King Edward VIII was the King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire from January to December 1936. He is best known for his abdication, which occurred because he wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. His decision to prioritize personal happiness over royal duty shocked the nation and led to a constitutional crisis. After abdicating, Edward was given the title of Duke of Windsor and spent much of his life in France. He married Wallis Simpson in 1937, and they remained together until his death in 1972. Edward's brief reign and abdication had lasting impacts on the British monarchy.