Death and funeral of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor

Edward died on 28 May 1972 in Paris. A heavy smoker, he had suffered from throat cancer. He had reigned as King of the United Kingdom between 20 January and 11 December 1936 and had abdicated due to his wish to marry Wallis Simpson. His brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York, had succeeded him as king under the regnal name George VI. George died in 1952 and his eldest daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, succeeded him. Elizabeth II had visited Edward in Paris on 18 May 1972, ten days before his death. Edward's body was flown to Britain, landing at RAF Benson, and lay in the Albert Memorial Chapel in Windsor Castle on 2 June before being carried by soldiers of the Welsh Guards into St George's Chapel the following day where he lay in state for three days. The coffin was displayed on a catafalque with blue carpeting in the centre of the nave. Wallis was suffering from mental confusion due to arteriosclerosis and was nervous about meeting Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who had a long held antipathy toward her due to the strain that Edward's abdication had had on her husband, George VI. Wallis was reassured by Lord Mountbatten that "Your sister-in-law will receive you with open arms. She is deeply sorry for you in your present grief and remembers what it was like when her husband died". Elizabeth met Wallis only once during her stay, on the day of the funeral. Queue barriers in anticipation of mourners to the laying in state stretched for half a mile down the length of Castle Hill. A car park for 2,000 cars was established in the Home Park. Thousands of mourners filed past his coffin. ==Funeral and burial==

The funeral service commenced at 11:15 am and lasted for 30 minutes. Wallis sat next to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Elizabeth II's children Prince Charles and Princess Anne, her sister Princess Margaret, Margaret's husband the Earl of Snowdon, and the Queen Mother were also present. Edward's funeral was filmed by television stations but not broadcast, but was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. British Royal Family • The Duchess of Windsor, the Duke's widow • Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Duke's sister-in-law • The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke's niece and her husband (also the Duke's second cousin) • The Prince of Wales, the Duke's great-nephew • The Princess Anne, the Duke's great-niece • The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and the Earl of Snowdon, the Duke's niece and her husband • The Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke's sister-in-law • Prince Richard of Gloucester, the Duke's nephew • The Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Duke's nephew and his wife • Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Mrs Angus Ogilvy and The Hon. Angus Ogilvy, the Duke's niece and her husband • Prince Michael of Kent, the Duke's nephew • The King of Norway, the Duke's first cousin • The Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the Duke's second cousin Politicians and officeholders • Edward Heath, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom • Harold Wilson, Leader of the Opposition • The Earl of Avon, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Clergy • Launcelot Fleming, Dean of Windsor – Officiated the service • Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury – Gave the blessing • Donald Coggan, Archbishop of York • Dr Ronnie Selby Wright, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Members of Edward's Household • John Utter, Private Secretary to the Duke of Windsor • Sydney Johnson, Personal Valet to the Duke of Windsor ==References==