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

[BeatrixFan]

The greatest monarchs have had strange bedfellows. Look at Henry VIII....

 

[susan alicia]

quite normal for the age actually, some marriages where arranged and others were based on lust.

The greatest monarchs have had strange bedfellows. Look at Henry VIII....

 

[Duchess]

Wallis was not an honourable woman, given what we know now about her carrying on with another man while still married and seeing Edward at the same time. She certainly was greedy and self-indulgent with no real sense of the sacrifices that come with being a member of the royal family.

i can't see a difference....both women carried on extra marital affairs.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

As to extra-marital affairs......... these were engaged in by Camilla, Wallis, Diana, Prince Charles, King Edward VII, King George IV, his wife Princess Caroline too I think, Charles II, James II, probably William III as well, needless to mention Henry VIII.... the list goes on and on. But obviously the kings of centuries past aren't held to the same standards as the royal wives of XX and XXI. Do you see my point about hypocritical, irrational objections?

 

[COUNTESS]

Sorry, Caroline was miserable and married to a cad, as Diana, what they did wasn't correct, but their husbands were not worth spit. Wallis was a trollop and David loved her to all ends. Charles was married to Catherine of Braganza who did not produce any children and just wasn't his type, also not an excuse. Charles was the "Father of his Country", literally with many illigitimate children. James was not much better. At least his wasn't divorced, not that I care, from his first wife, Anne Hyde, she died then he married Mary of Modena. As for the present Duchess of Cornwall, she had no problem having affairs before and after and during her marriage. I don't care, as she represents nothing to me. They were all held, at their times, even Henry VIII, as problems. Their just wasn't the media coverage as today. People also often could not read in those times, so how could they know.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Right! I was just pointing out what you are also implying here, that people have affairs, as they have done since the earliest times of humankind, for many reasons and it's hypocritical to judge them to be "bad" or "unworthy" or something because of these things. Prince Charles, just to use one example, is much more than accountable for his extra-marital affair; he is simply much more in the sense of being an incredible person, brilliant and progressive, and imo worthy of being a king! Just like Diana, she was more than just her affairs and her problems, still worthy of admiration imo. Having affairs simply does not make anyone good or bad. It's too simplistic. People, that is everyone in the world, deserves to have more credit for themselves, or at least the benefit of the doubt (excepting abusive, cruel, sadistic kind of people, naturally).

 

[COUNTESS]

Oh, quite right. I, personally, find that people who can betray a spouse can betray anything. Diana's getting back was no better. In fact, it was sadder. It basically said she knew better. I don't find Charles incredible in anyway, just a guy who was born in the right bed and he should be king, he hasn't done anything that many past kings have done. Why anyone would question his right to be king seems silly to me.

 

[lilibet80]

Duke of Windsor's son

I think that claim has been discussed here before and generally considered to be untrue.

There was an actor in England who was reputed to be the Duke of Windsor's son, his name was Timothy Ward Seely. I do not know that the DOW had any children and I very much doubt that either Wallis or David had a child. But who can really say. I do know that the Duchess had a hysterectomy after she was married and she had had no children with either of her other two husbands or with her several lovers. When asked why they had no children she would blithely answer "because David is not 'heir conditioned."

 

[Jeniann]

Has anyone read The Last of the Duchess by Caroline Blackwood? I read it recently and it's a really good book, but depressing. It's about the last few years of Wallis Simpson's life and it's very sad how her lawyer controlled her. Does anyone know how true it is?

 

[Russophile]

Has anyone read The Last of the Duchess by Caroline Blackwood? I read it recently and it's a really good book, but depressing. It's about the last few years of Wallis Simpson's life and it's very sad how her lawyer controlled her. Does anyone know how true it is?

I've heard that's true. Also, you might want to check out Greg King's The Duchess of Windsor: The uncommon life of Wallis Simpson.

 

[Elspeth]

The story seems to be one that's made its way into at least a couple of biographies of the Duke and Duchess. "the Duke suffered from phimosis but also had an extremely small member. The Duchess of Windsor had learned certain techniques in which to accommodate the Duke and enable him to reach orgasm."

Propaganda against the Duchess has claimed that she learned said techniques in a Chinese brothel. I hope he thought it was worth giving up the crown for.

 

[Elspeth]

Jeniann, we have a thread on books about the Duchess of Windsor in the Royal Library:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f61/duchess-windsor-10828.html

I don't see Caroline Blackwood's book being mentioned over there, so feel free to go and add your opinion of the book in that thread. I remember reading it a couple of years ago and finding it very interesting, but I also remember reading reviews that said it was too biased.

 

[Russophile]

See, I don't believe that of Wallis. I think it's like the case with Cleopatra, Rome couldn't believe that not only 1 but 2 of their mightiest leaders would "fall" for the woman so they had to make up all sorts of stories about her.

 

[BeatrixFan]

But it does make sense. Chinese women are well known for their sexual expertise, if Wallis learned any special techniques she'd have learned them there.

 

[ysbel]

You're saying that Wallis actually worked as a whore in a Chinese brothel?

As an aside, its interesting that the Duke of Windsor may have had the same condition (phimosis) as the last king of France (Louis XVI) It was apparently the source of a lot of rumours about his queen Marie Antoinette.

 

[BeatrixFan]

No, she didn't work there. Some say she learned her tips from a Chinese tart but I can't believe she'd ever consort with people like that. Whats more likely is that a Chinese nanny or ladies maid taught English women, who taught Wallis.

 

[Russophile]

See, I don't believe any of that. I think that Wallis' attraction was that she made David feel at home. She was an excellent hostess and made all her guests feel welcome and at home.
The detractors had to make up something.

 

[ysbel]

Thanks for explaining BeatrixFan. Maybe I'm dense but what's the connection with China? Was one of Wallis' husbands stationed over there or did she grow up there?

I know she was from Baltimore but I haven't heard the Chinese connection before.

 

[BeatrixFan]

She apparantly spent time in China. But it's well known British wives in the colonies turned to native techniques. For example, plenty of women living in the Raj turned to the Kama Sutra.

 

[mrsbugman]

What is phimosis?

 

[Mermaid1962]

InteliHealth:

What is phimosis?

 

[Russophile]

Thanks for explaining BeatrixFan. Maybe I'm dense but what's the connection with China? Was one of Wallis' husbands stationed over there or did she grow up there?

I know she was from Baltimore but I haven't heard the Chinese connection before.

She was from Baltimore and it was interesting to hear her say that she considered Baltimore SOUTHERN. I also found it fascinating that she learned everything about cooking from a Fanny Farmer cookbook. (I have one as well! ONe of the first I bought when I was first married. )

Bea, Sweetie, that is interesting stuff you're talking about. Can you give me any bio's that have similar info. about the "techniques" cuz I'd like to read that.

 

[Elspeth]

Her first husband was stationed in China; they'd already separated, but I think Wallis was persuaded to give the marriage another chance after a relationship she was having in the USA didn't work out, and she went out to China to join her husband and stayed for a while. I'd have to find one of the biographies to see what it says about that period, but I think Spencer was still drinking heavily and being abusive, and the reconciliation didn't work.

 

[BeatrixFan]

She was from Baltimore and it was interesting to hear her say that she considered Baltimore SOUTHERN. I also found it fascinating that she learned everything about cooking from a Fanny Farmer cookbook. (I have one as well! ONe of the first I bought when I was first married. )

Bea, Sweetie, that is interesting stuff you're talking about. Can you give me any bio's that have similar info. about the "techniques" cuz I'd like to read that.

Well, it's only something I've heard, I don't know of any books that speficially mention it but apparantly she could do a trick with ping pong balls and was exceptionally good at the thing Diana wouldn't do according to Barbara Cartland. And that's as tame as I can make it! It's all urban rumour passed and may not be true but I like to think it is.

 

[Russophile]

I'm sure Kitty Kelley's book would say something like that!!

 

[serenissima]

Oh, talking about this woman, after Diana Mosley died, there was a TV programme which was based upon seeral interviews with her. In this programme, she herself was a friend of Wallis and it sounded as though they both shared the same political views with Oswald Mosley and Hitler.

It was such an interesting programme.

 

[Russophile]

I was over in the Tutti-Fruitti thread and thought they would look good on Wallis. She was very chic and plain and jewels really dressed her up and made her slim frame very impressive!!

 

[Menarue]

I wouldn´t be at all surprised to hear that Wallis Simpson had had a child out of wedlock but with DNA testing this family could prove this easily if they want to.
Menarue

 

[Russophile]

I wouldn´t be at all surprised to hear that Wallis Simpson had had a child out of wedlock but with DNA testing this family could prove this easily if they want to.
Menarue

Which family?
There were rumors that Wallis was sterile as was David.

 

[Menarue]

The family I am talking about is the man(or is it woman) who says he/she is the offspring of Wallis and the Duke. In most of the biographies I have read Wallis was supposed to have had an abortion at one time (not the Duke`s child but a diplomat´s) and after that she could never have a child.
Years back before DNA someone could claim to be the son or daughter of some famous person and it was very difficult to prove. Look at the women who claimed to be Anastasia! Now that the remains have been found and identified that will put stop to those claims.
Menarue