Edward VIII – born Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David in 1894. For a king with a very long name, Edward had an incredibly short rule: from 20^th January 1936 to 11^th December of the same year – he was never even officially coronated!

Despite his short reign, Edward is a king that many will be aware of, as the first and only British monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne. This was a result of his intended marriage with Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who had been twice divorced prior to her relationship with Edward, which was considered socially and politically unacceptable at the time, as well as conflicting with his position as titular head of the Church of England.

While the story of Edward’s abdication is commonly known, there are many more stories to learn about his life and incredibly short reign.