Pros And Cons Of Willis Simpson

In 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who was pursuing her second divorce. Religious, moral and political opposition to his marriage caused his abdication.

Religious laws prevented Edward from marrying Simpson when he was king, and subsequently contributed to Edward’s infamous abdication. As the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Edward was subject to the marriage rules outlined by the church. He was not permitted to marry a divorcee with a living spouse, however Simpson had a living ex-husband, Earl Winfield Spencer, Jr., and at the time, she was married to Ernest Aldrich Simpson. This prohibited her from marrying Edward, until he abdicated from the throne, and in

turn, removed his affiliation with the Church of England. Furthermore, Wallis’ first divorce was on the grounds of emotional incompatibility. However, the Church of England considered adultery to be the only grounds for divorce. If her reason for divorce was challenged in the English courts, it might not have been recognised under English law. Her second marriage to Simpson and third marriage to Edward would have been considered bigamous, and therefore invalid. This further prompted Edward’s abdication.

Moral evidence that revealed Simpson’s risqué background and behaviour caused the Royal Family and greater public to reject Simpson as queen consort, in turn, causing Edward to abdicate.

As various rumours began circulating about Simpson in society, Edward’s ministers including his family became sceptical about Simpson’s suitability as a queen. Edward’s mother, the dowager Queen Mary, was informed that Simpson had a sexual control over Edward, and that she had relieved him of a sexual dysfunction through methods she learnt in a Chinese brothel. Dr. Alan Campbell Don, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, supported this theory and wrote that Edward “is sexually abnormal, which may account for the hold Simpson has over him.” Further, Edward’s official biographer, Phillip Ziegler, concluded: “There must have been some sort of sadomasochistic relationship, where Edward relished the contempt and bullying she bestowed on him.” The allegations regarding Simpson’s background and behaviour raised alarm bells in the

establishment.

According to an official police report, Simpson was involved in a sexual relationship with married car mechanic and salesman, Guy Trundle, while involved with Edward.

This is likely to have been passed on to minsters and members of the royal family. Additionally, speculation of a third lover, the Duke of Leinster, arose during the time. Simpson’s affairs further cemented herself as an unsuitable queen candidate.

Many argued that Simpson was simply perusing Edward for his money; with his equerry writing she would eventually leave him, “having secured the cash”. Whilst this never ended up happening, it still provides insight into the sort of person Simpson was perceived as. The future prime minister, Neville Chamberlain wrote in his diary that Simpson was “an entirely unscrupulous woman who is not in love with the king but is exploiting him for her own purposes.” He further went on to say, “she has already ruined him in money and jewels…”

Due to poor relations between the United States and the United Kingdom and certain members of the British upper class views that Americans were socially inferior, the majority of Britons refused to accept an American as a queen

consort.

Political-based factors were detrimental to Edward and Simpsons’ image, ultimately forcing Edward’s abdication, if he were to remain with Simpson. Edward became extremely unpopular with the public in Scotland after he pretended he could not open a new wing of the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary because he was mourning his father, but was in fact cavorting on a holiday with Simpson, as pictured in newspapers the following day.

Members of the British government became more sceptical about the proposed marriage after being informed Simpson was an agent of Nazi Germany. The Foreign Office obtained leak dispatches from German Ambassador, Joachim von Ribbentrop, which revealed his belief that opposition to the marriage was motivated by the wish “to defeat those Germanophile forces which had been working through Simpson.” It was also rumoured to the public that Simpson had access to confidential government papers sent to Edward, which he left unguarded at his Fort Belvedere residence. Furthermore, while Edward was abdicating, Simpson’s personal protection officers in France sent reports to Downing Street suggesting Simpson might “flit to Germany”.

A combination of religious, moral and political opposition prevented Edward from marrying Simpson while he was on the throne. Due to Edward’s ex officio role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Simpson was not eligible to be his spouse. Moral opposition hindered the approval of Simpson, particularly within the Royal Family, but also with the British public. Political events further cemented Simpson’s unsuitability to the role of Queen and revealed Edward’s decline in popularity. Edward was forced to abdicate in order to marry Simpson.