The official story is that it was due to his wish to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
However, a BBC Four documentary, Abdication: A Very British Coup, claims the story is more complicated. Yours truly watched the documentary previously this year when it was still available at YouTube. It has now unfortunately been removed, apparently due to a copyright issue.
According to the documentary the political establishment was looking for an excuse to get rid of the King. His modern views were not appropriate.
It could be tempting to want a King who holds traditionalist views, including keeping up pomp and circumstance and sticking to royal marriage traditions, but it may also be useful to reflect on whether one wants a monarch to the liking of the political establishment and who does not get in the same establishment's way. It may also be useful to reflect on a monarch removal's effect on future monarchs.
The abdication speech of the Duke of Windsor:
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