Edward VIII abdicated his throne in 1936 after less than a year as king in order to marry Wallis Simpson. The new king, George VI and Edward’s younger brother, created the title “Duke of Windsor” for the former king. Edward was the first and only Duke of Windsor; after his death the dukedom ramained vacant.
During World War II there were rumors that Edward was a Nazi sympathizer. Hitler was quoted as saying that he believed if Edward had stayed on the throne everything would be different, reffering to the relationship between Germany and Britain. In order to keep Edward far from the conflict he was appointed Governor of the Bahamas, a position which he held from August 1940-March 1945.
