I'm not sure if this example in any way reflects the
romantic coupling of the characters in The Kite Runner, but a good
example of a romance that proved costly (at least in terms of power and rank) would be
the marriage of King Edward VIII of England. Edward succeeded his father, King George V,
to the throne of the British Empire in January 1936. Before the year was over, however,
he decided to abdicate because he had fallen in love with an American divorcee, Wallis
Simpson. He was informed that the Church of England would not accept an arrangement that
allowed a divorced woman to become Queen of England. Edward tried to maneuver a
compromise in which his wife would not be officially designated the Queen, but this was
also rejected by the Church. So, Edward did what no other British ruler had ever done:
He gave up the thrown so he could marry the woman he loved. Although the arrangement was
predicted to be highly unpopular to the English people, Edward's decision has come to be
considered one of the most romantic sacrifices in history. Edward was succeeded by his
brother, Prince Albert, who became King George VI (father of the present Queen
Elizabeth), and Edward reverted to the role of Prince, the Duke of
Windsor.
Edward and his bride moved to France, where they
lived out most of their lives. He served a term as Governor of The Bahamas, and despite
some bad press concerning his favorable attitudes toward Nazi Germany, the Duke and
Duchess of Windsor became worldwide celebrities. Their romance and marriage endured, and
they became one of the most recognizable couples of the 20th century. Edward died in
1972, and Wallis died in 1986.
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