"...an opportunity to restore my reputation."

I think that ship has sailed.

I had an older friend many years ago who knew the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. He said they were the most awful people he had ever met.

The opening scene of him coughing up blood is exactly the same as the first scene of the first series when his brother George the 6th coughed up blood

I like the fact that at the end there, Edward finally sets Simpson straight, when she makes fun of the Japanese emperor for claiming an empire from a small island. The Japanese emperor's statement was eerily accurate. "Imagine being exiled from your own land? I would sooner die."

So a lifetime of drinking and smoking has consequences….who knew

The Crown’s casting was so spot on. Derek Jacobi is one of Britain’s finest, and he carved his own chapter in King Edward’s story

Tommy Lacelles, who was his Private Secretary, resigned because whilst he personally liked the Duke, he said he was fundamentally not someone who should ever become King.

living to 75 as a royal is far better than he deserved

A traitor.  Wallis Simpson actually did the world a favour, though she knew it not.

He was from a generation who smoked without realising how dangerous it was. It was just fashionable.
He was also a terrible person, he met Hitler, insulted his dead baby brother Prince John, gave up his throne for a party life with woman as odd as him. The UK dodged a bad king in Edward the 8th, The Duke Of Windsor.

The interesting thing about what Hirohito said is that all HE had to do to hold onto his throne was to renounce the belief that he was a god and convince his people that he, and all his predecessors were NOT Gods but simply men.   All Edward had to do was renounce one woman to hold onto HIS throne.  In the grander scheme of things. what Hirohito had to do was monumental compared to what Edward was asked. Of course, given what came out about Edward years later, I think it worked out just right for the both  of them!

I still remember when I was a a boy a year after this supposed meeting took place.  Hirohito was on his way to Europe and wanted to visit the United States.  Many World War II veterans were outraged and didn't want him on American soil. President Nixon, a brilliant diplomat (although he sucked at domestic issues) knew it would be good for trade relations.  So he compromised.  He had Hirohito meet him in Alaska at Elmendorf Air Base.  Technically U.S. soil, but far enough away from the mainland.

“Well, I guess that’s what I get for betraying my family and my people.”

Hirohito and the Duke are oddly similar. Both failed their countries during ww2 (Hirohito failing to stand up to fascism and signing off on genocidal atrocities, the Duke being a traitor), but yet Hirohito somewhat redeemed himself by standing up to the military to save his country from a apocalyptic invasion. In a way its also interesting since the Duke never realized why his reputation was in the gutter. He met up with Hitler, but now here is meeting with Hirohito, a figure tens of millions view as equal to Hitler.

I'm sorry but there's no way on God's earth the Duke of Windsor would ever have been likely to quote Othello (2:43). Derek Jacobi would, of course.

Geraldine Chaplin is simply brilliant as Wallis. Kudos to the casting director.

It's the day coming for all of us.....  from the lowest beggar or prisoner.... to the most powerful dictator or loved emperor....  the day your body makes it known, this ride is coming to a end.    No amount of money, science or experimental voodoo can alter the fact, that it's time.

Don't worry, professor Yana, you're going to regenerate.

My understanding is that the meeting was a nostalgic visit between two old friends that was specifically requested by the Emperor.

He deserved every horrible thing that happened to him, life went far too easy on him.

He was an awful man, and she was a really disgusting woman. I’m glad the truth about them came out