London, Dec. 11: This weekend marks the 80th anniversary of a constitutional crisis that rocked the British monarchy - the abdication of Edward VIII who was forced to step down as king because he insisted on marrying the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Edward VIII, who was never crowned king, signed the Instrument of Abdication on the morning of December 10, 1936, in front of his three brothers and lawyers. The news was announced to the Commons by then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.

The next day, December 11 - 80 years to the day today - the Act of Abdication came into effect when it was passed by Parliament and given royal assent in Edward's last act as king.

To demonstrate how royal and indeed social attitudes in the country have changed, fast forward eight decades to present times when Prince Harry, 32, has been given the green light to marry divorced American actress Meghan Markle, 35, if they so wish.

Price Harry's spokesperson had in early November issued a statement urging the media to give him the privacy needed in his relationship with Meghan, who lives in Toronto and stars in a soap called Suits.

The statement said that he "has rarely taken formal action on the very regular publication of fictional stories that are written about him and he has worked hard to develop a professional relationship with the media, focused on his work and the issues he cares about".

"But the past week has seen a line crossed," the statement went on. "His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public... - the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments."

The Duke of Cambridge also subsequently issued a statement denying reports that he had disapproved strongly of his younger brother being so open about his relationship with Meghan.

"The Duke of Cambridge absolutely understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him," a Kensington Palace press spokesperson said on Prince William's behalf.

Prince Harry broke with protocol when he finished an official trip to the Caribbean, undertaken on the queen's behalf, by not returning to his official duties in London but by diverting to Toronto, where Meghan lives.

Popular sentiment, as judged by media coverage, is willing Harry and Meghan to announce their engagement.

The queen is staying this weekend at Windsor Castle, from where her uncle, Edward VIII, made his abdication speech on December 10, 1936: "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."

The monarchy passed to his younger brother, who took the throne as George VI, and after his death in 1952, to the present queen, Elizabeth II.

Prince Charles is the heir but his younger brother, Prince Andrew, has just issued a statement denying reports that he has fallen out with his elder brother.

In what is portrayed as a dysfunctional family, Andrew is said to be keen for his daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, to be given royal apartments and for their future husbands to be accorded titles - something Charles apparently is not willing to grant. Andrew is reported to have written to his mother for support.

Andrew said in a statement on Twitter that all such reports were a "fabrication", there was no dispute with Charles, and all he wanted was for his daughters to be "modern working young women" who happened to be members of the royal family.

The queen might well wonder how the family will get on after she and Prince Philip, 90 and 95 respectively, are gone.

She herself has not put a foot wrong but the historical perspective may give her cause to worry.

Edward VIII did indeed marry the twice-divorced Simpson in 1937. Renamed the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, they were consigned to a life of exile and constant vilification.

The duke paid a much publicised visit to India as the dashing Prince of Wales in 1921. The couple are now buried next to each other in the Royal Burial Ground near Windsor Castle. He died in Paris in 1972, his widow in 1986.

To this day, Edward is portrayed not as someone who threw away his kingdom for love but as a weak man - a Nazi sympathiser to boot - who failed to stand by his country and its people in their hour of need.

As for Simpson, it was claimed this weekend that she "had a secret lover while she was being courted by Edward. She was having an affair with motor engineer and car salesman Guy Trundle".