Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1894-1972) and (1895-1986)

[sndral]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...iographer.html
Notes from visit/interview by Pope-Hennesey with the Duke and Duchess in 1957.

[CyrilVladisla]

Edward and Wallis visited Miami in 1940.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoHKa7MoLXs

[Curryong]

Yes, sums this couple up! During their tenure as Governor and his Lady in the Bahamas they were very fond of visiting Florida, relaxing and amusing themselves during a war in which millions were leading very grim lives.

And the connection with Miami did not reflect well on the Duke when he insisted on importing two incompetent detectives to investigate a notorious murder that occurred on his watch. It was never satisfactorily solved due in part to their bungling.

[Denville]

There is a docu drama on Wallis on TV- I havent' watched it yet...

[Denville]

Having watched the docudrama, I have a tiny bit mor sympathy for Wallis. her first husband was an abusive drunk, and she suffered in the marriage. However, I think the experience hardened her. She was tougher with Ernest, and I think she ended by alienating him.. Even though he loved her, he got fed up iwht her affair with Edward, and how it took over her life.. She and he grew apart and ended up with tehir divorce when perhaps they could have saved their marriage..

[xenobia]

I stumbled upon this documentary about Wallis yesterday. I thought it was interesting, since it's her own letters that are used in the documentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swd3ISRF_wY

[Lucy63]

Wallis is a classic “be careful what you wish for” example. She had to stay with this dull bumbling man forever once he abdicated, when she wanted just the opposite when she first hooked him. I think she really thought he could make her queen just by his will.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Lucy63

Wallis is a classic “be careful what you wish for” example. She had to stay with this dull bumbling man forever once he abdicated, when she wanted just the opposite when she first hooked him. I think she really thought he could make her queen just by his will.

that' seems a little contradictory? If she didn't want a permanent relationship with him, as you seem to imply in the second sentence.. why would she want him to make her Queen?

[Lucy63]

Originally Posted by Denville

that' seems a little contradictory? If she didn't want a permanent relationship with him, as you seem to imply in the second sentence.. why would she want him to make her Queen?

I think she was convinced that Edward had the power to do what he liked, as king. She fully expected to end up married, and queen...not just married to an aimless exile.

[Denville]

I don't believe so. I think she was taken aback when he grew so obsessed with her that nothing would do him but to marry her. She hadn't expected the affair to last forever... When she realised that he was that obsessed, she made the best of it, and wanted to marry him, either morganatically or as queen... Then when it was obvious that the PTB wudl not allow him to remain as King and marry her, she again made the best of things by agreeing to the marriage, hoping that she'd be a socially prominent figure and would at least be wealthy and glamourous...

[CyrilVladisla]

H.R.H. Edward Prince of Wales spoke about The Poppy Appeal in 1934.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGyfLkK7wbY

[Carin]

Originally Posted by Denville

Having watched the docudrama, I have a tiny bit mor sympathy for Wallis. her first husband was an abusive drunk, and she suffered in the marriage. However, I think the experience hardened her. She was tougher with Ernest, and I think she ended by alienating him.. Even though he loved her, he got fed up iwht her affair with Edward, and how it took over her life.. She and he grew apart and ended up with tehir divorce when perhaps they could have saved their marriage..

Because of the DOW's obsession with Wallis, I really don't think her marriage could have been saved. If the DOW had had any decency and respect for the institution of marriage, he would have left Wallis alone, and found himself a wife. I am sure he could have found an aristocratic or minor royal for a wife if he had really exerted himself. By the way, I don't think much of any one (royal or not) who is unfaithful to his/her spouse.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Carin

Because of the DOW's obsession with Wallis, I really don't think her marriage could have been saved. If the DOW had had any decency and respect for the institution of marriage, he would have left Wallis alone, and found himself a wife. I am sure he could have found an aristocratic or minor royal for a wife if he had really exerted himself. By the way, I don't think much of any one (royal or not) who is unfaithful to his/her spouse.

of course he could have found a wife.. but he didn't want anyone but Wallis. I don't think she realised how obsessed he was at first, She thought the affair would be a bit of fun, and she'd end up with some jewellery and go back to Ernest when Ed became King. But Edward wanted her and nobody else. And Ernest had overlooked the affair, for a time but the W had left him alone too long and he was involved with the woman he later married.. so he was willing to give her a divorce...
I think she was a bit panicked realising that the whole things had gotten out of hand but when she knew that Edward would not give her up and Ernest had moved on, she made the best of it and married him.

[MARG]

^^^^^ The set they moved in was known to be fast or racy, and it is only time that has exposed the true depth of utter moral bankruptcy.

I've read post in other threads that adultery etc. Was the norm in aristocratic and royal circles. What nonsense. None of David's friends would have dreamt of bringing their mistresses to Windsor. Fort Belvedere, David's home, yes absolutely

Most of the Royals at that time were pretty ordinary, like the York's
A happy, healthy family doing what all good CofE folk did, namely going to church on Sundays, bringing their children up to be good upstanding adults. And the York's were a happy little family, and Britain had yet to adopt the attitude of 'you can never be too rich or too think.

I think that is why Wallis saved her sarcasm and spite for the Duchess who she called Cookie as she considered her

[Furienna]

Originally Posted by MARG

^^^^^ The set they moved in was known to be fast or racy, and it is only time that has exposed the true depth of utter moral bankruptcy.

I've read post in other threads that adultery etc. Was the norm in aristocratic and royal circles. What nonsense. None of David's friends would have dreamt of bringing their mistresses to Windsor. Fort Belvedere, David's home, yes absolutely

Most of the Royals at that time were pretty ordinary, like the York's
A happy, healthy family doing what all good CofE folk did, namely going to church on Sundays, bringing their children up to be good upstanding adults. And the York's were a happy little family, and Britain had yet to adopt the attitude of 'you can never be too rich or too think.

I think that is why Wallis saved her sarcasm and spite for the Duchess who she called Cookie as she considered her

Actually, Bertie also had an affair with a married woman until his father put an end to that. He might have been more careful than David with showing it off in public, but still...

[sndral]

Originally Posted by Furienna

Actually, Bertie also had an affair with a married woman until his father put an end to that. He might have been more careful than David with showing it off in public, but still...

Ah, Sheila, the Australian, fascinating life story https://www.theaustralian.com.au/how...fc376a2a162667
The difference being Bertie’s fling seemed a one off, whereas David seemed to specialize in married women w/ Freda, Thelma, then Wallis.
At the time Sheila and Freda, David’s married lover, were best friends and the 2 ‘couples’ often made up a foursome, thus I suspect Bertie was in part influenced by his brother.

[MARG]

The article is hidden behind a paywall. However, I would need more than an account from a newspaper. Is there any actual evidence?

[Denville]

Originally Posted by sndral

Ah, Sheila, the Australian, fascinating life story https://www.theaustralian.com.au/how...fc376a2a162667
The difference being Bertie’s fling seemed a one off, whereas David seemed to specialize in married women w/ Freda, Thelma, then Wallis.
At the time Sheila and Freda, David’s married lover, were best friends and the 2 ‘couples’ often made up a foursome, thus I suspect Bertie was in part influenced by his brother.

Upper class women did not indulge in affairs prior to marriage, For David to have had sexual relatonships with single upper class girls would still have been scandalous even in the 1930s. Bertie was just following normal upper class tradition In that a married upper class woman was available for liasions but a single one wasn't. By and large, it was either women of a lower class like actresses (they could be single) or married upper class women. David was only slightly unusual in that he was expected to marry suitably and settle down, and by the time he met Mrs Simpson, he had shown few signs of wanting to make a sutiable marriage..

[sndral]

Originally Posted by MARG

The article is hidden behind a paywall. However, I would need more than an account from a newspaper. Is there any actual evidence?

Sorry about that, I wonder why it wasn’t behind a paywall for me. Try this one https://www.sbs.com.au/news/a-sheila...london-s-heart
I haven’t read the biography the article is about yet, but it appears the author had access to a few letters she received from Bertie and in other articles from 2014/2015 when the biography was published I recall seeing a photo of David, Bertie, Freda, and Sheila.
Edited to add: Found one of the articles w/ photos, note, I don’t consider the DM a trustworthy source, but this article quotes a portion of the biography including letters from Bertie to Sheila and from David to Freda about Bertie & Sheila plus it has a few photos.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you...ture-king.html

[ladongas]

This book is on Amazon for $6.99, and you can get a free sample on your Kindle.