ON THIS DAY: Former King of England, the Duke of Windsor, arrives in Houston for surgery in 1964

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- We take you back to Dec. 15, 1964 when the Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII 8th of England, arrived in Houston to have surgery.

Above is ABC13 archive film of the Duke and his wife, American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

She was the reason Edward gave up the crown in 1936, less than a year after becoming King of England.

She was twice divorced and Britain's royals thought a bad choice for a queen. So Edward abdicated and married her.

In 1964, Edward and wife flew to Houston to have world renowned heart doctor, Michael DeBakey, repair an aneurysm in his abdomen.

The Duke lived another 7 years, dying in 1972. Simpson died 14 years after Edward.

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