Wilding photographs of, 239
in Florida at end of war, 240
return to France (1945), 241–2, 243–6
graves in grounds of Frogmore, 242–3, 275, 276, 281, 286–7
house at 85 Rue de la Faisanderie, 243
stay in England with the Dudleys, 247–9
mansion in Bois de Boulogne, 255, 258, 269, 271, 276, 279–80
purchase of the Mill, 256–7
in London (autumn 1951), 258
Windsor, Duchess of: character, xvii–xviii, xix–xxi, xxiv, 5, 10, 21, 41–2, 91, 99, 117–18, 196–7, 228
physical appearance, xvii, 2, 5, 9, 22, 55, 60, 244
southern US heritage, 4, 8, 24, 234, 247–8
childhood and education, 4–7
desire to find a stable home, 6, 206, 212–13, 251–2
couture and fashion, 2, 7–9, 22, 188, 241, 245–6
first meeting with Edward, 1, 2–4, 9
presented at court (June 10, 1931), 9–10
first marriage, 19–21
sexuality, 21, 22–3
year in Peking, 21, 23
infertility, 21–2, 263
slander and character assassination, xvii, xviii, xix, xx, 21, 23, 58–9, 87–8, 162, 194, 229, 230
attitude to food, 22, 98, 183, 262
marries Ernest Simpson, 24–5
design and decoration, 26–7, 206–7, 208
homemaking and housekeeping, 26–8, 200, 206–8, 209, 212–13, 229, 256–7
flat at Bryanston Court, 26–9, 41–2, 44, 46, 67
as skilled hostess, 27–9, 41–2, 47, 68, 70, 89, 91, 162, 194, 200, 209, 246–7, 255
weekend at Fort Belvedere (January 1932), 29–30, 31, 32–3
nervous disposition, 37, 46, 88, 91, 107, 109, 143–4, 188, 196
frequent invitations to the Fort, 37–8, 39, 40, 44, 46–7
visit to America (1933), 39–40
birthday party at Quaglino’s, 42
as chatelaine of Fort Belvedere, 47–8, 68
in prince’s party for Ascot week, 50
good influence on Edward, 52, 67–8, 77, 80–1, 87, 100, 117, 138, 148
jewelry collection, 52, 57–8, 64–5, 67, 149, 187, 195, 220, 246, 247–9, 277
guest at Prince George’s wedding, 53–6
only meeting with Edward’s parents, 54–5
social status due to Edward, xviii, 56, 59–60, 62, 66–7, 77, 83–4, 85, 137, 286
in Cornwall with Edward, 64–5
at Silver Jubilee Ball, 66–7
alleged Nazi leanings, 69, 86, 87–8, 202, 204, 214, 230–1
fondness of staff for, xix, 70, 245
position of during Edward’s kingship, 77–8, 79–81, 83–92, 97, 99, 101, 105–7, 109, 137
establishment campaign against (pre-abdication), xviii, xx, 77–8, 84, 86–8, 109, 111–14, 122–8, 162, 164
watches George V’s funeral procession, 78–9
separation from Ernest, 88, 91–92
no wish to marry king, xviii, xix, 89, 101–3, 113–14, 117
divorce from Ernest, xviii–xix, 101–2, 104, 108–14, 115–17, 184–5
opposes abdication, xviii, 103, 124–5, 145–6, 148, 150, 152–3, 156–7, 159–60, 162, 164, 187, 277
at Balmoral (1936), 104–7
infamy, xx, 105, 109, 119–20, 125, 131–2, 142, 148–50, 157–9, 172–4, 188, 196–7, 199
Beaton photographs, 107, 117–18
house at 16 Cumberland Terrace, 107, 117–19, 128, 141, 142, 148
royal family’s refusal to receive/accept, 130, 173, 179, 199–200, 212, 215, 216–17, 238, 239–40, 249–50, 258, 265–8
hate mail and threats, 142, 173
moves to Fort Belvedere, 142–4
moves to south of France (December 1936), 147–9, 151–3
at Lou Viei near Cannes, 156–7, 169–70, 175, 176
establishment campaign against (post-abdication), xix, 172–4, 176, 179–81, 189–95, 197, 199–200, 226, 230, 249–51, 258–61
Mary Raffray’s biography of, 177
waxwork effigy of in Madame Tussauds, 177
royal family’s hatred of, xix, 179, 180, 181, 190, 194, 216–17, 223–4, 226, 231–2, 234–5, 250–1, 259
at Candé, 182–5, 186–90, 192–7
changes name back to Warfield, 188
not granted HRH title, 190–2, 208–9, 212, 250–1, 272, 287
status issue as duchess, 196, 208, 212, 214, 221–3, 225–6, 228–9, 231–2, 234, 238–40, 250–1, 287
war work in France, 218–19
Brockhurst portrait of, 229
final attempt to reach out to Queen Mary, 236–8
jewel theft in Sunningdale, 247–9
hysterectomy, 252
medical treatments in middle age, 252, 266
infatuation with Jimmy Donahue, 253–5, 285
cosmetic surgeries, 262, 269, 279
encounter with queen mother (June 7, 1967), 267–8
ill health in later life, 270
in London for duke’s funeral, 272, 273–6
nervous collapse after duke’s death, 272
at duke’s funeral, 274–5
emptiness after duke’s death, 276, 277
final visit to England (1973), 276
Maître Blum’s control of final years, 278–80
death of (April 24, 1986), 280
royal funeral and committal, 280–1
Windsor, Duke of: physical appearance, 3, 15–16, 22, 78, 244
birth of (June 23, 1894), 11
childhood, 11–13, 31
naval training, 12–14
anointed Prince of Wales, 13
as Germanophile, 13, 15, 36, 69
sterility, 13, 36
wealth from Duchy of Cornwall, 13, 79
at Magdalen College, Oxford, 14
fashion and style, 14–15, 36, 82
lack of conformity as young man, 14–15, 16, 17–18, 36–7, 57, 61–3, 127
as playboy bachelor prince, xvi–xvii, 15–16, 17–18, 34–5, 40
punishing physical regimes, 15–16, 22, 198, 262
attitude to food, 16, 28, 98, 209, 262
denied Great War combat role, 16–17
as self-absorbed narcissist, xix, 17–18, 36, 65–6, 76, 98, 125, 131–2, 157–8, 159–60, 176, 285–6
attitude towards royal duties, 17–18, 36–7, 57, 81–2, 87, 104–5, 108, 118–19
romantic life before Wallis, 18–19, 34–5, 47–9
masochistic side of, 19, 65–6, 99
sexuality, 19, 23
at Bryanston Court, 28–9, 41–2, 46, 67
love of gardening, 30, 32, 33, 36, 81, 217, 256, 268
the Fort as sanctuary for, 30–1, 32
needlepoint and crochet, 31–2, 36, 38
establishment misgivings over suitability as king, 34, 35–7, 57
as popular with the masses, 34, 81, 93–4, 120, 135–7, 139, 140, 150, 178, 190, 204, 211
visits to deprived areas, 34, 36, 45, 57, 112–13, 133–4, 135–7
alleged Nazi leanings, xx, 36, 69, 202, 203, 204, 221–2, 230, 235
thoughtful, generous side, 38–9, 41, 98, 120–1
growing intimacy with Wallis, 40–8, 52–4, 57–8, 59–61, 64–8
on Wallis’s character, 10, 41–2
obsessive love for Wallis, xviii, 70–1, 73, 74, 79–81, 83, 85, 103–5, 128, 171, 174, 285–6
final illness and death of George V, 74–6
resets clocks at Sandringham, 76
becomes king, 76–7
wish to marry Wallis, 79, 85, 88–9, 96, 97, 101–2, 110, 116–17, 122–33
left no money in father’s will, 79–80
fear of letting Wallis down, xxiii–xxiv, 79–80, 167, 181
establishment distrust of as new king, 81, 82–3, 86–7, 111–13, 116, 121–3
reforms in early part of reign, 81–2
compulsive stinginess, 82, 241, 285
Ernest confronts over Wallis, 85–6
buys American station wagon, 89
assassination attempt (July 1936), 93
Collings painting of, 94
at Balmoral (1936), 101, 104–7
Aberdeen incident (September 1936), 104–5
last duties as king (autumn 1936), 119, 120–1, 133–4, 135–6
state opening of Parliament (November 1936), 119
farewell broadcast, 164–5, 168–70
Bertie creates as a duke, 166, 171
financial settlement on abdication, 166–7, 179, 211, 219–20, 263–4
at Schloss Enzesfeld, 167, 168, 172, 174–5, 183
leaves Fort Belvedere, 167–8
family dinner party at Royal Lodge, 168, 284–5
leaves England, 170–2
official backlash against, 172–3, 175, 178–81, 189–95, 197
fracture with royal family, 177–81, 189–94, 199–200, 209–12, 216–20, 231–2, 234–5, 239–40, 249–50, 258–61
“gentleman’s agreement” with new king, 178, 200, 219–20
permanent exile of, 178–81, 200, 209–12
obsession with status of Wallis, 190–2, 212, 214, 221–3, 225–6, 228–9, 231, 234–5, 238–40, 250–1
craves return to the limelight, 200–1, 202–3, 240
misses routine/structure of royal life, 200–1, 207
personal appeal to Hitler (August 27, 1939), 213
and Second World War, 213–14, 216–18, 219–24, 225–40
Liberty magazine interview, 230
ranch in Alberta, Canada, 233, 241
blocked from postwar role, 239, 240, 241, 243
visit to England (1945), 242
boredom in France, 244–5, 253
A King’s Story (1951), 253
hatred of living in France, 257–8
ill health in later life, 266, 268, 270
in England for plaque unveiling (June 1967), 266–8
private visit from Prince Charles (1971), 268–9
final illness, 270–1
death of (May 28, 1972), 271–2
lying-in-state at Windsor, 272–4
funeral at Windsor (June 5, 1972), 274–5
private burial at Frogmore, 275
Windsor Castle, 30
Wolfe, Elsie de (Lady Mendl), xxi, xxiii, 27, 28, 218, 251–2
Wood, Rosa, 234
Wyatville, Sir Jeffry, 29
Wyndham, Hon. Margaret, 12
IMAGE CREDITS
Bessie Wallis Warfield aged six months, with her mother, Alice, 1896: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
Four generations: Edward, aged six, with his great-grandmother Queen Victoria, his grandfather Prince Edward (later King Edward VII) and his father Prince George (later King George V): Keystone/Getty Images
Naval cadets Edward and Bertie with their mother, Queen Mary, at Barton Manor, Isle of Wight, 1909: Kirk and Sons of Cowes/Heritage Images/Getty Images
The Prince of Wales, 1911: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images
A young Wallis, aged ten: Bettmann/Getty Images
Wallis’s first husband, US Navy pilot Earl Winfield Spencer: Wikipedia
Wallis with her bridesmaids and maid of honor for her marriage to Spencer, 1916: TopFoto.co.uk
Edward on tour, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1919: Ernest Brooks/Central Press/Getty Images
Edward with Winston Churchill, one of his political mentors, 1919: Keystone/Getty Images
Wallis and her second husband, Ernest Simpson, presented at court in June 1931: Granger/Bridgeman Images
Fort Belvedere: Courtesy of the author
Wallis relaxes at Belvedere with her cairn terrier Slipper, 1935: Granger/Bridgeman Images
King George V’s funeral procession, January 1936: Print Collector/Getty Images
Wallis places a hand on the king’s arm during the Nahlin cruise along the Adriatic, August 1936: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Wallis photographed for Vogue by Cecil Beaton at the Château de Candé, France, May 1937: Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast via Getty Images
Three weeks after Bertie’s coronation as George VI, Wallis and Edward marry, June 3, 1937, at the Château de Candé: Bettmann/Getty Images
An official event in Nassau, 1940: Courtesy of the author
In Nassau during the Second World War, Wallis became local president of the Red Cross: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The duke and duchess with their friend Charles Bethell, who introduced them to Nassau society, 1940: Courtesy of the author
The duke and duchess on the steps of the Bahamian Club at a farewell party that they hosted, Nassau, 1945: Courtesy of the author
Dorothy Wilding’s portrait of the duke and duchess, New York, June 1943: Courtesy of the author
Queen Mary and Edward, Marlborough House, October 1945: Reg Speller/Fox Photos/Getty Images
The duke and duchess return to France from a trip to the United States, 1955: Bettmann/Getty Images
Wallis dines at the Marbella Club, September 1964: Courtesy of the author
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles visit the duke and duchess in the Bois de Boulogne, May 1972, shortly before the duke’s death: Keystone Pictures USA/Alamy Stock Photo
Two days before Edward’s funeral, Wallis watches the Trooping the Colour from Buckingham Palace, June 3, 1972: Bettmann/Getty Images
The Queen, Wallis and the Queen Mother leave St. George’s Chapel after the funeral service for the Duke of Windsor: Central Press/Getty Images
Funeral of a duchess: Wallis’s coffin is carried, watched by Prince Charles, the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Anne, April 20, 1986: Popperfoto/Getty Images
Wallis’s bedroom in the villa in the Bois de Boulogne, with her glass-topped dressing table and pug cushions lined up on the sofa: Manuel Litran/Paris Match via Getty Images
The author’s bouquet of flowers: a tribute to Wallis at her grave at Frogmore: Courtesy of the author
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Pasternak, Anna, 1967– author.
Title: The real Wallis Simpson : a new history of the American divorcee who became the Duchess of Windsor / Anna Pasternak.
Other titles: New history of the American divorcee who became the Duchess of Windsor
Description: New York : Atria, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2018049232 (print) | LCCN 2018049536 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501198465 (eBook) | ISBN 9781501198441 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781501198458 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Windsor, Wallis Warfield, Duchess of, 1896-1986. | Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894–1972—Marriage. | Nobility
—Great Britain—Biography. | Marriages of royalty and nobility—Great Britain—History—20th century.
Classification: LCC DA581.W5 (ebook) | LCC DA581.W5 P37 2019 (print) | DDC 941.084092 [B] —dc23
LC record available at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__lccn.loc.gov_2018049232&d=DwIFAg&c=jGUuvAdBXp_VqQ6t0yah2g&r=Lq-ns-jcESvYUdATgkcNbvMOlNoGVprXLxKfNL0NW2jIXd1mrwshf3RFabPay8c9&m=pAddWf4SEL5QY6TlgnH_St-7H1MXLhIdo9KOIsVwuY4&s=AqMFZ9G5qbGtjYlwd9cbbLbCs0lgBhn9HvJxGq_i8c0&e=
ISBN 978-1-5011-9844-1
ISBN 978-1-5011-9846-5 (ebook)
Table of Contents
Dedication
Epigraph
Prologue: The Heart Has Its Reasons
Chapter 1. The Prince’s Girl
Chapter 2. ‘Ich Dien’
Chapter 3. One and Only
Chapter 4. God Bless WE
Chapter 5. Down with the American Harlot
Chapter 6. Oceans of Agony
Chapter 7. The Last Hour
Chapter 8. The Fury
Chapter 9. Untitled
Chapter 10. The Twilight Zone
Chapter 11. A Shadow King
Chapter 12. ‘Son Altesse Royale’
Chapter 13. My David
Epilogue: The Cedar Walk
Photographs
Acknowledgments and Note on Sources
About the Author
Notes
Select Bibliography
Index
Image Credits
Copyright
The Real Wallis Simpson: A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor Page 40
