Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1894-1972) and (1895-1986) - Page 110

Denville · #**2181** 04-08-2020, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durham

What did it say in her will & when was it made?

Afraid I don't remember. It s a long time since I read a bio of the WIndsors. What I recall is that Mountbatten tried ot persuade her to leave her money back to the BRF and possibly some Brit charities? when she was well. But she became annoyed and pressured by his trying to talk to her about it and told him she didn't want to discuss her Will...

I suppose that Maitre Blum would have liked to influence her to leave her money to herself.. but knew that woud look bad, so she compromised by persaudng her to leave it to the Pasteur institute and helping herself to a lot of the duchess's valuables...

Osipi · #**2182** 04-08-2020, 12:28 PM

Thinking about Wallis' will, I can understand totally why she wouldn't want to leave anything to the BRF or even British charities. Both David and Wallis were pretty much ostracized from the family after the abdication and the wounds inflicted because of it never were healed. I don't think Wallis ever did come to think highly of any of David's family and had no reason to be "generous" and return anything to them upon her death. Most likely to Wallis, she was treating the BRF just as coldly as she, herself, was treated.

Part of me wants to feel sympathy for this couple but often times, people that are self absorbed and narcissist and mainly concerned for their own selves and their own well being are the ones that die alone and hardly mourned.

Denville · #**2183** 04-08-2020, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osipi

Thinking about Wallis' will, I can understand totally why she wouldn't want to leave anything to the BRF or even British charities. Both David and Wallis were pretty much ostracized from the family after the abdication and the wounds inflicted because of it never were healed. I don't think Wallis ever did come to think highly of any of David's family and had no reason to be "generous" and return anything to them upon her death. Most likely to Wallis, she was treating the BRF just as coldly as she, herself, was treated.

Part of me wants to feel sympathy for this couple but often times, people that are self absorbed and narcissist and mainly concerned for their own selves and their own well being are the ones that die alone and hardly mourned.

no of course not.. but she had no family of her own, and her wealth had come from David's family... so Mountbatten tried ot persuade her htat it would be a nice gesture if she returned the great fortune to the UK. Im not sure if he suggested British charities, as well but she seemed to be listening to him but then changed her mind. And it does not seem as if she left it to a French charty out of the goodness of her heart but because Blum told her to do so...

Durham · #**2184** 04-08-2020, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denville

Afraid I don't remember. It s a long time since I read a bio of the WIndsors. What I recall is that Mountbatten tried ot persuade her to leave her money back to the BRF and possibly some Brit charities? when she was well. But she became annoyed and pressured by his trying to talk to her about it and told him she didn't want to discuss her Will...

I suppose that Maitre Blum would have liked to influence her to leave her money to herself.. but knew that woud look bad, so she compromised by persaudng her to leave it to the Pasteur institute and helping herself to a lot of the duchess's valuables...

Thank you. I have looked online but there doesn't seem to be a great deal of information.

Durham · #**2185** 04-08-2020, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curryong

Some pre-abdication letters from the 1930s between Wallis and Edward.

https://people.com/archive/cover-sto...-vol-25-no-19/

Read through these. Thanks for posting. Very interesting. I've not read most of these before. It confirms a lot about the duke's character.

CyrilVladisla · #**2186** 04-08-2020, 09:00 PM

When did Wallis first meet Suzanne Blum?

Sandy345 · #**2187** 04-25-2020, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osipi

Thinking about Wallis' will, I can understand totally why she wouldn't want to leave anything to the BRF or even British charities. Both David and Wallis were pretty much ostracized from the family after the abdication and the wounds inflicted because of it never were healed. I don't think Wallis ever did come to think highly of any of David's family and had no reason to be "generous" and return anything to them upon her death. Most likely to Wallis, she was treating the BRF just as coldly as she, herself, was treated.

Part of me wants to feel sympathy for this couple but often times, people that are self absorbed and narcissist and mainly concerned for their own selves and their own well being are the ones that die alone and hardly mourned.

David did not die alone. His niece, his nephew by marriage, and his grand nephew visited him. And were in touch. His wife also was by his side.

OTOH, Wallis had dementia and it started around the time of David's funeral. She became more and more reclusive. She was not of sound mind at the time of her death.

Denville · #**2188** 04-26-2020, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy345

David did not die alone. His niece, his nephew by marriage, and his grand nephew visited him. And were in touch. His wife also was by his side.

OTOH, Wallis had dementia and it started around the time of David's funeral. She became more and more reclusive. She was not of sound mind at the time of her death.

The RF visited him out of politeness and family solidarity. Any intimacy had long since vanished. And poor Wallis died alone, with no friends being able to visit her..

Duc_et_Pair · #**2189** 04-26-2020, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denville

The RF visited him out of politeness and family solidarity. Any intimacy had long since vanished. And poor Wallis died alone, with no friends being able to visit her..

Yes indeed, secluded in the Bois de Boulogne the Duchess became victim to greedy "carers" exploiting her. By hindsight it was better when Queen Elizabeth had requested her to live her widowhood at Windsor or so, that she was cared for.

sm1939 · #**2190** 04-26-2020, 08:45 AM

I hadn’t realised the Queen Offered the Duchess to live at Windsor.

Denville · #**2191** 04-26-2020, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sm1939

I hadn’t realised the Queen Offered the Duchess to live at Windsor.

No I've never heard that she did.

Duc_et_Pair · #**2192** 04-26-2020, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sm1939

I hadn’t realised the Queen Offered the Duchess to live at Windsor.

I did not say that she did: "By hindsight it was better when Queen Elizabeth had requested her to live her widowhood at Windsor or so, that she was cared for."

By my knowledge no such offer was made, but by hindsight it maybe was better when Queen Elizabeth had done so. It looks like poor Wallis was neglected and forgotten in her recluse. But of course also Queen Elizabeth (sister-in-law) and the Dukes of Gloucester and of Kent (nephews) could have made such an offer to the Dowager Duchess of Windsor.

It is civil and Christian to look after family and friends.

muriel · #**2193** 04-26-2020, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

I did not say that she did: "By hindsight it was better when Queen Elizabeth had requested her to live her widowhood at Windsor or so, that she was cared for."

By my knowledge no such offer was made, but by hindsight it maybe was better when Queen Elizabeth had done so. It looks like poor Wallis was neglected and forgotten in her recluse. But of course also Queen Elizabeth (sister-in-law) and the Dukes of Gloucester and of Kent (nephews) could have made such an offer to the Dowager Duchess of Windsor.

It is civil and Christian to look after family and friends.

I do not think it was necessary for the Duchess to be accomodated at Windsor.

Denville · #**2194** 04-26-2020, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

I did not say that she did: "By hindsight it was better when Queen Elizabeth had requested her to live her widowhood at Windsor or so, that she was cared for."

By my knowledge no such offer was made, but by hindsight it maybe was better when Queen Elizabeth had done so. It looks like poor Wallis was neglected and forgotten in her recluse. But of course also Queen Elizabeth (sister-in-law) and the Dukes of Gloucester and of Kent (nephews) could have made such an offer to the Dowager Duchess of Windsor.

It is civil and Christian to look after family and friends.

I dotn think any of them felt any obligation to her. They were only related by marriage...

Roderick · #**2195** 04-26-2020, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy345

David did not die alone. His niece, his nephew by marriage, and his grand nephew visited him. And were in touch. His wife also was by his side.

OTOH, Wallis had dementia and it started around the time of David's funeral. She became more and more reclusive. She was not of sound mind at the time of her death.

Things were far worse than that. Wallis was said to be curled up in bed in a vegetative state for years before her death, no one knowing her true status because of Blum refusing her friends access to her. I can't remember who it was now, but one friend insisted on being let in to glimpse Wallis and described her as looking like a tiny frail bird with "blackened" skin. The visitor actually suspected she had already died! I'm not 100% sure of the veracity of this story but it sounds horrific.

Sandy345 · #**2196** 04-26-2020, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denville

The RF visited him out of politeness and family solidarity. Any intimacy had long since vanished. And poor Wallis died alone, with no friends being able to visit her..

The Queen remembered her Uncle from her childhood. I don't think she was exactly cold to him. Allegedly, Prince Charles corresponded with him.

Nico · #**2197** 04-26-2020, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roderick

Things were far worse than that. Wallis was said to be curled up in bed in a vegetative state for years before her death, no one knowing her true status because of Blum refusing her friends access to her. I can't remember who it was now, but one friend insisted on being let in to glimpse Wallis and described her as looking like a tiny frail bird with "blackened" skin. The visitor actually suspected she had already died! I'm not 100% sure of the veracity of this story but it sounds horrific.

Prince and Princess Michael did visit her around 1978 and she wasn't able to speak nor to leave her bed.
She was in a vegetative state by 1980 by all accounts.

Denville · #**2198** 04-26-2020, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nico

Prince and Princess Michael did visit her around 1978 and she wasn't able to speak nor to leave her bed.
She was in a vegetative state by 1980 by all accounts.

Her mental state was beginning to slip from the time David died, and she grew worse... Sadly, she had no close family who mgith have arranged for better care for her.

Nico · #**2199** 04-26-2020, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denville

Her mental state was beginning to slip from the time David died, and she grew worse... Sadly, she had no close family who mgith have arranged for better care for her.

She was basically victim of elder abuse from Mrs Blum.
Horrible end, really.

Duc_et_Pair · #**2200** 04-26-2020, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denville

I dotn think any of them felt any obligation to her. They were only related by marriage...

She was a member of the British royal family and was basically abandoned to the mercy of greedy "carers". Related by marriage or not, she was family. She was the wife of a former King, she was a sister-in-law to a King, she was an aunt to a Queen and to two royal Dukes. Come on...

Imagine the Swedes said the same about Princess Lilian, or the Belgians about Queen Fabiola: "Ah, we are only related by marriage"....