Succession to the Throne Act, 1937

Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson after facing opposition from the governments of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, including Canada's.

[1] However, Edward was still king until royal assent was granted to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936, which was passed through the British Houses of Parliament on 11 December, with no amendments.

Edward as King-in-Council then issued an Order in his British Privy Council to authorize the inclusion of the Dominions in the Abdication Act.

The Canadian act was not legally required at the time, as the Canadian government's request and consent to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 had already made it part of Canada's law[2] and the Governor General had already proclaimed the Duke of York as King George VI (indeed, royal assent to the Canadian bill was granted in the name of George VI.

[4]) However, constitutional experts noted that "Whether necessary or not, it was clearly designed to demonstrate Canada's equality with Britain in the British Commonwealth and to display the Canadian aspect of the monarchy.