On December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorce. The abdication was a constitutional crisis, as the monarchy could not condone a marriage to a twice-divorced woman. His decision shocked the British Empire and led to the unexpected rise of his younger brother, George VI. Edwards abdication had lasting effects on the British monarchy and its role in the countrys governance. He would later live in exile in France and become known as the Duke of Windsor.