Name/Title
Parliament Might Be King for Day if Edward Quit His Throne to Marry,St. Joseph Gazette November 3, 1936Entry/Object ID
AM1986.1.3Scope and Content
Parliament Might Be King for Day if Edward Quit His Throne to Marry, St. Joseph Gazette November 3, 1936.
New York: Public speculation as to whether King Edward VIII might go to the extreme of abdicating the British throne to marry America's fascinating Mrs. Wallis Simpson has set legal experts to puzzling over the unprecedented position which would be created
Presumably Edward could abdicate if he wished and presumably his brother, the Duke of York, would come to the throne as next in line of succession with little Princess Elizabeth of York as heir. However, there appears to be no written work which would give guidance in such a contingency. The thing would have to be worked out when the abdication was proposed.
The last case in England having any resemblance to this was that of James II, in 1688. Jamesy throne got too hot for him because of sentiment in favor of William of Orange as ruler, and the monarch fled to the more friendly atmosphere of France.
There being no king to summons parliament, that august body summoned itself. The members then solemnly voted that James had run away and that therefore the throne was vacant. With that, William of Orange was invited to assume the crown. This provided no real precedent for these days, because James never admitted that he had abdicated. It does, however, raise the interesting point that since he did not abdicate, parliament in effect deposed him. Whether parliament had any authority to do this, and could do it again, has been in debate ever since.
Should Edward VIII decide to abdicate--and here the speculation is being carried rather far since he has given no indications of such a move--the procedure would be something like this: The question of succession would have to be dealt with by parliament, as the king would not be dead and the Duke of York would not automatically come to the throne. Only the king can call parliament, and therefore Edward would have to do this.
The monarch would then make known his desire to abdicate, and would recommend his successor-probably the duke of York. Parliament would accept the abdication and make York king-emperor. His royal Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, duke of York is forty-one years old, and has the reputation of being a very solid and capable individual. Those who know him say he lacks the charm and forceful personality of King Edward, but he is a fine type of gentleman and the people like him.
The duke's lovely duchess, Elizabeth, has always been a great favorite with the public, She was a so-called "commoner," not having a title of her own, although she was the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore. King George gave her the dignity of "princess" the day before she married his son.
The darling of the empire, however, is small Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the duke and duchess and after her father is next in line of succession to the throne. This winsome and exceedingly ten-year old girl may easily be Queen Elizabeth in her own right one of these days and England has indicated that it would be delighted if this happened.
Because of the probability that she would come to the throne, if King Edward has no children. Princess Elizabeth is being tutored for queenship. She does not go to school with other children, and her grandmother, Queen Mary, is taking a large hand in her training. The little girl wishes wistfully that she could do as other small folk, but she has a sweet disposition and has accepted the inevitable gracefully.
Should a son be born to the Duke and Duchess of York, he would take precedence over Elizabeth and would be heir to the throne, after his father.
There is a picture of James II, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of York.Lexicon
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Elizabeth daughter of Earl and Countess of Strathmore