Name/Title
1914 - Colorized photo of Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, and Duke of Windsor as an Ensign with the Grenadier Guards (UK) taken from an original plate used as the cover of 'The Tatler' MagazineDescription
*** Who presented this photo - where is it hanging? ***
A colorized photo of Edward, Prince of Wales as an Ensign (2nd Lieutenant) with The Grenadier Guards (UK) in June, 1914.
Edward was 20 years old and keen to participate in WW1when hejoined the Grenadier Guards in June 1914. He was willing to serve on the front lines, however, The Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener refused to allow it, citing the immense harm that would occur if the heir to the throne were captured by the enemy. In 2008 a letter written by Edward came to light and reveals his frustration at being held back from the fighting. The prince wrote to his friend Captain Faussett: 'As you may imagine mine is a most rotten position in wartime. I hold commissions in both services and yet I'm not allowed to fight. Of course I haven't got a proper job which is very painful to me and I feel I am left too much in a glass case. I long to be taking my chance in the trenches with my brother officers and in fact all able bodied Englishmen. But both seem to be impossible, so I have to carry on here at GHQ, attached to Divisions from time to time when all is quiet. It's a dull, monotonous life. This is a most rotten war unless you are actually fighting. It's a rotten war altogether and the sooner it ends the better for everyone concerned' Despite this, Edward witnessed trench warfare first-hand and attempted to visit the front line as often as he could, for which he was awarded the Military Cross in 1916. His role in the war, although limited, made him popular among veterans of the conflict. Edward undertook his first military flight in 1918 and later gained a pilot's licence.Created By
Bertille L. HurelCreate Date
August 18, 2022Updated By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Update Date
May 7, 2025