Behind the Scenes Pressure Builds to Bring the King into Line

Thursday 12th November 1936

Pressure had been building up in Whitehall and Westminster for some kind of determined move to bring the King to his senses since Mrs. Simpson had remained firmly in the country since her divorce case. The two had continued to see each other as before.

That evening the King's private secretary, Alec Hardinge, was summoned to Downing Street to discuss the problem.  He was as worried as anyone by the King's behaviour, but the King did not take him into his confidence. Hardinge wanted to warn the King of the dangers he was running and asked permission to disclose to him that ministers were meeting to discuss the case, clear sign of a potential constitutional crisis. Baldwin assented.