But, away from politics, perhaps the biggest resignation in living memory was the abdication of King Edward VIII.

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At that point, the monarch is emerging as a triumphal figure, not even three years into his surprise reign on the abdication of his older brother, Edward VIII.

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The middle part of the book takes a more serious turn and some events, such as King Edward VIII's abdication and the cabinet discussions of 1938, provide good passages, but the diary stops for most of 1926-36 and in 1939-44.

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Saunders said he believed that in contrast to Beatrix, Britain's Queen Elizabeth would never abdicate, because of the 1, 000 years of history behind her, and the trauma of her uncle, King Edward VIII's abdication.

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