A definitive account of the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936 draws on archival material and interviews with the king's closest friends to detail the role played by the king's opponents and supporters and the resulting scandal at a time when war was imminent. When King Edward VIII renounced his throne on December 10, 1936, the reason he gave was he could not fulfill his duties without the woman he loved by his side. Larman, informed by never-before-seen archival material, creates an hour-by-hour narrative that focuses on King Edward and Mrs. Simpson, but also looks closely at the roles played by those who stood against the king. He covers the assassination attempt on Edward's life and its consequences, and Edward's relationship with Nazi high command Ribbentrop. -- adapted from jacket

Introduction -- Prologue -- The royal concubine -- 'The most modernistic man in England' -- God save the King -- 'flatterers, sycophants and malice' -- 'Power without responsibility' -- 'The most serious crisis of my life' -- 'Something must be done' -- 'A clever means of escape' -- 'Make Britain great again' -- 'The best story since the resurrection' -- 'This is a bugger' -- 'Wherever you go, I will follow you' -- Failing tragically -- 'Pity and terror' -- "A far better thing I go to' -- Epilogue.