Edward was born Albert Edward and was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was Prince of Wales and heir apparent for longer than any other person up until that time until surpassed by his great-great grandson King Charles III. In his younger years as Prince of Wales, he was known as a playboy and popularized many trends in fashion and also had many mistresses.
Edward was given a grand state funeral with the largest gathering of royalty taken place anywhere in the 20th century. It included Wilhelm II, the Kaiser of the German Empire, who would later be at war with Britain and Nicholas II, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, as well as many others. For the first time in royal history, Edward lay in state for the people to pay their last respects, a reflection of his immense popularity.
Edward was king for only nine years but made a lasting impression. He became increasingly popular with his people and was credited as a peacemaker for his work in maintaining world stability at a time when war seemed to be looming. He died at the age of 68 in 1910. Four years later, the peace he worked so hard to keep was broken with the start of World War I (1914–1918).
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