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The location's reputation is largely shaped by its connection to King Edward VIII, who famously abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson. This event—an end of a reign that caused a constitutional crisis—casts a shadow over the estate, especially among the more superstitious members of the royal family. Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, reportedly avoided visiting Fort Belvedere altogether, as the house continually reminded her of that turbulent chapter.