1936年12月11日，为了和辛普森夫人结婚（按照传统的说法），爱德华八世正式退位。从1936年1月20日继位到1936年12月11日退位，爱德华八世在位时间仅仅325天，退位之前，他发表了退位演讲，这份演讲最终作为重要的历史资料被保存了下来，下面就是这份演讲的视频资料兼文本资料。
The Abdication of King Edward VIII (1936)
Location: Windsor Castle（地点;温莎城堡）
Date: December 11th 1936（时间:1936年12月11日）
Medium: Radio Broadcast （媒体:无线电）
"At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never
wanted towithhold anything,but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak. (终于我能发表一些我自己的心里话了。我从来不想隐瞒什么想法,但是直到现在我才可能在不违反宪法的情况下说出我的心里话。)
A few hours ago I discharged my last duty as King and Emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York, my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart. (在几个小时前，我卸下了我作为国王和帝国皇帝的最后职责，现在我的弟弟已经接任了我的位置。对于我的弟弟，我首先要宣誓我对他的效忠，这全部发自我的内心。)
You all know the reasons which have impelled me to renounce the Throne.But I want you to understand that in making up my mind I did not forget the country or the Empire which as Prince of Wales, and lately as King, I have for twenty-five years tried to serve. (你们都知道我选择退位的原因，即使没有被公开提到，但是我喜欢你们能理解，我已经作出了决定，而我也不会忘记我的国家和英国帝国。首先作为王储，然后作为国王，我用了25年的时间来服务。)
But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love.(但是你们必须要相信我，当我告诉你们，如果没有一个我爱的女人在身边给予我帮助和支持，我觉得我不可能担负起国王这份沉重的职责，所以我选择放弃王位。)
And I want you to know that the decision I have made has been mine and mine alone. This was a thing I had to judge entirely for myself. The other person most nearly concerned has tried up to the last to persuade me to take a different course. I have made this, the most serious decision of my life, only upon the single thought of what would in the end be best for all. (但是我想你们都知道，这个决定我自己做出的，只是我自己作出的。这是一个必须我自己一个人做出的决定。我身边的人都不断试图劝我想想其他的途径，不要选择放弃王位，是我自己作出这个我一生中最严肃的决定，因为我认为这是一个对一切都好的决定。)
This decision has been made less difficult to me by the sure knowledge that my brother, with his long training in the public affairs of this country and with his fine qualities, will be able to take my place forthwith, without interruption or injury to the life and progress of the Empire. And he has one matchless blessing, enjoyed by so many of you and not bestowed on me - a happy home with his wife and children.(这个决定不是那么难，因为我知道我的弟弟的为人。他长期参与了公共事务和为这个国家服务，还有他身上的那些优良品质，他能顺利接任我的位置，而不对英国帝国的未来和发展造成任何的伤害和损失。而他也得到无数的祝福，因为他会受人民爱戴和得到他妻子和孩子的支持，而我却没有。)
During these hard days I have been comforted by Her Majesty my mother and by my family. The Ministers of the Crown, and in particular Mr Baldwin, the Prime Minister, have always treated me with full consideration. There has never been any constitutional difference between me and them and between me and Parliament. Bred in the constitutional tradition by my father, I should never have allowed any such issue to arise.(在这些最苦难的日子里，我得到了我母亲和家人的安慰。而首相和内阁也给了我充分的理解。我的退位，不会造成宪法和议会的任何问题。在我的父亲的宪法问题的熏陶下，我完全知道如何不让这样的问题发生。)
Ever since I was Prince of Wales, and later on when I occupied the Throne, I have been treated with the greatest kindness by all classes of the people, wherever I have lived or journeyed throughout the Empire. For that I am very grateful.(当我还是王储后来也当上国王的时候，我感受到了所有阶级的人民对我的善意，无论我是住在国内还是在英国帝国出差。对此，我非常感激。)
I now quit altogether public affairs, and I lay down my burden. It may be some time before I return to my native land, but I shall always follow the fortunes of the British race and Empire with profound interest, and if at any time in the future I can be found of service to His Majesty in a private station I shall not fail.(我现在正式退出我的公众生活，我放下了我的负担。也许我回到英国还是需要一段时间，但是我始终会记得英国帝国的一切，始终会带着很深厚的兴趣。而如果在将来，如果国王需要我私人的帮助时，我不会让他失望。)
And now we all have a new King. I wish him, and you, his people, happiness and prosperity with all my heart.(而现在我们已经有了一个新的国王。我祝福他。还有你们。他的人民。衷心希望一切都充满幸福。)
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