HMS Prince of Wales was not intended as a direct commemoration of Edward VIII. The Royal Navy had already decided against naming capital ships for a sitting monarch. Prince of Wales remained acceptable as an established title rather than the king's personal name. Edward VIII was also considered unlikely to receive a later namesake.
Notable Point · 1:18:24-1:19:07
Why Prince of Wales was not named for Edward VIII
Royal Navy naming policy had moved away from honouring a sitting monarch, while Edward VIII was especially unlikely to receive a capital-ship commemoration.