Edward VII and his grandson Edward VIII
Edward VII, before he became king, was known as the playboy prince. As the eldest son of the long-lived Queen Victoria, he had a long wait before he ascended to the throne. And he spent much of that time to his own advantage.
Well-dressed, fun-loving and wealthy, he enjoyed his earlier manhood to the utmost. He enjoyed parties,gambling … and his mistresses.
His parents had regarded him as a problem child since his boyhood.
Victoria and Albert were appalled when they heard that their son, aged just nineteen, entered into a scandalous relationship with Nelly Clifton, a girl described as ‘an actress’.
But he continued with his love of good living – fabulous foods, fine wine, gaming and loose women.
However he did have a serious side to his personality and this came to the fore once he became king in later life.
He was the sort of man who definitely believed that children should be seen and not heard.
His eldest grandson David, who would eventually become Edward VIII, was particularly troublesome.
Like his grandfather, he preferred to do his own thing and seemed to take pleasure as a child in annoying the older generation.
One day, David and his younger brother were having lunch with their formidable grandfather, the king. The king was speaking but David attempted to interrupt the king, much to the king’s fury.
He reminded the boy that children should only speak when spoken to. Seemingly cowed, the boy went quiet. Eventually his grandfather remembered that the boy had wanted to say something. Gruffly, he gave him permission to speak.
‘Oh, it’s too late now, Grandpa.’ said the boy ‘There was a caterpillar on your lettuce but now you’ve eaten it.’
🙂
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