From Edward VIII to Emperor Akihito: Famous abdications

Following the announcement by Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II of her plan to relinquish the throne, here is a look at other memorable abdications over the past century:

The British public was stunned when their king of less than a year, Edward VIII, made the shock announcement on Dec. 12, 1936, that he would abdicate in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Edward’s tumultuous love affair with Simpson had caused a major constitutional crisis, with the headstrong monarch insisting he wanted to marry the U.S. socialite — despite the Church of England, of which he was head, vehemently opposing the match.