Haven't done one of these in awhile, so here is one of those little foreign political/tabloid scandals that could've had some serious international consequences if things had gone differently.

The British Royal Family are always UK tabloid fodder. Rich, aloof, incestual byproducts always in the news for whoring, partying while wearing swastikas, living their pointless luxurious lifestyle at the taxpayer's expense (for what reason?), all that sillyness. And you have the occassional divorce scandal.

This was no different in 1936. New King Edward VIII, young dashing playboy among the most photographed celebrities in the world before taking the throne. He presented the Wales Trophy to the NHL (still used today)

He wanted to marry his mistress Wallis Spencer. Except Parliament would have nothing with this because: (1) She was twice-divorce, (2) American, and (3) not Anglican. OH FUCK!!!! Given the ultimatum of either her or the throne, Edward VIII gave up the crown. His brother George VI, who nobody ever expected to ascend to the throne (especially him) became King and the heavy stress of the job (plus his heavy smoking) killed him. Paving the way for the current Monarch.

But what if Edward VIII had decided otherwise?

During World War 2, the Nazis had a plan of invading and occupying England under Operation Sea Lion never implemented. Among other measures, the exiled Edward VIII would be reinstated on the throne as a puppet king. Now why would they do that?

Because apparently Edward was a fascist fan, especially of the Nazis. Hitler considered Edward a "friend of Germany." This 1940 quote is practically a love letter: "In the past 10 years Germany has totally reorganized the order of its society ... Countries which were unwilling to accept such a reorganization of society and its concomitant sacrifices should direct their policies accordingly." And this was said after the war started mind you.

Plus like the Nazis, he wasn't exactly tolerant. His thoughts on the Aboriginal peoples of Australia: "They are the most revolting form of living creatures I've ever seen!! They are the lowest known form of human beings & are the nearest thing to monkeys." Or blacks: ""It must be remembered that Dupuch is more than half Negro, and due to the peculiar mentality of this Race, they seem unable to rise to prominence without losing their equilibrium.""

What an asshole.

Then there were allegations that he and his wife helped collaborate with the Nazis during the war, giving war intelligence, etc. Which was why Churchill "appointed" him Governor of the Bahamas, so he could stay the hell away and not harm the UK war effort any further.

In contrast to Edward's defeatist public fascist thoughts, his brother The King in the 30's had made some scandalous for playing tennis in public with a black partner. Later after WW2, when touring South Africa, he was apparently appalled by the newly installed Apartheid. Not exactly liberal for 2010, but hey much better than his brother.

During the war he was a major PR instrument. His pre-war tour of North America helped in small part to shore up the cause of a UK/USA alliance for the isolationist American mainstream. And his decision to keep the Royal Family at Buckingham during the Blitz when London was being bombed back to the stone age was a major national morale boasting symbol, defiant to the Nazi War Machine.

Kings don't have real governmental power, no more than the American Vice-President. So would history have been different (asides from the obvious genealogical implications) if it was Edward the Nazi fanboy "ruling" England instead of George?

You tell me.