King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (Duke and Duchess of Windsor)

[Eric_Lowe]

I think that was Karol's Magda ! Interestingly Wallis was more of a free spirit than Edward. Imagine her going from Balitimore to California to Beijing ! She was realist and enjoyed a good run with Edward. When the situation became too much, she did genuinely offer to give up the King and leave. She was even prepared to stop the divorce to Ernst. She felt trapped and obligated when Edward gave up his throne for her. It was a daunting aspect to live up to this grand passion.

[Eric_Lowe]

I don't think the British people ever forgotten about them. The couple were greeted with cheers and warm smiles when they visit Britian from time to time. They were the romantic couple who defied society and establishment. The late 50's and 60's were all for that if you remember.

[Margot]

According to James Lee Milnes The Queen was seen to actually cry during the internment of Wallis' coffin at Frogmore! If this is true I think it reveals a rather interesting emotional aspect to the whole thing! If it had been QEQM who had been crying 'crocodile' would have come to mind or that perhaps she had got a speck of earth in her eye and was dabbing at it with a hankie!

[Robert_Hall]

The Windsors were just a footnote in  history, in Britain. I do not know where you got the cheering crowds from,  but that  was a fantasy. They were never "exiled" they just chose to live  in luxury in France.  David/Edward was discredited, rightly or wrongly for his   support for Hitler- that stayed with him. And Wallis was simply disliked and an American adventuress. Also, rightly or wrongly. But she made the best of it, lived the good, if vacuous life.
 As an aside, I have made her supposedly famous "Baltimore Fried Chicken" on several occasions, and it  is pretty good, better than KFC any day!

[Robert_Hall]

I very much doubt that, Margot. The Queen never shows any emotion and she was not at all close to the Windsors. Cookie,  yep, if she had any feelings, I can imagine her weeping a bit- but she didn't.
 And, who is James lee Milnes? I have 15 books on the Windsors and he is not one of them. If I am missing something, I would like to add it to the library.

[CountessKate]

James Lees-Milne was a very well-known diarist and biographer (not of the Windsors) and his biography by Michael Bloch (who himself is a biographer of the Windsors) has just come out.  I believe the reference to the Queen appearing to shed tears at the funeral of the Duke of Windsor would have been in his diaries, though I can't recall if he was actually there or whether he was just reporting it.  I seem to recall he had a few social encounters with the Windsors via Emerald Cunard though he was by no means a socialite/courtier - his wife Alvide had more glamorous connections, but he wasn't really a Chips Channon.  Bloch's website on him is here: http://www.jamesleesmilne.com/index.html

[Robert_Hall]

Thank you, Countess Kate.  He comes to mind now, but just not in the Windsor  context.  I probably have something by him here, but it is not prominent on the shelves.

[Eric_Lowe]

I think you got it wrong Robert. The Windsors were exiled immediately after their wedding. When he wanted to come back, The King and the prime minister did not permit them to come back (even for the war effort). That is history not fantasy. The tax thing did not come up as an issue until later.

[Eric_Lowe]

I don't think the Queen cried at the furneral (she was not close to her uncle at all). She did cried when the Britiannia was chucked. Princess Margaret & Princess Michael of Kent seemed to be nicer to the Old Duchess than the Queen. Another moving thing was that Wallis, Edward & Marina did reconciled later in life. She invited them for lunch after the unveiling of the plack of Queen Mary. Georgie Kent was the Duke's favourite brother.

[Robert_Hall]

 Eric. they were  only asked to stay away for a while.  They made several return visits, including the infamous jewelry robbery, which is still suspect. NO British citizen can be exiled. I think  David was asked to leave  to avoid contention at that time. It was a mutual agreement and he cashed out.  After all, there can only be one king at a time in modern Britain.

[Eric_Lowe]

"Asked" is quite a nice word to use, command is more like it. The Duke was allowed to visit not to stay in Britian. He had wished to retain Fort Belvedere and come back to live as aRoyal Duke like his brothers. But the government knew how popular he was and vetoed the idea. Lets say that he was not "invited" to stay in his homeland. I believe the new King and government was not overly friendly towards the Windsors. They want them (stark reminders of the abdication crisis) to leave indefinitely so that they can wipe the slate clean. It was then Edward (like Diana years later) became a loose canon. I agree that the Duke is no saint, but the realities of life after the abdication (cut off from family & country) did brought out the worst in him. When he was POW, he was very generous, but afterwards he became very petty in money matters.

[grandduchessella]

Thank you, Countess Kate.  He comes to mind now, but just not in the Windsor  context.  I probably have something by him here, but it is not prominent on the shelves.

He's been the source of some other stories--some given wide credence even though he's the only source and his info second or third hand at that--that are widely credited in books on the royals. One such, not to divert topic, was on GV's supposed comments about homosexuals shooting themselves. That's been widely quoted in books but when one tracks down the source, it's Milne's diary and he records it as hearsay. The comment, amongst other things, seemed wildly naive for someone who was in the British Navy for many years and was very close to both George of Greece and his Uncle Waldemar. Anyone, as I said, that's off topic but I use it as an example where a quote that he's the sole source for (ie the Queen crying at the funeral) might not be the most credit-worthy.

The Queen maybe does shed more tears than is credited, though I do doubt about this story. Queen Mary, who she resembles in temperament, did cry at the funeral of her brother Francis but that was a much closer relationship.

[Eddie_uk]

I Wallis showed them that she had class and do need their crumbs of reconization.

I really don't think Wallis and class go together. She was rather vulgar. Certain friends where disgusted how she treated the Duke in public, at time she could really humiliate him. Wallis loved the prospect of a title and status which is why she went after him in the first place!!  You say she "did genuinely offer to give up the King and leave" where do you get that from? Charles Higham branded her "compulsively ambitious" !!

I think if she had "class" she would not have been rude about both Queen Mary & Elizabeth and shown respect.  Remember her behaviour at the ball to celebrate Princess Marina's engagement, she wore outre violet apparently, trying to upstage the prospective bride - very crass!!

I don't think the Queen mother had any interests in a "reconciliation" why would she? The Queen Mother was hardly interested in her and and she always blamed them for the premature death of George VI. At the funeral i think she was just offering a sympathetic hand, she did have a very kind side after all. Though she did send flowers with a card, "In Friendship, Elizabeth".

I think Wallis And Edward made a perfect couple as they where both very selfish and appear greedy!

[Eddie_uk]

The Queen is of course not known for showing her emotions in public. I can only think of three occasions that she has. The decomissioning of the royal yacht (very sad), the memorial service to the victims of Sept. 11 & at the Queen Mothers funeral.

[Robert_Hall]

Will miracles never cease? I actually agree with Eddie UK! I said Wallis had  "style" not class, and she was rather vulgar She was certainly ambitious but had to settle for her lot once married to the Duke. She had the resources to  attain the very best in couture to make her otherwise homely features  look   good. Plus those jewels! Although her donation  of the proceeds from their sale to AIDS research was admirable,  I wonder if that was her initiative or Madame  Blum...