seen with Adolf Hitler and performing the Nazi salute. In recent years we have seen many revelations regarding Edward and Mrs Simpson.

Although they became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor for many, including myself, they will always be The Prince of Wales and Mrs Simpson.

Edward and Wallace were never welcome in England, although they still had many fans and sympathisers. His antics during World Ward Two, with the likes of Hitler, put the final nail in his coffin, for many. It is rumoredthat he was prepared to do a deal with the Nazis in exchange for regaining the throne. Both he and Wallis approved of the Nazis early behaviour.

Although Edward was excluded from events, such as Queen Elizabeth's ascension, to the throne he did attend his brother, King George's funeral.

On the 28th May 1977 the Duke of Windsor died at his Paris home. Wallace was at his side. He was 77. Edward was given a state funeral in England, on 5th June 1977. Wallis was to live for another 14 years.

In death she was finally accepted. She was buried alongside her husband, in the Royal Burial Ground. Her grave is simply marked as Wallis, Duchess of Windsor.

This couple lived such a complex and varied life. The only conclusion I can draw about Edward though is that, in some ways, he was a silly man, he let his heart, or something, rule his head, he was weak, perhaps he would not have made a good king, he was selfish, he could be touched by the poverty of others, he was likable, he was arrogant and he was in love.

This .love affair will fascinate people for years to come. Prince Charles and Camilla have so many similarities to Wallis and Edward, that only time will tell who will be our next ruler.