Privilege doesn’t always deliver contentment. Fairly tales don’t always produce happy endings. Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor, also known as the Prince of Wales and then King Edward VIII of England, was born into wealth, privilege and expectation. As the first-born son of George V, he was monarch-in-waiting. Ultimately, he reigned for eleven months and gave it all up for a twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson.
Although most people know the dramatic ending of Edward VIII’s abdication, many are unaware of his earlier life—the contribution he made during World War I, the support he gave to King and Empire after the war, and the role he played during the later years of his father’s life when George V was ill. And few are aware of his lifelong attachment to America. The story Ted Powell has chosen to tell in his non-fiction book King Edward VIII: an American Life (Oxford University Press, 2018) centres on Edward’s keen interest in American attitudes, successes, and its robust democracy, his celebrity status, and the contribution he made as Prince of Wales and heir presumptive.
King Edward VIII is a tragic figure. His love for Wallis Simpson an obsession. Read more about Ted Powell’s biography and his perspective based on extensive research at the HNS website.
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M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel, TIME AND REGRET was published by Lake Union. Mary’s other novels, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or on her website www.mktod.com.
