King Edward VIII

An American Life

Ted Powell

Provides a significant new interpretation of the life and reign of this controversial King
Sets Edward VIII in the context of Anglo-American relations in the twentieth century
Moves away from the traditional Anglocentric view of Edward VIII
Looks at Edward VIII as a global media celebrity

King Edward VIII

An American Life

Ted Powell

Description

Before he fell in love with Wallis Simpson, Edward VIII had fallen in love with America. As a young Prince of Wales, Edward witnessed the birth of the American century at the end of the First World War and, captivated by the energy, confidence, and raw power of the USA as it strode onto the world stage, he paid a number of subsequent visits: surfing in Hawaii; dancing with an American shop-girl in Panama; and partying with the cream of New York society on Long Island. Eventually, of course, he fell violently in love with Wallis, a Southern belle and latter-day Scarlett O'Hara. Forceful, irreverent, and sassy, she embodied everything that Edward admired about modern America.

But Edward's fascination with America was not unreciprocated. America was equally fascinated by the Prince, especially his love life, and he became an international media celebrity through newsreels, radio, and the press. Indeed, even in the decades after his abdication in 1936, Edward remained a celebrity in the US and a regular guest of Presidents and the elite of American society.

King Edward VIII

An American Life

Ted Powell

Introduction: An American Love Affair
1. Edward VIII and the Birth of the American Century
2. The Prince and the Doughboys
3. A New World: Edward's Tour of North America, 1919
4. Jazzin' Around: Panama, San Diego, and Hawaii, 1920
5. The EP Ranch: A Fantasy of Escape
6. An Englishman in New York, 1924
7. The Prince of Wales and Other Americans: Edward and the American Media
8. Luckiest of Females: The Prince and American Women
9. David Against Edward
10. Inner Emigration: The Americanization of a Prince
11. The Great Catastrophe: The Prince, the Depression, and the USA
12. Wallis
13. The Greatest Story since the Crucifixion: America and the Abdication
14. The Frog Prince: The Windsors in Exile, 1937-45
Epilogue: A Fly in Amber, 1945-72
Bibliography
Notes
Index

King Edward VIII

An American Life

Ted Powell

Author Information

Ted Powell spent the early part of his career as Fellow and Director of Studies in History at Downing College, Cambridge. Later he qualified as a solicitor, and spent many years as a partner of national law firm Mills & Reeve. He is now a full-time writer and lecturer, and lives in Cambridge.

King Edward VIII

An American Life

Ted Powell

Reviews and Awards

"By mining a prodigious number of resources, both in Britain, America, and beyond, Ted Powell has written the fullest, most revealing and perceptive biography of King Edward VIII." -- Juliet Gardiner, author of The Thirties: An Intimate History

"A beautifully presented assessment of the man and a deeply thoughtful consideration of the climactic event for which he will also live in British history, his infamous 1936 abdication of the throne." --Booklist, Starred Review

As readable as it is dense, Powell's book is rich and thorough, expertly crafted and completely accessible. An adept storyteller and historian, Powell manages to humanize a monarch who has at times been dwarfed by the voluminous publicity surrounding his abdication." -- The New York Times Book Review