On April 14, 1936, witnessed by Prime Minister Baldwin, the Duke of York, the Duke of Gloucester, and Duke Kent, King Edward VIII of Britain signed the abdication documents to be sent to the governments of the various dominions at Belvedere Castle, formally announcing that he would relinquish the British throne.
On April 15, Edward VIII, appearing on the national broadcast for the last time as King of Britain, read the "Abdication Act" aloud to the entire British public. At the end, he said with deep, silent emotion, "I believe that without the help and support of the woman I love, it would be impossible for me to fulfill my duties and carry out my obligations as king.
For the future development of the British Empire, and also for myself and my love, I will voluntarily relinquish the British throne. My descendants will also no longer possess the right of succession to the British throne."
Edward VIII's abdication was the biggest news in the British Empire. Not only was Edward VIII the first king in British history to voluntarily give up the throne for love, but his reign was also one of the shortest among British monarchs.
From the death of the previous King of Britain, George V, to Edward VIII's abdication, less than two months had actually passed.
Those two months had a profound impact on the British Government and created the extremely grim situation it now faced.
Aside from marveling that Edward VIII had truly been willing to give up the throne for love, the public was also waiting to see whether the new king, Duke Albert, could sweep away the decline Edward VIII had brought about and lead Britain back to its former glory.
Beginning on April 16, Britain officially entered the era of Duke Albert's rule.