Abandoned coronation of Edward VIII Abandoned coronation of Edward VIII The coronation of Edward VIII as King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth and as Emperor of India was due to take place at Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937. Preparations had already begun and souvenirs were on sale when he abdicated on 11 December 1936. To keep everything from going to waste, it was decided to hold the coronation of his brother and successor George VI on the same date. In January 1936, King George V died and his eldest son, Edward VIII, succeeded him as king-emperor of the
Postage stamps and postal history of Gibraltar a variety of definitive and commemorative stamps were issued for the reigns of King Edward VII, George V and George VI. No stamps were issued by Gibraltar for King Edward VIII. The first stamp of Gibraltar for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II was the 1/2d Coronation commemorative omnibus stamp issued on 2 June 1953. The post in Gibraltar is currently run by the Royal Gibraltar Post Office which in 2005 was granted the title of ""Royal"" by Her Majesty the Queen. Gibraltar is now the only Commonwealth or British Overseas Territory outside the United Kingdom that bears this distinction.