Rift in royal family over David's love for Wally

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October 29, 1936

There are rumors of a rift between King Edward VIII and other members of the British Royal Family over his relationship with American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.

According to palace gossips, the duke and duchess of York "have figured less prominently in public functions," while the duke of Kent, who is married to the "spirited" Princess Marina of Greece, "is being placed much in the public eye."
There are few reports of the duke and duchess of York and the Duke of Gloucester, but the duke of Kent is out and about making numerous speeches, according to the report in Chicago Daily Tribune.

It is inferred that there is a "family difference" over the king's friendship with Mrs. Simpson, who is currently in Ipswich, having filed for divorce from her second husband.

One Briton, John Drinkwater has written an article about this in one of the British papers. He calls the gossip "malicious as it is contemptible."

"Certain foreign papers with a circulation in this country are now busy with our king's private life which under no circumstances can be a proper subject for discussion or private conjecture. In the circle of his own friends, the king's life is as much his own as mine or the dustman's and not to respect his private life is disgraceful."

One British newspaper doubts that the king will marry Mrs. Simpson, and he blames former aides of the king for spreading rumors. The editor says that the former aides are annoyed that Edward will not take their advice, and "are circulating various rumours which depict the king as unconstitutional and headstrong."

"From these aristocratic milieux flow a continual stream from tidbits to swell rumours."

American newspapers with reports of Mrs. Simpson's divorce action have been removed for sale from London newsstands. Four pages from the current Time magazine will be ripped out before the magazine goes on sale in the UK.