In all of this, Tommy was a mere servant. His job was to serve the monarchy, smooth stormy waters, to apply all the smoke and mirrors of diplomacy he had at his disposal and to present this disaster as a mere blip.

With a sigh, Tommy picked up his pen.

Dear Joan,

The inevitability of the situation we have found ourselves in is worse than one could have imagined. The King will be the most tragic ‘might have been’ in all history. He could not have his cake and eat it, so he ate it.

I have spoken to the Duke of York, who is in a state of shock over what has happened. But he accepts the role he must now take on.

Earlier today a meeting was held to explain how the machine of state would proclaim him King on Saturday.

He listened attentively and solemnly to the briefing, after which, when we were on our own, he offered me a drink. I felt he wished to get things off his chest. And my word, he did.

The King had taken the draft Instrument of Abdication to his mother, and had wept on the Queen’s shoulder for an hour. What was in his mother’s heart as she held him, we will never know. Maybe she always knew he would not, could not, face the ultimate price that kingship requires.

I feel so much for her. In one year she has lost her husband, her position, and now her son.

Apparently the King gave his final dinner party at Fort Belvedere, his beloved home, two nights ago. A party of nine included Mr Baldwin, the Duke of York, and others. The King made sure they talked of everything other than the problem at hand. And his younger brother made no mention of the fact that he would soon be King.

The following day all three younger brothers – the Duke of York, Duke of Gloucester and Duke of Kent – arrived at the Fort to witness the signing of the abdication document.

We are now in uncharted waters. May God guide us.

Our ex-King went to his room to continue packing. The Duke of York joined him. The sofa was cluttered with personal belongings and clothes but the ex-King made space for him. I heard him say, ‘You are not going to find this job difficult at all. You know all the ropes.’

The Duke’s stutter was amplified by the circumstance, but he managed to say, ‘The first act of my reign will be to create you a Duke with the family name Windsor.’

One can only imagine the level of emotion between the two.

The Duke of York then left the Fort and returned to Royal Lodge alone. The Duchess is unwell with a bad attack of flu and had remained in London with the Princesses. The Duke sat by himself and listened to the King’s radio broadcast of abdication.

At midnight the old King was packed and ready to leave the Fort without a look back. He got into his waiting car and asked the driver to take him to Royal Lodge for a final adieu to his successor, his brother.