Ralph Endersby Harwood Ralph Endersby Harwood Sir Ralph Endersby Harwood (28 March 1883 – 28 February 1951) was Financial Secretary to George V, Edward VIII and George VI. Harwood was born on 28 March 1883, the son of Charles Harwood of Shefford, Bedfordshire. He was educated at Bedford Modern School. Harwood served as Deputy Treasurer to George V from 1922 until 1935 and Financial Secretary to George V (1935), Edward VIII (1936) and George VI (1937). He later became a Governor of the London School of Economics. In 1903, Harwood married Kitty, the daughter of William Rule Endersby. They had one son and
Edward VIII prospective queen consort. Additionally, such a marriage would have conflicted with Edward's status as the titular head of the Church of England, which at the time disapproved of remarriage after divorce if a former spouse was still alive. Edward knew the British government, led by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, would resign if the marriage went ahead, which could have forced a general election and would ruin his status as a politically neutral constitutional monarch. When it became apparent he could not marry Wallis and remain on the throne, Edward abdicated. He was succeeded by his younger brother, George VI. With