Abdication Crisis
1936. A constitutional crisis over Edward VIII's intention to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson and his following abdication.
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin advised against the marriage because his fiancée had quite an arguable reputation. Wallis Warfield Simpson was already married two times before(both exhusbands were still alive at that time) and during her publicity many other rumors came about. As a monarch (and head of the Church of England), Edward VIII had to set a moral example and furthermore it was believed that damaging the reputation of the monarchy would damage the reputation of Great Britain. So he had the choice to give up on Wallis Simpson and remain as the King or to abdicate and marry her afterwards. He chose the woman he loved, abdicated and went into exile with her.
In his final abdication speach he said:
"At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never wanted to withhold anything, but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak. A few hours ago I discharged my last duty as King and Emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York, my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart. You all know the reasons which have impelled me to renounce the throne. But I want you to understand that in making up my mind I did not forget the country or the empire, which, as Prince of Wales and lately as King, I have for twenty-five years tried to serve. But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love. And I want you to know that the decision I have made has been mine and mine alone. This was a thing I had to judge entirely for myself. The other person most nearly concerned has tried up to the last to persuade me to take a different course.[...]"
The problem was that only few of the British knew of his relationship with Wallis Simpson because all British media had agreed not to write about that relationship.
Sources:
Allen, Peter. The Crown and the Swastika: Hitler, Hess and the Duke of Windsor. London: Hale, 1983.
Ziegler, Philip. King Edward VIII: The Official Biography. London: Fontana, 1990.