[BIOGRAPHY OF THE DUKE OF WINDSOR]

[Applause] [Music] I'm Mike Wallace and this is biography our story the Duke of Windsor he was born to become king of the British Empire so said English law English tradition the English people yes the Duke of Windsor defied them all like a hero in some impossibly romantic operetta he shattered the plan renounced his claim to Empire and went into virtual exile with the woman he loved the press called it the love story of the century for eleven months the crown of England was worn by Edward the eighth known now as the Duke of Windsor as king he was a figurehead who appeared in the proper costume at the proper time his life was formal impersonal protected even in crowds he was a lonely King surrounded by a wall of ritual and protocol tradition had ruled his days not only as a king and young Prince but even as a child at the age of six his full name is Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David David's playmates are a prince and a princess his brother and sister their days are spent with tutors and servants and they get only brief glimpses of their mother and father they are isolated kept apart from the changing world at the turn of the century at this time their great-grandmother Victoria is queen of England her reign is the longest in English history and she puts the stamp of her firm personality on the Victorian age but her son who was David's grandfather is another kind of human being when Victoria dies he becomes King Edward the seventh this man who has been called the playboy Prince now sixty and in the twilight of a life that's been a long party ascends the throne of England to his grandson David he's a smiling Santa Claus David remembers him as the last Englishman to have an uninterruptedly good time [Music] and words rain is brief only nine years it ends in 1910 his grandson marches in his funeral procession David is just one step from the throne David's father George v is now king of England he's a rigid precise man and both he and his wife Queen Mary are steeped in the traditions of monarchy she conscientiously teaches her son David the lessons of royal manners and dedication to the crown he must someday wear in 1911 at the age of 17 at Caernarfon castle David takes part in a significant ceremony it is his investiture and marks his formal debut as royalty he has accorded the traditional title given the future king his father crowns him Prince of Wales [Music] for the next few years he patiently participates in a long round of official duties [Music] when World War one erupt David wants to fight but he is forced to be a spectator by royal edict the frontlines are out of bounds to a prince who will someday be king his father keeps him busy with inconsequential duties occasionally he comes close to the front but always far from real danger David can only observe from a distance and he complains Oh to be fighting and not sitting back here doing so little compared to those who are giving their lives oh not to be a prince November 11 1918 the Armistice the war to end all wars is over David have now take the traditional tour aboard a Royal Navy Cruiser required education for a prince he visits every British possession and many countries in between to see and be seen his role is that of goodwill ambassador he must impress the crown subjects and be impressed by the size and power of the Empire [Music] he has a shy of feeling warmth he's a popular Prince attend the rodeo gets a chance to let down the bars to break away momentarily from his role as official visit when he visits the United States his first stop is the White House for a brief talk with President Wilson [Music] during the war he met many American soldiers and he feels a special kinship for the Yaak Doughboy he makes it a special point to stop and chat with Britain's popular print is popular in America too which has always had a soft spot in its heart for royalty he calls his New York City welcome a masterpiece of acclamation thrilling beyond description his days are planned to the minute with typical American efficiency a brief ceremony a speech then on to the next stop [Music] at West Point the superintendent of cadets General Douglas MacArthur is his host and then still more touring more reception more meetings [Music] he is the victim of his own popularity there is so much handshaking that he eventually sprains his wrists women vastly outnumber the men lining his route of March wherever he goes the greeting is warm and friendly the legend of Prince Charming is taking form this girl danced with the prince and could hardly wait to talk about but an official world tour has few real pleasures the Prince compares it to being caught in a revolving door he calls himself a Wayfarer never getting to know any place well he's spending the better part of seven years touring the Empire and the world [Music] back home in the British Isles still more official appearances he's 30 years old a bachelor he doesn't have to worry about a family or making a living David craves adventure and excitement to break the monotony of royal life he spends a great deal of time racing thoroughbred horses his temples frighten the royal family and raise old-fashioned eyebrows but the Prince of Wales is Prince Charming and most people grant him his fun one day his duties take him to an airshow daredevil pilots of the twenties unleash a display of tricks and speed and courage the Prince's first amused and then fascinated if racing horses is thrilling think what flying must be like his decision to take flying lessons and risk his neck horrify as the royal family but to the English people this Peck's bad boy quality makes him more likeable more human he's the first royal prince to fly his father King George is now aging more and more his son is called upon to fill in for the king at Court functions it is simply a matter of time before David will sit on the throne of England as the world's most eligible bachelor he is caught up in a world of social events weakened Fox hunts a part of his life and in the winter of 1931 while on a hunt he meets an Englishman named Ernest Simpson and his American wife Wallis they become part of David select circle of friends and they join him on his round of nights spent in Mayfair London's exclusive playground [Music] belvedere castle is his private home and the center of his social activity Ernest and Wallis Simpson are frequently among his weekend guests close friends become convinced the prince has more than a passing interest in the attractive mrs. Simpson she's a worldly and sophisticated woman David is impressed by her charm and wit that he's delighted by her frankness and independence [Music] more and more the two are seen together in public she is by his side as he watches the races she joins him in a vacation on the continent she has quietly separated from her husband as the months go by there can be no doubt that David and Wallace are in love [Music] King George the fifth is dead and as the Empire pays tribute to his late father David is aware that he is the next king but how he wonders can the King of England carry on a romance with a married woman and what if she were to be divorced would he be permitted to marry a divorcee a commoner an American the great drama of his life is about to begin [Music] Christian George Andrew Patrick David is now by the death of all the sovereign of happy memories become lawful Beach Lord Edward the eighth [Music] On January 20 1936 David Prince of Wales takes the throne as King Edward VIII a outwardly he is calm but his heart is heavy he is involved in an impossible romance with a married woman he must resolve this dilemma before his formal coronation is king just nine months from now preparations for the event are already underway it is part of a tradition dating back of thousand years before the coronation the perplexed King seeks escape and privacy on a cruise aboard the Royal Yacht Wallis Simpson joins him they make a momentous decision no matter what they will marry on the waters of the Mediterranean they try momentarily to forget that ahead of them looms a royal scandal Wallace must begin divorce proceedings as soon as possible and David must find some way for her to become his queen [Music] David returns to England and resumes his duties of state he must not betray his anxiety his advisors have secretly hammered out a gentlemen's agreement with the British press for the moment the newspapers will not mention the subject of the king and Wallis Simpson but at most this can only be a temporary measure the issue must soon come to a head his decision to marry Wallis Simpson must inevitably shape the empire [Music] Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin advances as the Kings major antagonist proclaiming the British people will not stand for this marriage Winston Churchill will put his career in jeopardy by his outspoken defence of the King the Archbishop of Canterbury will place the Church of England in the path of the marriage by declaring that the king seeks happiness in a manner inconsistent with Christian principles David's brother Albert is next in line for the throne but will take no part in the conflict for Queen Mary the question of this marriage poses the problem of choosing between royal tradition and the love of her son by chance a routine ceremony brings many of these figures together but those watching cannot imagine the strange circumstances of this moment with the king is Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin the man who insists the marriage will topple the government but David has told him a way must be found time is running out the secret cannot be kept from the public much longer Wallis Simpson stays at Cumberland Terrace she has already divorced her husband and she agrees to a marriage in which she will forfeit her rights as Queen but Baldwin says it won't do shortly after in Wales the embattled king inspects the living conditions of the miners during a tour the area is ravaged by a depression david is distressed by the desperate situation of the miners there and he reportedly comments something must be done the remark is taken as a slur on the ability of Prime Minister Baldwin's government no statement could have hurt the King more now Baldwin is furious he is determined to force the issue the gentlemen's agreement is broken headlines stunned the nation [Music] for the first time the British people learned that their King wants to marry an American Wallis Warfield Simpson a commoner and a divorcee Wallis his home is besieged by reporters she becomes the center of attention for the British press the pressures the publicity become unbearable in virtual panic she pleasing and she takes refuge in a chateau on the Riviera only to be discovered and founded by a horde of reporters she hides from their cameras and questions all she can do now is wait Baldwin goes to Buckingham Palace to hand the King and ultimatums if he will not give up Wallis Simpson he must risk the political consequences the wrath of the governor or he must abdicate the king's answer I will marry at 10 Downing Street Baldwin summons his ministers to plot a final stand there can be no compromise with the king the British people stand on the sidelines in suspense waiting for the next move it is no longer a private love affair but a public issue if the King were to make a queen of someone who has been twice in a divorce case undoubtedly there would be millions of people both in England and in the dominions would be greatly distressed at such a thing government has forced an issue which cannot possibly be decided until next April in my opinion it is a possible explanation that they are concerned with the growing popularity of the king by reason of his interest in the depressed areas the great business as compared with the failure of the government to deal with this difficult and vital problem to safeguard the family our church must oppose the remarriage of divorced person mr. Simpson has twice been in the divorce courts to my mind that completely throughout his Queen of England I think he is a sign of modern democratic time after all the king is a man like myself but you should not allow his private life to interfere this public life we will be willing to make a great I do not think that the church should be interfere in matters of state my opinion in a king he should know he loves in a good check in working class in my opinion the Kings marriage should be a private act and considered as such in this case we should be able to avoid a constitutional matter feelings run high in Britain and throughout the world support mounts for the king public opinion swings toward the man who had always been a popular figure [Music] HL Mencken flippantly calls it the greatest story since the resurrection the nation is on the verge of political crisis in this moment an empire is caught up in the battle between two men one motivated by political considerations the other by love of a woman and between them a country is being torn apart David must act immediately the final decision is made behind palace walls David tells his mother he will abdicate at 4:00 p.m. on December 10th 1936 Stanley Baldwin goes to Parliament to announce the abdication David's brother Albert will become England's new king [Music] it is over now David is no longer at with the eighth he is simply the Duke of Windsor this is his last night in England and he wants to explain to his people he will make a radio broadcast his former subjects and the world will hear his reason for the abdication i discharged my last duty as king and Emperor but you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to them but I want to help and support and now we all have a new king I wish him and you his people happiness and prosperity with all my heart god bless you all god save the king [Music] the uncertainty the anguish the conflict are over and in a villa in France the newly married Duke and Duchess of Windsor pose for their wedding pictures a king stepped down from his throne so that this event could take place and a thousand years of tradition were swept away so that a man could marry the woman he loved [Music] the deal can Duchess of Windsor spend the years of their marriage traveling to various parts of the world they have homes in Europe and in the United States and they divide most of their time between these two continents their life together seems to have a feeling of tranquility and yet a sense of eternal movement their love story is complete it's hard to imagine that these two figured in a romance that shook an empire we see their picture now and then in magazines well-groomed aging smiling at us rather sadly almost as if to say we didn't mean to cause such a commotion it was after all a private matter [Music]