Edward VIII 1936 Coronation Notice from House of CommonsOfficial House of Commons printed notice of the coronation of Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor In 1934, Prince Edward was next in line to the throne. He had no patience for the arcane rules of court life and embarked on a romantic relationship with twice divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. Her status was a huge problem for the staunchly traditional government and Church of England. When Edward became king of the United Kingdom in January 1936,