Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Denied A Deathbed Request From Her Uncle Edward
Queen Elizabeth II was a beloved member of the royal family. Not just by the public, who came out in droves to bid her farewell when she tragically passed away last year, but she was also an integral part of her family. Aside from being the matriarch, she formed special bonds with her children, grandchildren, and other extensions of the royal family tree.
There was no denying the special relationship between Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his late grandmother. Things were complicated between the pair, however, toward the end of Elizabeth's life. Though he raced to her deathbed, Harry missed the opportunity to say goodbye.
The Queen found herself in a similar situation in the 1970s. Her favorite uncle, the former King Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, was on his deathbed when he made a plea to the Queen. His former nurse has recently dished about this conversation and how she shot him down in his final moments.
The queen snubbed her favorite uncle's dying wish
Queen Elizabeth II was, by all accounts, a loving and supportive mother and grandmother. While she was dedicated to her family, she drew the line when her uncle, former King Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, made a deathbed request. According to Edward's nurse, Julie Alexander, Elizabeth went to say her goodbyes at his home in Paris when he asked that she give his wife, Wallis Simpson, a royal title (via Daily Mail). She, just like Prince Harry's wife, was American. In fact, Edward had abdicated the throne in 1936 so he could marry the twice-divorced Simpson.
Alexander shared, "He was terribly sick. 'He couldn't have weighed, maybe 80 lbs if that... [he] wasn't eating at all." He then asked for a title to be given to his wife, and the nurse continued, "The Queen said no. She said no, even on that sad day. It was, you know, breaking his heart, I think. That's what he wanted... that title for her. Not having that title for his wife was a slap in his face."
However, this visit to France was the first time Elizabeth had met the woman her uncle married, which may be why she shot down his dying wish to make her an official royal.