In the early 1940s, King Edward VIII decided that he and his family needed a bit of summer holidays, so he, his wife, and his son stayed a few weeks on Bermuda, enjoying the sun and taking occasional trips to the United States, where the young Prince -

Eh? What's that?

In the Spontoon Island Universe, King Edward VIII decided to stay on as the ruler of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, marry the former Mrs. Wallis Simpson, and Devil take any naysayers. With the help of Archbishop of Canterbury Aleister Crowley and younger members of Society, the King got his way.

Queen Wallis smiled and kept up a brave face despite wags calling her "The Old Grey Mare," but a lot of that went by the wayside when the Palace announced that she had safely borne a son on January 25, 1938.

The picture shows the little colt, christened Albert Edward George John Aethelwulf, looking up at his adoring mother as his father gives the photographer a direct and open gaze. Young Eddie, as he was called, had a story behind each of his names: Albert because of Queen Victoria's insistence that all male heirs bear her revered husband's name; Edward, for his father; George for the King's father and one of the Queen's stepfathers; John for another stepfather; and finally Aethelwulf, supplied by German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. The goose didn't want to be too obvious about the future heir bearing the name of certain Chancellor.


Edward VIII and family © What Might Have Been

Art by the very talented  thetiedtigress