Top 10 nazi connections have resurfaced in the annals of the British monarchy, reminding us that wealth, power and influence often leave a paper trail. When a family sits atop centuries of history, even the most discreet dealings can be unearthed by future scholars. In recent weeks the royal household has once again found itself under the microscope, and a handful of links to the Nazi era have emerged that historians argue are too intriguing to stay buried.
Top 10 Nazi Connections
10 Edward VIII
If you’ve watched “The King’s Speech,” you already know why Edward VIII commands a place in popular memory. The film spotlights his brother George VI’s reluctant ascent after Edward’s 1936 abdication, but there’s a shadowy side to the former king that rarely makes the silver screen. Contrary to what one might expect from a World I veteran, Edward’s post‑war outlook leaned toward reconciliation with Germany, a stance that grew louder as the 1930s progressed. His open‑heartedness toward the Nazis was noted by contemporary observers, a fact that became especially controversial given his position as heir to the throne.
In 1934 Edward embarked on a romance with the twice‑divorced American Wallis Simpson, a liaison kept from the public eye. British and American intelligence agencies, however, kept a close watch, suspecting Simpson of serving as a German spy. Rumours swirled that she was involved with Joachim von Ribbentrop, Germany’s ambassador, and that she may have funneled sensitive information to Berlin. No concrete proof ever surfaced, and many historians argue the accusations were merely character assaults on a woman daring enough to marry three times.
During the Second World War Edward continued to voice a conciliatory tone, delivering speeches that called for post‑war reconciliation. In 1937 he and Wallis made an official trip to Germany, where they were greeted by cheering crowds, Nazi salutes that they returned, and even a brief tea with Adolf Hitler himself. Decades later, Edward reflected on those moments as “foolish and naive,” yet the lingering question remains whether deeper motives lay beneath his public politeness.
9 Churchill’s Weeders
History’s adage that the victors write the story is often tossed around, but few realize the sheer amount of editorial work required to shape that narrative. Winston Churchill, ever the master of image‑crafting, assembled a covert unit nicknamed “the Weeders” shortly after the war’s end. Their mission: comb through captured German archives in Berlin, hunting for any material that could embarrass the British Crown.
The Weeders uncovered a cache of telegrams from 1940, one of which detailed a conversation between Edward and Wallis with Nazi officials. According to the intercepted message, the couple seemed intrigued by the notion that a German victory might restore Edward to the throne. This tantalising tidbit was quickly seized by Allied intelligence, who deemed it a likely German disinformation campaign intended to sow discord among the Allies.
U.S. President Eisenhower weighed in, labeling the telegrams as probable Nazi fabrications designed to destabilise the British government. Consequently, the documents were withheld from public view until 1957. While the Weeders never produced irrefutable proof of collusion, the very existence of these files fuels speculation about what else might have been buried for a century.
The lingering mystery is whether the Weeders uncovered additional evidence that the royal family demanded be sealed for a hundred years. As the decades roll on, historians continue to wonder what secrets remain locked away, waiting for the right moment to emerge.
8 Operation Willi
Given Edward’s known sympathies for the Nazi regime, it was perhaps inevitable that a desperate, last‑ditch gambit would surface: Operation Willi. After France fell in 1940, the former king and Wallis fled to Spain, a nation that, while officially neutral, had slipped into a “non‑belligerent” stance that effectively aligned it with German interests. The Spanish foreign minister, seeking guidance, consulted Joachim von Ribbentrop, who suggested a two‑week detention of the couple—without disclosing the Nazi hand behind the request.
During this enforced pause, Edward and Wallis journeyed onward to Portugal, where Edward allegedly vented his disdain for the British royal establishment and its policies. The Nazis listened eagerly, seeing an opportunity to either use the couple as peace‑brokers or reinstall Edward as a puppet monarch under German auspices. Meanwhile, Churchill, alerted to the situation, dispatched two telegrams: one urging Edward to return to Britain under threat of court‑martial, the other appointing him Governor of the Bahamas, a post designed to whisk him far from Europe.
Edward appeared to contemplate the Bahamas governorship, but Hitler’s Operation Willi escalated. The plan’s first phase involved intimidation—rocks hurled through windows, ominous bouquets, and rumors of British assassins. On August 1st, when the couple prepared to board a ship in Portugal, the Spanish ambassador attempted to dissuade them, only to have their luggage sabotaged and a bogus bomb threat issued against their vessel.
Despite the pressure, Edward and Wallis managed to escape, effectively ending any viable Nazi scheme to reinstate the couple. Their departure marked the final chapter of Edward’s flirtation with Hitler’s circle.
7 Charles Edward
At sixteen, Charles Edward was dispatched to Germany by his grandmother, Queen Victoria, to assume the dukedom of Saxe‑Coburg‑Gotha—a title tied to the very roots of the British royal house. Unfamiliar with German customs, the young duke immersed himself in his new environment, eventually marrying the niece of Kaiser Wilhelm II. When the First World War erupted, the family’s name shifted from Saxe‑Coburg‑Gotha to Windsor, and Charles chose to side with his German relatives.
During the reign of his brother Edward VIII, Charles sported a full Nazi uniform at the king’s funeral, leveraging the former monarch’s pro‑German leanings. After the abdication, Adolf Hitler appointed Charles as President of the German Red Cross—a position that, while seemingly charitable, was used to facilitate the euthanasia of up to one hundred‑thousand disabled individuals. Post‑war, Charles was detained in a harsh internment camp, awaiting trial. Ill health spared him a prison sentence, but his assets were seized and heavy fines imposed, leaving his royal fortune in ruins.
6 Home Video
Our modern understanding of Nazi atrocities makes it easy to judge past actions with hindsight, but the British royals were not immune to the era’s complex loyalties. In 2015, a 17‑second clip from 1933 resurfaced, showing the Queen Mother, Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth (the future queen) at Balmoral. All three appear to perform the Nazi salute, with the young Princess Elizabeth leading the gesture.
The palace responded by arguing that the footage was taken before the salute acquired its infamy, and that a child’s innocent gesture should not be weaponised as criticism. Nonetheless, the video sparked a media frenzy, prompting renewed speculation about other undisclosed royal connections to the Third Reich.
5 Princess Alice
While many royals can point to charitable work, Princess Alice of Battenberg—later known as Princess Andrew of Greece—stands out for her direct, life‑saving assistance during the Nazi occupation of Greece. Born partially deaf, Alice’s heightened sensitivity arguably fueled her determination to aid those in peril.
In 1943, when the Nazis overran Greece, a Jewish widow named Rachel Cohen, whose family had long‑standing ties to the British monarchy, sought refuge with Alice. The Cohens—Rachel, her daughter, and later a son—found shelter in Alice’s home. The Gestapo eventually questioned Alice, but she cleverly feigned difficulty understanding the interrogators, using her lip‑reading skills in three languages to stall and protect her guests until liberation the following year.
4 Nazi Costume
Although most royal‑Nazi anecdotes revolve around the 1940s, the most notorious scandal erupted in the 21st century. In 2005, a 20‑year‑old Prince Harry attended a private party dressed as a Nazi, an outfit that ignited a firestorm of public outrage.
Harry’s apology was swift, issued through Clarence House, where his father, Charles, bore much of the criticism. A 2011 biography even suggested that the Queen herself blamed Charles for the incident, casting a shadow over his parental reputation. While the episode didn’t cause lasting damage to the institution, it remains a vivid reminder of how past symbols can haunt modern royals.
3 Prince Ernst
Prince Ernst August of Hanover, a descendant of Queen Victoria and brother‑in‑law to the current British monarch, lives a life steeped in controversy—from public urination incidents to alleged assault charges. Yet his lineage also ties him to darker chapters of history.
Born in 1954, Ernst found his family’s wartime past under scrutiny when a German tabloid, Bild‑Zeitung, alleged that his grandfather—also named Ernst—profited from Nazi expropriation of Jewish businesses, including a major bank and a construction firm. While no formal charges were ever filed, the family’s connections to the SS and alleged wartime profiteering have persisted as a source of debate, especially after Ernst sued the paper for defamation in the 1990s. The lawsuit fizzled, leaving lingering questions about the family’s wealth and alleged artifact smuggling after the war.
2 Princess Ileana
Princess Ileana, a great‑granddaughter of both Queen Victoria and Tsar Alexander II, remains a relatively obscure figure, yet her wartime activities have drawn intense scrutiny. Known for her anti‑communist rhetoric, Ileana’s reputation was challenged in 1953 when her cousin, Archduke Franz Josef, wrote to a New York senator alleging that she had leveraged her royal status to profit from the Nazi regime.
The Archduke claimed that during Germany’s 1938 annexation of Austria, Ileana and her husband greeted Hitler by telegraph, securing permission to retain their royal titles. Over the next seven years, they allegedly cultivated relationships with Nazi elites, even appropriating Austrian properties belonging to the Archduke. After the war, Ileana spent time in Romania, then moved to Argentina—a haven for many fleeing Nazis—before finally settling in the United States.
1 King George VI
While his older brother flirted with Nazi sympathies, King George VI’s loyalty lay unequivocally with Britain. During the planning of Operation Overlord, the Allies enlisted his assistance in Operation Fortitude, a massive deception aimed at misleading the Germans about the true landing site in Normandy.
In 1944, George VI, alongside Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and Princess Elizabeth, toured troops across the UK. These visits were meticulously staged to appear as routine morale‑boosting trips, but their locations were deliberately chosen to suggest a focus on Norway and Calais, diverting German attention away from Normandy. Contemporary newspapers subtly hinted at the royal itinerary while leaking just enough detail for German intelligence to be misled. The ruse succeeded, contributing significantly to the success of D‑Day.
About The Author: Simon can be found on Twitter @simongireland