Amazon exiles discussion

Watched the documentary Traitor King last night on C4 and was shocked and disgusted by the revelations. Eddie VIII has always had a certain amount of sentimental sympathy over his sacrifice of the crown over true love and i was aware of bad feeling about the couple swanning about while britain was at war but i couldn't believe the levels of his treachery
1. leaking details of French defensive frailties to Germans
2. Encouraging the bombing of London as a way of forcing Britain to sue for peace
3. Negotiations with Germany to be reinstated as a Nazi-supported English king in the event of a German victory
Equally appalling to know that some knew the extent of his treason and covered it up - including Churchill
i wonder if Her Majesty was watching - it was about her favourite uncle, after all?

My understanding is he spoke about the matters you list above to 'friends' who were known to be nazi spies or sympathisers, rather than directly to the Germans. The question is whether he was aware that his comments were being passed on to the nazis. Loose lipped idiots are a common thing, but being a useful idiot doesn't make one a traitor per se. You have to prove the intent.

For example, you wouldn't have to be some kind of mastermind to know about French deficiencies particularly so far as morale goes. The country had suffered horribly during the Great War (indeed, one might argue that France is still affected by that experience even to this day). It was a mistake of their high command to think the Ardennes was an impenetrable barrier to an invader, hence why the defences were so deficient in that part of the border compared to where the Maginot Line lay. The Germans evidently did not go along with that assessment. Any keen enthusiast for military history could point to dozens of similar examples over the centuries.

Churchill was certainly aware, which is why he removed the Duke from the European continent as Governor of the Bahamas, where his chit-chat could do no harm. For him to have publicly outed the Duke in 1940 would have done immeasurable damage to the morale of the British nation at a critical time.

Always difficult to judge these things when the information is so old and second hand. The media are not known for their moderate and reasonable portrayal of the facts. On the other hand, I never went along with the "poor lad, sacrificed to the morality of the day" school of thought, either.

The encouragement of the bombing of Britain is unforgivable in one who aspired to be reinstated as king, although I don't believe that Hitler actually needed any such encouragement ...

Tim wrote: "My understanding is he spoke about the matters you list above to 'friends' who were known to be nazi spies or sympathisers, rather than directly to the Germans. The question is whether he was aware..."

I'd urge you to watch the programme

WIndsor had access to the French Military's details as part of his official work. He was probably well aware the information got back to Germany via his close friend, Nazi informant Charles Bedaux
Documents show that he recommended the sustained bombing of Britain by germans

impossible to put this down to stupidity, ignorance or bad temper

They wuz Saxe-Coburg-Gothas before they switched to Windsor in t'First World War so sympathisin' wi't'Hun is no surprise! I wanted to put up some German flag bunting for t'Jubilee but t'missus said, "Nein, schweinhund" und zat voz zat!

More seriously I was a little surprised to see so much England bunting amongst the Union Jackassery.

Brass Neck wrote: "They wuz Saxe-Coburg-Gothas before they switched to Windsor in t'First World War so sympathisin' wi't'Hun is no surprise! I wanted to put up some German flag bunting for t'Jubilee but t'missus said..."

there was a nice documentary of royal family footage from Queen Liz's childhood showing George and Queen Mum on family hols etc in Scotland and other spots. Charming - they couldn't have been more different that those vain wastrel society spongers Eddie and Mrs S.

Brass Neck wrote: "They wuz Saxe-Coburg-Gothas before they switched to Windsor in t'First World War so sympathisin' wi't'Hun is no surprise! I wanted to put up some German flag bunting for t'Jubilee but t'missus said..."

You are aware that George I was the grandson of Elizabeth Stuart (eldest daughter of James I and VI)? His mother Sophie was heir presumptive under the Act of Settlement which barred Catholics from becoming monarch.

It's an interesting historical conundrum whether, had Hanover (which the British monarch was also ruler of) not adhered to Salic law meaning only a male could succeed, so going its seperate way when Victoria became queen, it's links to the British crown might have deterred Prussian ambitions in Germany and maybe changed history in the late 19th and possibly early 20th centuries. Would Prussia have risked a clash with Britain over Hanover?

Tim wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "They wuz Saxe-Coburg-Gothas before they switched to Windsor in t'First World War so sympathisin' wi't'Hun is no surprise! I wanted to put up some German flag bunting for t'Jubile..."

I was just in default facile mode, no interest in royal lineage and political implications at all.