abdication crisis of 1936

E8697

constitutional crisis historical event political crisis

The abdication crisis of 1936 was the constitutional and political turmoil in the United Kingdom when King Edward VIII chose to give up the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, leading to his brother George VI becoming king.

Aliases (6)

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	constitutional crisis → historical event → political crisis →
cause	Wallis Simpson being a twice-divorced American socialite → intention of Edward VIII to marry Wallis Simpson → opposition to the marriage by the British government →
chronologyWithinYear	December 1936 climax →
country	United Kingdom →
followedBy	reign of George VI →
governmentPosition	British government insisted Edward VIII could not marry Wallis Simpson and remain king →
hasConsequence	abdication of Edward VIII → accession of George VI → change in line of succession to the British throne →
hasEffect	creation of the title Duke of Windsor → exile of Edward VIII → public debate over royal marriage and duty → strengthening of constitutional monarchy conventions in the UK →
hasMainSubject	Edward VIII → Wallis Simpson →
historicalSignificance	first voluntary abdication of a British monarch in modern history → major turning point in 20th-century British monarchy →
involves	British government → British press → Church of England → Commonwealth realms → Dominions of the British Empire → Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin →
languageOfOfficialActs	English →
legalInstrument	His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 →
location	United Kingdom →
mediaCoverage	British newspapers → international press →
partOf	history of the British monarchy → interwar period →
precededBy	short reign of Edward VIII →
publicStatement	Edward VIII declared he could not carry on the heavy burden of responsibility without the help and support of the woman he loved →
relatedTo	British royal family → Duke of Windsor → House of Windsor → Wallis, Duchess of Windsor →
significantEvent	Edward VIII abdication → broadcast abdication speech of Edward VIII → issuance of the Instrument of Abdication →
startTime	1936 →
timePeriod	20th century →
topic	British constitutional law → monarchy of the United Kingdom → royal succession →

Referenced by (7)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Mary of Teck ("abdication crisis of Edward VIII") →	associatedWith
Fort Belvedere, Surrey ("abdication of King Edward VIII") →	event
abdication crisis of 1936 ("abdication of Edward VIII") →	hasConsequence
Wallis Simpson ("Abdication of King Edward VIII") →	influencedEvent
National Government coalition ("Abdication crisis of Edward VIII") →	notableEventDuringTenure
The King’s Speech →	portrays
His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 ("Abdication crisis of 1936") →	relatedToEvent