The Duke of Windsor’s decision to abdicate 80 years ago shook the foundations of the British monarchy and its consequences stretched around the globe.

But, today, almost eight decades to the days since his abdication, only the most avid historians would know of King Edward VIII’s links to Bermuda and his trips to the island in 1920, 1931 and finally in 1940 as he headed to the Bahamas to take on the role of Governor.

And few of those who walk past the Bermuda Historical Society Museum in Hamilton every day would be aware of the unique collection of Edward VIII coronation china and souvenirs that it houses.

The collection, which includes plates, photographs, boxes and glasses to mark a coronation that never took place, was donated to the museum by New Yorker, Michael Wall, in April 1978.

Museum volunteer Lyn Vaughan has also kept the front page of The Royal Gazette from December 10, 1936, to commemorate the historical event.

“Tucked away in an old scrapbook of my uncle Jack’s from the 1930s was a Royal Gazette announcement of the abdication of King Edward VIII on 10 December 1936,” Ms Vaughan said.

“It reminded me of my childhood, growing up with a cabinet full of special Edward VIII coronation china which my father bought from AS Cooper & Sons where he worked when the abdication occurred and the china lost much of its marketability, so was sold off.

“A sense of familiarity came over me when I started volunteering at the Bermuda Historical Society Museum in 2011 and walked into one of the rooms to find a display case containing photographs, a painting, and memorabilia about Edward and Wallis, known to most of us now as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

“It reminds me that looking at the past can help us better understand the present and guard ourselves from similar issues in the future. Edward’s story is of a constitutional crisis which rocked the United Kingdom and led to the current royal lineage. Who could tell what might have happened if other actions were taken by Parliament at Westminster, Edward or even Wallis.”

Edward VIII first visited Bermuda in 1920 as the Prince of Wales on the first official Royal visit to the island

In 1931 he returned, again as the Prince of Wales, en route to Buenos Aires to open a British Industries exhibition. During his stay he played golf at the Mid Ocean Club.

In 1936 he abdicated to be with his wife and took on the title Duke of Windsor. Four years later in 1940, he arrived in Bermuda with his divorced wife, the Duchess of Windsor on his way to the Bahamas on a Canadian Ladyboat. The couple spent a week on the island before they left for the Bahamas where the Duke of Windsor became governor.

Andy Bermingham, president of BHS said: “Thanks to Michael Wall of New York the Bermuda Historical Society was gifted a unique set of Edward VIII coronation china and souvenirs.

“The BHS probably has the only legacy of the Duke and Duchess’ trips to Bermuda. Accounts of those visits suggest that it was the Duke’s viewpoint that the Duchess did not receive the treatment here that her status warranted.

“This small piece of royal history is all but forgotten, but illustrates the international role played by Bermuda in the Second World War.”

The museum on Queen Street will be open tomorrow from 5.30pm until 7pm for the annual choral concert outside and also on Saturday from 10am to 2pm.