This Day in History, 1936: Playboy King abdicates to marry a divorcee

There was a civic election in Vancouver on Dec. 9, 1936.

Alderman George Clark Miller beat alderman L. D. McDonald to become mayor, but frankly, nobody seemed to care — the world was watching whether King Edward VIII would quit the monarchy to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

He did.

“Edward Abdicates; Duke of York New King,” said the banner headline in the Dec. 10, 1936 Vancouver Sun.

“After long and anxious consideration, I have determined to renounce the throne to which I succeeded on the death of my father and I am now communicating this, my final and irrevocable decision,” Edward wrote in his Declaration of Abdication.

“I, Edward VIII, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British dominions beyond the seas, King, and Emperor of India, do hereby declare my irrevocable determina