Edward VIII: He gave up the throne for love

Edward and Wallis on vacation in Yugoslavia in 1936.

It is the birthday of British King Edward VIII (1894), who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. Edward became Duke of Windsor after the abdication and Wallis became Duchess of Windsor after their marriage. During World War II, the Duke was assigned a diplomatic role in France but because he was widely viewed as pro-Nazi, he was appointed Governor of the Bahamas, a position that Prime Minister Winston Churchill viewed as a place where the Duke could do the least harm politically. After World War II, the Duke and Duchess lived in Paris and traveled extensively as celebrities.