‘The situation is grave’ – the Irish documents about Edward VIII’s abdication the UK wanted to keep privateThree decades after the king gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson in 1936, the British government requested that a conversation involving Éamon de Valera not be publishedState Papers Day 1 - 1995 and its place in Irish historyRalph Riegel Today at 06:30The British government asked Irish officials to withhold any documentation relating to the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII from public release, 32 years after he stepped down so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Source: Irish Independent December 27, 2025 17:33 UTC