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Episode details

Sounds,10 Mar 2026,38 mins,

Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson

Dan Snow’s History Hit
Contains scenes of a sexual nature.

Available for over a year

In this episode, we explore the dramatic love story between King Edward VIII and the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson - a romance that shook the British monarchy to its core. Set against the backdrop of rising tensions in 1930s Europe, the scandal divided the government, the public and the royal family. And ultimately, Edward chose love over the crown. To hear all about this we're joined by Kate Williams, a historian and broadcaster who specialises in Royal history. She unpacks how their romance spiralled into a constitutional crisis. Produced by Beth Donaldson and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3Media. Dan Snow's History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

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