Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson, née Warfield)
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor was the spouse of Edward, Duke of Windsor, formally King Edward VIII. Wallis is claimed by many as the reason for the 1936 Constitutional Crisis and the main reason for Edward abdicating the Throne.
Bessie Wallis Warfield was born on the 19th June 1896 in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Daughter of Baltimorians Teackle Wallis Warfield and Alice Montague Warfield, when she was young her father died of tuberculosis and the family became dependent on the charity of Wallis' Uncle (Wallis' father's brother). Wallis had a strained relationship with some parts of her family has she was a poor relation. At Oldfields School, the most expensive girls' school in Maryland, Wallis topped her class and was known for her style and immaculate detail to dress.
In 1916, Wallis met Earl Winfield Spencer Jr who was a U.S. Navy Aviator. They married six months later and Winfield was stationed in San Diego, Washington D.C. and China. This and his alcoholism put a strain on their marriage. When the marriage began to break down, Wallis went to China to travel, in what was called her "lotus year". Wallis and Winfield divorced in 1927. Wallis later married Ernest Aldrich Simpson, an English-American shipping executive. The lived in London and moved to a large flat with several servants.
In January 1934, Wallis met Edward, Prince of Wales through Thelma, Lady Furness whom was the mistress of Edward and friend of Wallis and Ernest. Soon Wallis became Edward's mistress and they had traveled together and eventually in 1935 after constant arguing with his parents King George V and Queen Mary, Wallis was presented at court.
On January 20th 1936, George V died and Edward became King Edward VIII. As soon as Wallis divorced Ernest (6 months after the divorce is processed) Edward wished to marry Wallis. This caused a scandal in Britain that is now known as the "abdication crisis." The consensus from the Church of England and the conservative British establishment was that Edward could not marry a divorced woman who still had two living ex-husbands. The king's ministers also disapproved, finding Wallis's behavior unacceptable. Britons were reluctant to accept an American as queen. During this time, Wallis fled to France to avoid the heavy press coverage.
On December 5th 1936, Edward was handed an ultimatum, abdicate or don't marry Wallis. Edward decided to Abdicate and told Walis who was with friends in France. On 11th December 1936, Edward broadcast a message to the British public announcing his abdication. In his speech he highlighted his intention that he couldn't reign without the woman he loved. Edward was forced to leave the country and fled to continental Europe staying with many friends until he could marry Wallis.
Wallis' divorce was made final and on June 3rd 1937, nearly one month after the Coronation of his brother. No member of the Royal Family came to the wedding and the couple were created the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, with Wallis not granted the style of HRH (Her Royal Highness).
Wallis and Edward lived in France during the prewar years. Before the war the Duke and Duchess traveled to Germany where they met Adolf Hitler at his Berchtesgaden retreat. Hitler said of Wallis that "she would have made a good Queen". It was believed that The Duchess of Windsor along with the Duke were supporters of the Nazi Regime. When the Second World War came, the Duke was given a military post stationed in France but when France fell to the Germans in 1940, the Duke and Duchess were relocated to Spain and then to Lisbon, Portugal. They lived in the house of Ricardo de Espirito Santo e Silva who was a banker and believed to be a German agent spying on the couple. The British Establishment were worried that the Duke and Duchess would be kidnapped by German spies and they would be used as puppets by Hitler for political gain against Britain. It was also believed that Hitler would re-install Edward as King if they won the war and conquered Britain.
Edward and Wallis were sent to the Bahamas where Edward was Governor and Wallis was First Lady. For five years Wallis performed her role even though she disliked the islands as they were far from European society. Yet she still worked actively in the Red Cross and in infant welfare. The Duchess still turned heads but were safe from the dangers of the Nazi's and after the war again went to live in Paris and retire from public life.
When George VI died in 1952, Edward returned to London for the funeral while Wallis stayed in France as she didn't feel welcome. Later in the same year they were offered a house by the Paris Municipal Authorities which was located at 4 route du Champ d'Entrainement in Neuilly-sur-Seine, close to Paris. They also owned a home in the Country referred to as Moulin de la Tuilerie or "The Mill". In 1965 the Duke and Duchess visited London for eye surgery for a detached retina and the memorial service of Princess Mary The Princess Royal, Edward's sister. Again in 1967 they visited London for the commemoration of Queen Mary's centenary with the unveiling of a plaque. Edward and Wallis were visited by the Queen and Prince Charles shortly before Edward's death in 1972. The funeral was at Westminster Abbey with Wallis staying at Buckingham Palace during her stay.
After Edward's death, Wallis became increasingly frail and suffered from dementia and was supported by her husband's estate and an allowance from the Queen. After suffering many more injuries her French lawyer, Suzanne Blum assumed Power of Attorney. Her attorney sold items to her own friends at lower prices and was accused of exploiting Wallis who was in a frail state. In 1980 Wallis lost the ability to speak and towards the end of her life was bedridden, only visited by doctors and nurses. She dies on the 24th April 1986 in Paris. Her funeral was held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and was attended by high ranking and senior members of the Royal Family. She was buried in the Royal Burial Ground near Windsor.
Wallis gave many pieces of collectible furniture to the French state in recognition of their aid to her and her husband. Most of her estate was was given to charity, mainly the Pasteur Institute Medical Research Foundation and the British Royal Family weren't given any major bequests. Wallis' extraordinary jewellery collection was put up for auction at Sotheby's in Geneva and sold for $45 million in April 1987. Mohamed Al-Fayed bought a lot of the collection and it is believed the Royal Family bought back a lot of personal mementos in secret.
Bessie Wallis Warfield was born on the 19th June 1896 in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Daughter of Baltimorians Teackle Wallis Warfield and Alice Montague Warfield, when she was young her father died of tuberculosis and the family became dependent on the charity of Wallis' Uncle (Wallis' father's brother). Wallis had a strained relationship with some parts of her family has she was a poor relation. At Oldfields School, the most expensive girls' school in Maryland, Wallis topped her class and was known for her style and immaculate detail to dress.
In 1916, Wallis met Earl Winfield Spencer Jr who was a U.S. Navy Aviator. They married six months later and Winfield was stationed in San Diego, Washington D.C. and China. This and his alcoholism put a strain on their marriage. When the marriage began to break down, Wallis went to China to travel, in what was called her "lotus year". Wallis and Winfield divorced in 1927. Wallis later married Ernest Aldrich Simpson, an English-American shipping executive. The lived in London and moved to a large flat with several servants.
In January 1934, Wallis met Edward, Prince of Wales through Thelma, Lady Furness whom was the mistress of Edward and friend of Wallis and Ernest. Soon Wallis became Edward's mistress and they had traveled together and eventually in 1935 after constant arguing with his parents King George V and Queen Mary, Wallis was presented at court.
On January 20th 1936, George V died and Edward became King Edward VIII. As soon as Wallis divorced Ernest (6 months after the divorce is processed) Edward wished to marry Wallis. This caused a scandal in Britain that is now known as the "abdication crisis." The consensus from the Church of England and the conservative British establishment was that Edward could not marry a divorced woman who still had two living ex-husbands. The king's ministers also disapproved, finding Wallis's behavior unacceptable. Britons were reluctant to accept an American as queen. During this time, Wallis fled to France to avoid the heavy press coverage.
On December 5th 1936, Edward was handed an ultimatum, abdicate or don't marry Wallis. Edward decided to Abdicate and told Walis who was with friends in France. On 11th December 1936, Edward broadcast a message to the British public announcing his abdication. In his speech he highlighted his intention that he couldn't reign without the woman he loved. Edward was forced to leave the country and fled to continental Europe staying with many friends until he could marry Wallis.
Wallis' divorce was made final and on June 3rd 1937, nearly one month after the Coronation of his brother. No member of the Royal Family came to the wedding and the couple were created the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, with Wallis not granted the style of HRH (Her Royal Highness).
Wallis and Edward lived in France during the prewar years. Before the war the Duke and Duchess traveled to Germany where they met Adolf Hitler at his Berchtesgaden retreat. Hitler said of Wallis that "she would have made a good Queen". It was believed that The Duchess of Windsor along with the Duke were supporters of the Nazi Regime. When the Second World War came, the Duke was given a military post stationed in France but when France fell to the Germans in 1940, the Duke and Duchess were relocated to Spain and then to Lisbon, Portugal. They lived in the house of Ricardo de Espirito Santo e Silva who was a banker and believed to be a German agent spying on the couple. The British Establishment were worried that the Duke and Duchess would be kidnapped by German spies and they would be used as puppets by Hitler for political gain against Britain. It was also believed that Hitler would re-install Edward as King if they won the war and conquered Britain.
Edward and Wallis were sent to the Bahamas where Edward was Governor and Wallis was First Lady. For five years Wallis performed her role even though she disliked the islands as they were far from European society. Yet she still worked actively in the Red Cross and in infant welfare. The Duchess still turned heads but were safe from the dangers of the Nazi's and after the war again went to live in Paris and retire from public life.
When George VI died in 1952, Edward returned to London for the funeral while Wallis stayed in France as she didn't feel welcome. Later in the same year they were offered a house by the Paris Municipal Authorities which was located at 4 route du Champ d'Entrainement in Neuilly-sur-Seine, close to Paris. They also owned a home in the Country referred to as Moulin de la Tuilerie or "The Mill". In 1965 the Duke and Duchess visited London for eye surgery for a detached retina and the memorial service of Princess Mary The Princess Royal, Edward's sister. Again in 1967 they visited London for the commemoration of Queen Mary's centenary with the unveiling of a plaque. Edward and Wallis were visited by the Queen and Prince Charles shortly before Edward's death in 1972. The funeral was at Westminster Abbey with Wallis staying at Buckingham Palace during her stay.
After Edward's death, Wallis became increasingly frail and suffered from dementia and was supported by her husband's estate and an allowance from the Queen. After suffering many more injuries her French lawyer, Suzanne Blum assumed Power of Attorney. Her attorney sold items to her own friends at lower prices and was accused of exploiting Wallis who was in a frail state. In 1980 Wallis lost the ability to speak and towards the end of her life was bedridden, only visited by doctors and nurses. She dies on the 24th April 1986 in Paris. Her funeral was held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and was attended by high ranking and senior members of the Royal Family. She was buried in the Royal Burial Ground near Windsor.
Wallis gave many pieces of collectible furniture to the French state in recognition of their aid to her and her husband. Most of her estate was was given to charity, mainly the Pasteur Institute Medical Research Foundation and the British Royal Family weren't given any major bequests. Wallis' extraordinary jewellery collection was put up for auction at Sotheby's in Geneva and sold for $45 million in April 1987. Mohamed Al-Fayed bought a lot of the collection and it is believed the Royal Family bought back a lot of personal mementos in secret.