爱德华八世/EdwardVIII
爱德华八世(1894-1972),英王乔治五世之长子,1936年初,其父身亡后继承王位,不久为了和美国平民女子沃丽丝结婚而让位于其弟乔治六世。1937年,乔治六世继位,封爱德华八世为温莎公爵。
, butuntilnowithasnotbeenconstitutionallypossibleformetospeak.
AfewhoursagoIdischargedmylastdutyasKingandEmperor, andnowthatIhavebeensucceededbymybrother, theDukeofYork, .
Youallknowthereasons, , which, asPrinceofWalesandlatelyasKing, Ihavefortwenty-fiveyearstriedtoserve.
ButyoumustbelievemewhenItellyouthatIhavefounditimpossibletocarrytheheavyburdenofresponsibilityandtodischargemydutiesasKingasIwouldwishtodowithoutthehelpandsupportofthewomanIlove.
.
Ihavemadethis, themostseriousdecisionofmylife, onlyuponthesinglethoughtofwhatwould, intheend, bebestforall.
Thisdecisionhasbeenmadelessdifficulttomebythesureknowledgethatmybrother, withhislongtraininginthepublicaffairsofthiscountryandwithhisfinequalities, , enjoyedbysomanyofyou, andnotbestowedonme—ahappyhomewithhiswifeandchildren.
, andinparticular, , thePrimeMinister, , , Ishouldneverhaveallowedanysuchissuetoarise.
EversinceIwasPrinceofWales, andlateronwhenIoccupiedthethrone, .
, butIshallalwaysfollowthefortunesoftheBritishraceandempirewithprofoundinterestandifatanytimeinthefutureIcanbefoundofservicetoHisMajestyinaprivatestation, Ishallnotfail.
Andnow, weallhaveanewKing, Iwishhimandyou, hispeople, ! GodsavetheKing!
经过这么久,我终于能说几句心里话了。我从未刻意地想隐瞒什么,但在此之前,按照宪法规定,有些话我是不能说的。
几个小时之前,我卸下了作为国王和皇帝的最后职责,让位于我的弟弟约克公爵。首先,我要向他表示我的拥护和忠诚。这是我的肺腑之言。
促使我放弃王位的原因已经众所周知,但是我想让你们明白的是,在作出这一决定时我并没有忘记自己的国家或帝国。25年来,无论是作为之前的威尔士亲王,还是作为后来新册立的国王,我一直都在竭诚为我们的国家服务。