Edward VIII | The king who gave up the throne for the woman he loved
John Reith's Diary
An eyewitness account of the King's abdication.
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Writtencirca
1936
Synopsis
This diary extract reveals a view of King Edward VIII's abdication, as recorded at the time by BBC Director General Sir John Reith. It begins with Reith receiving a copy of the King's Instrument of Abdication in person from Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. Reith goes on to describe the subsequent parliamentary procedures and his own involvement in the King's abdication broadcast from Windsor Castle on that infamous day, 11 December 1936. In addition to Baldwin, Reith makes reference to other individuals caught up in the crisis.
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