Written by Roger Fulford.
A portrait of The Duke of Windsor and his times.
Twenty-five years ago, on December 10, 1936, a King renounced his throne.
As Prince Edward he was born into an age in which most of the thrones of Europe were occupied by his relations, and Great Britain with her Empire was the greatest power in the world. As Prince of Wales he was heir to a throne for a quarter of a century. As Edward VIII he reigned for only 325 days before abdicating. As Duke of Windsor he now lives as a private citizen in a world in which two great nations tower over Britain and in which few countries outside Britain retain their monarchies.
He is seen here against the back-cloth of what Sir Winston Churchill has called 'the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell - the turbulent twentieth century'.