Prince of Wales

HRH Prince Edward
Prince of Wales
Biographical information
Born	23 June 1894
Died	28 May 1972 (aged 77)
Marital status	Single (later married to Wallis Simpson)
Residence	England
Title(s)	Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII, then Duke of Windsor) David (used by his family)
Military career	World War I veteran
Physical information
Gender	Male
Family information
Family	King George V (father) Mary of Teck (mother) Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI) (brother) Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (sister) Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (brother) Prince George, Duke of Kent (brother) Prince John (brother) †
Affiliation
Occupation	Prince, Ambassador, Diplomat
Loyalty	England, United Kingdom House of Windsor
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Oliver Dimsdale

"Would you permit me to open the ball?"

—Prince Edward to Lord and Lady Grantham in 1923.

"I'll be sorry if he means to revive the ways of his grandpapa, winking at every beauty in an opera box!"

—Lord Grantham on the prince's affair with Mrs Dudley Ward.

Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, styled commonly as HRH The Prince of Wales, (23 June, 1894 – 28 May, 1972) was the eldest son and heir of King George V and Queen Mary.

Biography

• Background
• 2013 CS

Background

Edward was born during the reign of his great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. When he was christened, he was given the name Albert at Victoria's bequest, while his last four names were given to him in tribute to the patron saints of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. His family and closest friends always called him David. His name Edward was in honor of a late uncle, and Christian in honor of his great-grandfather, a king of Denmark.

During the reign of his grandfather Edward VII, he held the dukedoms of Cornwall and Rothesay; his father was Prince of Wales. He was named Prince of Wales on his sixteenth birthday, nine weeks after his own father had been crowned king. He became King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December 1936.

He represented his father abroad, embarking on many tours throughout the Empire. However, he held a lack of appreciation for tradition and convention, and was a notorious and reckless womanizer.

He served in the navy for a time, and was fluent in German.

1923

The Prince is introduced to Rose, who has come up with her Crawley relatives for her debut to society. The prince had met her father while he was on tour in India.

Terence Sampson steals a letter from the handbag of Freda Dudley Ward at the Embassy which threatens to expose the affair between her and the Prince of Wales.

When Rose tells Lord Grantham of the situation, he expresses his disappointment that the prince would be such a womanizer (comparing him to his grandfather Edward VII, who had also been a womanizer). Nevertheless the monarchist Lord Grantham knows that the prince is heir to the throne and must be saved from scandal.

Though the letter is recovered and a scandal avoided, Mary (who earlier could not help but think that the prince brought the trouble down on his own head) believes that it will not be the last time he conducts himself in that manner.

He later attends a party at Grantham House, much to the surprise of his hosts. He dances with Rose. Joseph Molesley remarked to Phyllis Baxter how exciting it was to see the prince close up. She told him they could watch him from the basement steps when he left.

Notes

• At one point in the episode, Mrs Dudley Ward refers to the Prince as David, his last given name. This is historically accurate, as his family and close friends always referred to him as David.

Appearances

Appearances and Mentions
Series 4	Episode 1	Episode 2	Episode 3	Episode 4	Episode 5	Episode 6	Episode 7	Episode 8	Christmas Special Appears

Behind the Scenes

• Downton cast member Charles Edwards played King Edward VIII in the drama Bertie and Elizabeth.

External Links

1. Downton Abbey Five Questions Raised by the New Christmas Special at the Metro.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VIII