A B I D I C A T I O N C R I S I S S O U R C E A N A L Y S I S What two reasons are given by Edward VIII for his abdication? Edwards VIII decided to renounce the throne as he was determined to marry Wallis Simpson, an American woman who had been divorced twice. The marriage was strongly opposed by the British Government, however he did not want to part from Simpson, therefore he decided to abdicate. He also found the responsibilities overbearing and was not capable of carrying the burdens of being king. Why did Edward VIII love Mrs Simpson? He believed she was the perfect woman and she was his inspiration as she insisted that he should do his best at all times. He also believed that there was an intellectual companionship that drew them towards each other, and the only option was to marry her. What was Edward VIII’s mother’s reaction to his dilemma? According to source 3, Edward VIII’s mother did “not reprove him, in fact she sympathised with him and his forbidden love for Wallis Simpson. However, Edward VIII also states in source 3 that his mother believed that “the Monarchy was something sacred” and he would have to abdicate his duties as King. To what extent are views in source 5 supported by the views in source 6? The views in source 5 state focus on Edward VIII’s attempts to find a solution to his issues, whilst source 6 details his dilemma he was faced with. Source 5 states that “he explored all possible ways to achieve this (marriage) and keep the throne” which demonstrates that while he was determined to marry Wallis Simpson, he was not willing to give up on being king. This statement is supported in source 6 which also states “it was not so much that he did not want to be king” but he understood the difficulties that marrying Wallis Simpson would bring. As mentioned in both sources 5 and 6 it is acknowledged that the government was very much against finding solutions in which Edward VIII would both be the king and be married to Wallis Simpson. Examine sources 2 and 4(a). Uses and limitations of each source as evidence for a historian interested in Edward VIII Source 2 has a wide range of uses as it provides the reader or historian with information about Edward VIII’s mental state when deciding to abdicate. It details his longing for Wallis Simpson which demonstrates to historians that he was dealing with conflicts and his love for Wallis Simpson was genuine and strong. However, as this source does not come from Edward VIII himself, it may not detail his experiences as accurately and the information and details presented in source 2 may be assumptions based on other sources found. Source 4 is an image that demonstrates Edward VIII surrounded by cheering crowds whilst on tour in South Wales. Edward VIII proposed that this image was “evidence of his great popularity”, which is useful to historians as it shows how loved he was by the public. However, as it is an image there are certain limitations to the uses of this source, as there is no clear evidence to support his claims of his popularity being as great as he stated. Evaluate the proposition that Edward VIII should not have abdicated