Inside Edward VIII's Relationship With Wallis Simpson
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At first glance, King Edward VIII's romance with the American divorcée, Wallis Simpson, might seem like the stuff of great love stories. After all, it is a real-life tale of a king walking away from the throne to be with the woman he loved. Indeed, in December 1936, Edward signed abdication papers so he could properly ask Wallis to marry him. During this time, it would have been considered indecent for a British king to tie the knot with a twice-divorced woman — and a foreigner at that. Thus, in the spirit of maintaining the respectability of the crown, Edward walked away from his royal responsibilities. Within six months, he and Wallis were wed.
As romantic as this might sound, some sources indicate that Edward and Wallis' relationship was not all roses and butterflies. In fact, as early on as the wedding, Wallis may have had doubts about the whole thing. Vogue's Cecil Beaton — who photographed the wedding — would later write of the not-so-blushing bride, "I feel that she is not in love with him."
And, as the years went on, it is possible that the American divorcée never truly fell for the former king. As the journalist Anna Sebba noted in her book, "That Woman: The Life Of Wallis Simpson, Duchess Of Windsor," Wallis struggled to deal with Edward's idiosyncrasies throughout their marriage. His intense personality and amorous declarations might have been too much for her to bear.
Wallis did not have a great first impression of Edward
From the very first minute King Edward VIII met Wallis Simpson, the monarch found that the American was not easy to impress. In his 1951 memoir "A King's Story," Edward reflected on the first conversation he had ever had with the brown-haired heartbreaker, writing, "It was during the winter after my return from South America in 1931. I had gone to Melton Mowbray with my brother, George, for a weekend's hunting. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson were guests in the same house. It was one of those weekends for which our winters are justly infamous — cold, damp, foggy."
With this bad weather in mind, Edward approached Wallis with what he believed to be a witty comment. According to his account, the royal asked the foreigner if she missed the central heating common in the United States by then. Wallis, in turn, replied that she "did not miss the great boon that her country has conferred upon the world. On the contrary, she liked our cold houses. A mocking look came into her eyes."
At that point, Edward said that Wallis told him, "I am sorry, sir ... but you have disappointed me." When the royal asked for the reason, his future wife responded, "Every American woman who comes to your country is always asked that same question. I had hoped for something more original from the Prince of Wales."
Edward was mesmerized by Wallis' wit
Although Wallis Simpson was not immediately enchanted by King Edward VIII, Edward fell quite quickly for her. In his autobiography, "A King's Story," the monarch described his first impressions of the Pennsylvania native. And he could not help but gush over what he viewed as her most alluring characteristics. In his first few interactions with Wallis, Edward recalled, "Subtle and discriminating, Wallis had an intuitive understanding of the forces and ideas working in society. She was extraordinarily well informed about politics and current affairs." He then admitted, "I was impressed by her habit of reading the four leading London newspapers every day, from cover to cover."
Of course, though, beyond Wallis' pure intelligence was her ability to captivate her friends and family through conversation. And even though Edward described her banter as "amusing," he also made it clear that the society hostess had a strong voice of her own. As he divulged in his book, "Most of all, I admired her forthrightness. If she disagreed with some point under discussion, she never failed to advance her own views with vigor and spirit."
Interestingly, it seems that this sense of outspokenness was what prompted Edward to fall in love with Wallis. He would eventually write, "That side of her enchanted me." Ultimately, Edward felt he needed Wallis to put him in his place, declaring, "A man in my position seldom encountered that trait in other people."
Wallis and Edward started seeing each other romantically
If Wallis Simpson initially hesitated to start an affair with King Edward VIII, she had a very good reason for that. When she started spending time with the royal, Wallis had already been married to the British-American shipbroker Ernest Simpson for about three years. However, as Wallis began seeing more and more of Edward, the monarch was able to win her over.
According to Anna Sebba's biography, "That Woman: The Life Of Wallis Simpson, Duchess Of Windsor," the king managed to impress his paramour with luxurious presents. Sebba explained, "Edward was now wooing Wallis with gifts of jewelry as well as money to buy clothes and other luxuries." These luxuries, though, were not just limited to material items. In effect, they also extended access to unique activities and experiences. By spending time with the prince, Wallis was able to sail through the Balkans, stay over at Balmoral, and mingle with the upper echelon of British society. On one occasion, Edward was even rumored to have arranged for Cartier to loan his lover one of their most gorgeous tiaras.
Perhaps even more exciting, though, was Edward's habit of inviting Wallis to dine with some of the biggest names of the twentieth century. At Edward's table, Wallis met the likes of Charles Lindberg and Winston Churchill. Remembering these gatherings in "A King's Story," Edward wrote, "We saw each other when we could. Her strength and sympathy supported me in my loneliness."
Wallis' husband decided that he wanted to move on
While Wallis Simpson likely enjoyed her dinner parties with King Edward VIII's entourage, there was one obvious drawback to attending these social events — the pair's adulterous relationship became something akin to common knowledge. In his book, "A King's Story," the royal himself acknowledged this issue, writing that Wallis' "presence at my table was duly recorded in the Court Circular. Secrecy and concealment were not of my nature." Unfortunately, though, this meant that Edward's interest in Wallis could not remain under wraps — before long, the American press began to speculate about the scandalous romance.
The truth was that Wallis was not the only unfaithful party in her marriage. And, by the time her relationship with Edward was blowing up the gossip columns, Ernest was invested his own romance with a young woman named Mary Kirk. Perhaps out of a desire to further his relationship with Mary, Wallis' husband decided it was high time to get divorced.
Thus, in 1937, Ernest hatched a plan to leave his marriage without drawing further attention to Wallis' shenanigans. As explained in Anna Sebba's "That Woman: The Life Of Wallis Simpson, Duchess Of Windsor," Ernest booked a hotel room with another woman. This allowed Wallis to claim that she was divorcing Ernest for his infidelity.
Wallis did not necessarily want to marry Edward
On May 3, 1937, Wallis and Ernest Simpson were granted a divorce. In the wake of this high-profile separation, many people assumed that Wallis would soon be walking down the aisle with King Edward VIII. However, the truth was that the recently divorced American was not necessarily itching to get married again — much less to someone as high-profile as Edward.
As royal expert Anna Sebba explained in the Channel 4 documentary, "Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters," "As an American, [Wallis] loved the access to the highest levels of English society, to be showered with blandishments and expensive jewelry, to be the mistress of the future king ... But she expected the eventual fate of most mistresses, which is to be dumped" (via Daily Mail). Because of this, Sebba hinted, Wallis was unprepared for Edward to pursue a more formal relationship with her.
Interestingly, this bizarre dynamic was noted by at least one of Wallis' friends at the time. Speaking to Express, royal historian Andrew Lownie revealed that "Even before the king abdicated, Diana Cooper had noted in her diary, after accompanying the couple on an Adriatic cruise in August 1936, that Wallis 'didn't want to go about with the king ... The truth is she's bored stiff by him.'" According to Lownie, this evidence indicates that "Wallis had enjoyed being the future king's mistress but had no wish to be his wife."
Wallis likely cheated on Edward
If Wallis Simpson was reluctant to marry King Edward VIII, perhaps it was because she was also enjoying a fling with someone else. In fact, documents released by the British secret police show that Wallis and Edward were both being monitored by Scotland Yard prior to the abdication. And, apparently, as the American woman wandered London, she was getting busy. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, one 1935 letter from the superintendent of the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police to the head of Scotland Yard read, "The identity of Mrs. Simpson's secret love has been definitely ascertained."
The letter went on to describe the man in question, "He is Guy Marcus Trundle, a very charming adventurer, very good looking, well bred and an excellent dancer." Apparently, he and Wallis would meet secretly, and the American woman would shower her lover with gifts. The police report explained, "Trundle receives money from Mrs. Simpson as well as expensive presents. He has admitted this."
The royal family tried to prevent the marriage from taking place
Wallis Simpson was not the only one who had doubts about her future with King Edward VIII. Behind the scenes, it is understood that members of the British royal family were concerned with the constitutional implications of the match and what those could mean for the monarchy's future. In light of these issues, high-ranking members of the family tried to work together to convince Edward to forget about Wallis and retain his position on the throne. The king's sister, Princess Mary, was even known to correspond with Loelia, Duchess of Westminster, about these issues.
Fascinatingly, it's reported that Loelia and Mary actually tried to remove Wallis from Edward's life. In fact, during the weeks when Edward was trying to convince the British government to accept Wallis, two women were plotting. Once, Loelia reached out to Mary, writing, "You can't drive him, but you may be able to lead him ... You used to be such good chums in your school days. Sympathy and kindness may do a lot for him now ... It may be a turning point in his life and perhaps get rid of [Wallis] for good."
Ultimately, though, Mary could not convince her brother to honor his commitment to the crown. Edward abdicated the throne, prompting Mary to write in her diary: "He did not appear upset & does not seem to realize the situation."
Wallis and Edward were shunned at their wedding
King Edward VIII formally abdicated the throne in the name of love, and in British society, this essentially meant that he had to marry Wallis Simpson. And, after all the political theatrics that had transpired, Wallis was in no position to resist the match. Following the publication of his book, "Wallis in Love: The Untold Life of the Duchess of Windsor, the Woman Who Changed the Monarchy," royal expert Andrew Morton shared, "If she kicked him to the curb, she'd be the most reviled woman in British history." The marriage was all but written in stone
Naturally, though, Edward and Wallis could not expect to have a traditional British royal wedding. Because of this, the couple decided to hold their nuptials at Chateau de Cande in France. And, despite their newfound status as royal outsiders, they very much expected their wedding to be the society event of the season. Speaking in the documentary, "The Queen Mum: The Reluctant Queen," royal expert Jane Ridley said that the former king "thought the whole royal family would turn up for the occasion."
In the end, though, the pair was snubbed by Edward's family and most of the British elite. At the time, the former king was devastated by this blow. When he realized his mother, Queen Mary, had not even sent him a gift, he wrote her a strongly worded letter. Per the Daily Mail, it read in part, "You virtually ignored the most important event in my life."
They were exiled from England
Once King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson finally tied the knot, the newlyweds were not welcome back in England. Certain higher-up members of the royal family felt it would be inappropriate for Edward to be in the same region as the freshly ascended King George VI. After all, following Edward's abdication, the throne needed to reestablish its legitimacy — and nothing could have undermined that like the presence of a former king.
Speaking on this issue in the documentary, "The Queen Mum: The Reluctant Queen," royal biographer Philip Ziegler said that Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, was particularly adamant about Edward and Wallis' exile. Ziegler recalled, "I remember saying to her once, 'Why have you been so resolute in keeping the Windsors out of Britain?'" Apparently, the Queen Mother's response was quite politically motivated. "She said: 'You can't have two kings, can you?' I knew what she was saying. [Edward's] presence would have been a potential embarrassment and even quite dangerous."
Although the royal family had a good reason to keep Edward out of England, the former monarch did not exactly see things that way. For him, exile was devastating. Chatting with the Daily Mail's Michael Thornton in 1971, Wallis divulged, "The duke would have loved to return to live in the land of his birth ... but our way was blocked at every turn. We were never allowed to go back, and we never will be allowed."
The royal family wielded financial power over King Edward and Wallis Simpson
Although the British royal family did not approve of King Edward VIII's marriage to Wallis Simpson, they did arrange for the couple to receive financial support. Indeed, as per documents obtained by The Guardian, Edward and Wallis relied on payments from the firm in order to maintain their luxurious lifestyle. Ultimately, this gave the royal family vast power over the newlyweds. At one point in 1937, King George VI even wrote a letter to Edward, warning him not to return to England lest he wanted to open his financial situation up to public debate.
As the new king told his disgraced older brother, "If his royal highness should elect to disregard this suggestion [to remain outside Great Britain] ... it must be assumed that the House of Commons and public opinion would insist upon discussion of the circumstances; this would very likely bring about a disclosure of financial arrangements in which public money would be thought to be concerned, directly or indirectly."
Apparently, these sorts of financial threats were not particularly well received by the former king. In a strongly worded letter, Edward replied to George's threat with incredulity: "If my understanding of the present situation is correct, it is now proposed that my personal freedom in this respect be linked with a private family arrangement on financial matters." He went on to call the situation "unfair and intolerable."
Wallis was rumored to be unhappy until the very end
In light of this complicated situation, some sources indicate that Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII never really found happiness together. And while Edward apparently remained head-over-heels for his former mistress, Wallis did not feel the same way. Speaking to Fox News, royal historian Tracy Borman explained, "He just wanted to be in her company all the time, and it was very clear that for him, Wallis was everything." Unfortunately, though, the extent of Edward's fascination with his lover was perhaps overly expressive. As Borman put it, "He didn't know how to act around others. He just wanted what he wanted." And, apparently, he wanted Wallis.
Ultimately, though, the intensity of this attitude was just too much for Wallis to bear. According to Borman, Edward was "clingy and cloying" — which caused his wife to feel like she needed some space. The royal historian explained, "Ironically, this suffocating behavior actually drove her from him ... They obviously never separated, but it really made her want to have space because he was just desperate to possess her entirely." Sadly, it seems that this dynamic created a lot of tension in Wallis and Edward's marriage. And, even though they remained together until the former king died in 1972, their union was far from being the fairy tale that many hoped it would be.