Edward VIII (Edward the Ripper)

Edward VIII (Albert Victor Christian Edward; born 8 January 1864) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 6th May 1910.

Albert Victor was known to his family as "Eddy". When young, he travelled the world extensively as a naval cadet, and as an adult he joined the British Army, but did not undertake any active military duties. After two unsuccessful courtships, he was engaged to be married to Princess Mary of Teck in late 1891, the couple were wed in the July of 1892 following Edward's recovery from a very serious strain of influenza.

The boom in popularity following the marriage of Edward to Mary led the government to appoint him Viceroy of Ireland in 1894, during his tenure the young Prince made great strides in relations towards the opressed Irish who seemed to be on the brink of civil war. When Edward resigned the Viceroyalty at the ascension of his father, Edward VII, the parliament in Dublin submitted to the government in Westminster to install home rule with the understanding that Ireland would make the transition to the status of a dominion.

At 11:30 p.m. with his sons by his side, Edward VII spoke for the final time, his words were lost to the Princes present however the anglican clergyman present later remarked about what the King said in his final moments. It is claimed the dying King brought Prince Eddy close to him and said, ''"God forgive you if you lose the Empire..." ''For this slander the man was defrocked and the media was obliged not to print the story however international recognition of the new King was damaged before it began.

Edward was crowned on the 22nd September, 1911 only three and a half months after his ascension as King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of the Dominions of the British Empire, Emperor of India in a rather humble ceremony costing a fraction of that of his father, the newspapers during the time ran the headline after headline hailing Edward as truly, 'one of the people'.

Edward's marriage to Queen Mary of Teck has given the couple two children;
 * Victoria, Princess Royal (Victoria Anne Alexandra Mary Louise Born 29th January, 1905)
 * Prince Edward, Duke of Ulster (Edward Francis Christian Henry James Born 15th April, 1909)