<P> By October, it was rumoured in high society and abroad that Edward intended to marry Simpson as soon as she was free to do so . At the end of that month, the crisis came to a head when she filed for divorce and the American press announced that marriage between her and the King was imminent . The King's private secretary, Alec Hardinge, wrote to him on 13 November, warning: "The silence in the British Press on the subject of Your Majesty's friendship with Mrs Simpson is not going to be maintained...Judging by the letters from British subjects living in foreign countries where the Press has been outspoken, the effect will be calamitous ." Senior British ministers knew that Hardinge had written to the King and may have helped him draft the letter . </P> <P> The King invited Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin to Buckingham Palace the following Monday (16 November) and informed him that he intended to marry Simpson . Baldwin replied that such a marriage would not be acceptable to the people, stating: "...the Queen becomes the Queen of the country . Therefore in the choice of a Queen the voice of the people must be heard ." Baldwin's view was shared by the Australian High Commissioner in London, Stanley Bruce, who was also a former Prime Minister of Australia . On the same day that Hardinge wrote to the King, Bruce met Hardinge and then wrote to Baldwin, expressing horror at the idea of a marriage between the King and Simpson . </P> <P> Nevertheless, the British press remained quiet on the subject until Alfred Blunt, Bishop of Bradford, gave a speech to his diocesan conference on 1 December, which alluded to the King's need of divine grace: "We hope that he is aware of his need . Some of us wish that he gave more positive signs of his awareness ." The press took this for the first public comment by a notable person on the crisis and it became front page news the following day . When asked about it later, however, the bishop claimed he had not heard of Simpson at the time he wrote the speech . Acting on the advice of Edward's staff, Simpson left Britain for the south of France two days later in an attempt to escape intense press attention . Both she and the King were devastated by the separation . At a tearful departure, the King told her, "I shall never give you up ." </P> <P> Opposition to the King and his marriage came from several directions . Edward's desire to modernise the monarchy and make it more accessible, though appreciated by many of the public, was distrusted by the British Establishment . Edward upset the aristocracy by treating their traditions and ceremonies with disdain, and many were offended by his abandonment of accepted social norms and mores . </P>

Who gave up the throne to marry a divorcee