Who would be king?

[GuavaHalf]

If Edward had not abdicated who would be King/Queen now? (assuming that he did not have any children)

[bernardo]

It would have been Queen Elizabeth II (as she is now).  She is next in line from her father (George VI) who died before Edward VIII, so she would have succeeded to the throne upon the death of Edward VIII in 1972.  GSTQ (btw I predict synchrography on this one)

[bernardo]

No - I was wrong - no synchrography

[georgit79]

very good question and I haven't a clue!

[Ouisch]

Do you mean had Edward not abdicated, yet was still allowed to marry Wallis Simpson?  Or had he married someone else?  He and Wallis never had children, but I don't know whether that was by choice or by um...biological restrictions.  Had he married someone else and produced a son, then that son would most likely have been King after Edward's death. 

[Ouisch]

OOOPS!  Read the effing question, Ouisch!!  Had he not had any children, after his death his brother Bertie (if he was still alive at the time) would've become King, which would've kept the current succession as it is (with Queen Elizabeth II on the throne).  However, Bertie (George VI) died at a relatively young age from complications of lung cancer, so if Edward had still been on the throne at the time of Bertie's death, the next in succession was Prince Henry William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester.

[GuavaHalf]

Interesting - that's two different answers! Is there no definitive answer to this?

[jonjo]

It would have been the same queen as now. george v1 her father was the next eldest brother to edward v111 so it would definately have been his children next in line to succession.

[bernardo]

Yes, GuavaHalf, there is one single definitive answer.  Ouisch doesn't know what he/she is talking about.  Prince Henry was not the next in line to the throne after George VI; he would only have been so if George VI had not had any children.  This fact is irrelevant to whether Edward VIII died before or after George VI.

What Ouisch said was like saying that the next in line after Prince Charles is Prince Andrew, despite Charles having children.

The correct answer is what I said in the first place, as agreed by cresacre.

[Cetti]

This Q was asked a couple of years ago on another site, and the answer was exactly the same as bernado and cresacre have given.