The future King Edward VIII as a midshipman in HMS Hindustan, c1910.

The future King Edward VIII as a midshipman in HMS Hindustan, c1910. Edward (1894-1972) succeeded his father George V to the throne as King Edward VIII in 1936. He ruled from ruled 20 January 1936 until 11 December 1936, and abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, thus heading off an impending constitutional crisis. Illustration from George V and Edward VIII, A Royal Souvenir, by FGH Salusbury, a souvenir book published as Edward VIII was crowned following the death of his father, George V, (Daily Express Publication, London, 1936). (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)