Burke's Post-Wedding Blues

In the third season of Grey's Anatomy, Preston Burke left his fiancée, Cristina Yang, at the altar. After leaving the wedding, Burke was nowhere to be found. Cristina returned to their apartment and discovered that Burke had taken his belongings and quit his job. Burke's departure from the show was also due to the actor Isaiah Washington, who played him, being fired after using a homophobic slur against a co-star.

Burke left Yang at the altar

In the season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy, Dr. Preston Burke, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital, left Cristina Yang, an intern, at the altar. The couple's relationship was complicated, messy, and ultimately heartbreaking, but it was also captivating, romantic, and sincere.

In the lead-up to the wedding, Burke and Cristina's mothers forced her into planning a wedding that was nothing like what she wanted. They took her wedding dress shopping and made her pick bridesmaids, despite her wanting a small ceremony with just her, Burke, and her friends, Meredith and Derek. On the day of the wedding, Burke's mother shaved off Cristina's eyebrows and gave her a necklace that had been worn by five generations of Burke women on their wedding days. When Cristina arrived at the chapel, she realized that she had washed off the vows written on her hand while scrubbing in for surgery, and she began to panic.

Meredith calmed her down and convinced her to walk down the aisle, but before she could, Burke came out and apologized for trying to force her to be the woman he wanted. He then left her at the altar. This was the last time Burke was seen on the show, as actor Isaiah Washington, who played the character, was fired after making homophobic remarks against co-star T.R. Knight.

Cristina returned to Burke's apartment to find him gone. She then had a breakdown, tearing off her wedding dress in a memorable scene. Seven years later, Burke returned to the show in season 10, initiating Cristina's departure from Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Burke resigned from his job at the hospital

After leaving Cristina Yang at the altar, Preston Burke resigned from his job at Seattle Grace Hospital. He was the former chief cardiothoracic surgeon at the hospital, a position he had to compete for with his fellow attendings due to his hand tremors.

Burke's resignation was not a spontaneous decision, as he had submitted a letter of resignation two weeks prior to the wedding. However, his whereabouts remained unknown immediately after the wedding, and Cristina had to ask Derek about him to find out that he had quit.

The reason for Burke's resignation was his realisation that he had been trying to force Cristina to become the woman he wanted her to be, rather than accepting her for who she was. This realisation led him to call off the wedding, as he no longer wanted to make her do anything against her will.

Following his departure from Seattle Grace Hospital, Burke went on to win the prestigious Harper Avery Award and founded the Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Zurich, Switzerland, with a focus on cardiac research. He managed and worked at the institute until he gave it to Cristina so that he could move to Milan, Italy, with his wife, Edra Burke, and their two children.

Burke's departure from the show

In the third season of Grey's Anatomy, Preston Burke, an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital, leaves Seattle after his wedding to Cristina Yang falls apart. On their wedding day, Burke tells Cristina that he no longer wants to force her to do anything against her will and that he has been trying to make her into the woman he wants, rather than accepting her as she is. Cristina, unsure, says she "thought this was what she wanted". Burke, wanting her to be sure, leaves her at the altar.

Cristina returns to their apartment to find that Burke has already left, taking with him items of personal significance (his trumpet, his Eugene Foote collection, his grandmother's picture, and his lucky scrub cap). He also resigns from his position at the hospital. Cristina is devastated and seeks comfort in her best friend, Meredith Grey.

After his departure, Burke goes on to win the Harper Avery Award and founds the Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Zurich, Switzerland, with a focus on cardiac research. He later gives the institute to Cristina so that he and his family can move to Milan, Italy, at his wife's request.

Burke's return to the show

After leaving Cristina Yang at the altar, Preston Burke was nowhere to be found. Devastated, Cristina returned to their apartment to discover that Burke had left, taking with him items that held personal significance. He also resigned from his job at Seattle Grace Hospital, leaving Derek to inform Cristina of his departure.

Burke returned to the show in season 10, living in Zurich and running a privately owned cardiothoracic research hospital. He invited Cristina to the hospital to give a speech on her research, and the former couple exchanged bitter sentiments. Burke's ulterior motive for bringing Cristina to Switzerland was to ask her to take over his hospital, which she accepted.

In the season, Burke is married to an Italian woman, Edra, and has two daughters, Simone and Vivianna. They are planning to move to Milan, as Burke has given the hospital to Cristina so that he and his family can relocate to be closer to Edra's parents.

The return of Burke to the show was intended to provide closure to Cristina Yang's departure from the series, with creator Shonda Rhimes stating that "Burke is vital to that journey—he gives her story that full-circle moment we need to properly say goodbye to our beloved Cristina Yang."

Cristina's reaction to Burke's departure

Cristina Yang and Preston Burke's relationship was complicated, messy, and ultimately heartbreaking. They were both stubborn, cocky, and infuriating, but that's what made them interesting to watch. Cristina's reaction to Burke's departure was one of relief. She said, "I'm free", indicating that she felt burdened by the relationship and was glad to be rid of it.

However, their relationship was not without its good moments. They shared a passion for cardio, and Burke helped Cristina get back on her feet after Denny's death. Their first kiss, initiated by a cup of coffee, set them on a romantic path. They also had a rare moment of pure joy when they danced together in the kitchen.

Despite these happy memories, Cristina felt that Burke was constantly pushing her to be someone she wasn't. She said, "He took little pieces of me, little pieces over time, so small I didn't even notice... He wanted me to be something I wasn't, and I made myself into what he wanted." Cristina's relief at Burke's departure shows that she felt she had lost herself in the relationship and was ready to reclaim her identity.

Burke, too, seemed to realize that he had been trying to change Cristina. In his farewell, he said, "I know you don't want to come [down the aisle], but you'll come anyway because you love me. And if I loved you... I would be letting you go."

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