Wallis Simpson and King Edward's love story - Scandal, exile and a love that cost a crown
Wallis Simpson spent her days as a recluse after Edward's deathWallis Simpson was an American socialite before she became the wife of Prince Edward, who abdicated the British throne so he could marry her.
She was married twice before she met Edward, who was first in line of succession, but their relationship caused a rift in the royal family and Church of England.
Their forbidden love story was overshadowed by old traditional values and royal scandal. In the end, the prince felt he had no other choice than to leave his position as head of state to be with the woman he adored.
When it came to deciding between love and duty – he chose love.
Wallis was married twice before
Born in Pennslyvania as Wallis Warfield, her first husband, Earl W Spencer, was a navy pilot. They were together for 11 years after tying the knot in 1916, when she was 20 years old. But it wasn’t to last and she traveled to England after they divorced in 1927.
It was in Britain where she met Ernest A Simpson, Wallis’ second husband. They married in 1928, in Chelsea registry office and lived near London, and began moving in high society circles. It was during this time where she met Edward, who was then the Prince of Wales.
In 1930, after the duo were sat next to each other a dinner during a country hunting retreat, their was a spark straight away.
In her autobiography, The Heart Has Its Reasons, Wallis admitted she was “petrified” when they first met.
She added: “But I decided the Prince was truly one of the most attractive personalities I ever met.”
The two started out as friends, but over time, fell in love.
They kept their relationship a secret for two years and only went public after Edward became king.
Wallis Simpson sued her second husband for divorce in the summer of 1936, six months after the prince became King Edward VIII. She filed for divorce with the intention of marrying Edward, but as she was twice divorced, it wasn’t socially or politically acceptable for the monarchy.
Simply, they wouldn’t accept her as a British queen consort.
Read more: Inside the royal family tree – from King Charles III to the youngest members of the monarchy
Edward ‘found it impossible’ to carry on without Wallis Simpson
Edward renounced the throne on December 10, 1936, just shy of a year after he became King, in order to marry Wallis Simpson.
When the Prime Minister, press and public found out his desire to marry a divorcee, it started a national crisis. He was unable to marry her due to the practices of the Church of England at the time.
Eventually, he crumbled. During his famous radio broadcast, he was honest about the reason behind his abdication.
He said: “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”
Immediately after, he left the country with Wallis and they lived in Europe in Exile.
Did Wallis Simpson have a royal title?
His brother Albert (Queen Elizabeth II’s father), ascended to the throne following Edward’s abdication and became known as King George VI.
Edward and Wallis Simpson were given royal titles and were called the Duke and Duchess of Windsor by his brother.
Her divorce was finalised five months later, and she changed her name legally to Mrs Wallis Warfield. Wallis and Edward married in France on June 3, 1937 in a civil ceremony at the Chateau of Cande. They then had a religious ceremony, conducted by Reverend Robert Anderson Jardine, who went against the Church’s ban on marrying people who were divorced.
Edward proposed with ‘unusual’ engagement ring
Edward proposed to Wallis Simpson with an emerald engagement ring two months before abdicating the throne.
The 19.77 carat emerald was sourced by Jacques Cartier, and was the centrepiece for the stunning piece of jewellery. It was considered untraditional at the time as diamonds are typically picked for their durability and shine.
The original jewel was half the size of a bird’s egg, sourced from Baghdad. It was cut into two and sold separately, with Edward buying one half, and an American millionaire purchasing the other.
Wallis Simpson’s engagement ring was as rebellious as their love story. Crafted by Cartier, it featured a platinum band and the emerald was flanked by diamond baguettes. The former king had a message engraved on the inside, which read: “We are ours now 27 x 36”. It was reported to be referencing the date of their engagement.
For their 20th wedding anniversary, she had it remount into a gold-and-platinum ring.
In 1987, it was sold at auction for £1.3 million, a year after her death.
Read more: Strict rules the royal family follows – from heirs travelling apart to avoiding shellfish
Did the royal family ever accept Wallis Simpson?
No, the royal family did not accept Wallis Simpson formally, and refused to give her the Her Royal Highness title. Edward and Wallis were never officially invited or received by the palace to visit, but they did have ‘private’ meetings after being exiled to Europe.
Months before Edward’s death in 1972, Queen Elizabeth II visited him and Wallis at their Windsor Villa in Paris.
Battling throat cancer at the time, he reportedly begged his niece to give his wife the HRH title, a former nurse alleged.
77-year-old Edward was frail during the visit, but cared about his appearance. Often choosing to cover up his tubes with clothing and preferring to sit up in bed.
Former nurse, Julie Alexander, told ITVX documentary crews for The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, that his final wish was denied.
“He was terribly sick. He couldn’t have weighed — maybe 80 lbs, if that, and wasn’t eating at all,” she said.
“The Queen said no. She said no, even on that sad day,” she added. “It was, you know, breaking his heart, I think. That’s what he wanted. That’s what he wanted, that title for her. Not having that title for his wife was a slap in his face.”
Edward passed away 10 days later at home. His body was transported back to England and he was buried beside Frogmore Mausoleum at Windsor Castle. The Queen and her husband Prince Philip attended the private service. Wallis Simpson travelled to the UK for his funeral, and the royals did allow her to stay at Buckingham Palace during her visit.
What did Wallis Simpson do when Edward died?
Following the death of the Duke of Windsor, the Duchess returned to Paris with his secretary John Utter.
She spent her final years as a recluse, rarely leaving her home, with reports she suffered with symptoms of Dementia. She was rarely seen in public, and her private life during her remaining years became a mystery.
Wallis received an allowance from Queen Elizabeth and was supported by her husband’s estate.
But her only visitors became doctors and nurses.
After her death at age 89, most of her estate went to the Pasteur Institute medical research foundation.
Wallis Simpson died in Paris in 1986, 14 years after Edward passed away.
Read more: Queen Elizabeth II’s simple reason why she did not attend King Charles and Camilla’s wedding
Did the Queen go to Wallis Simpson’s funeral?
Wallis Simpson’s funeral took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, and various members of the royal family attended, including Queen Elizabeth II.
The burial itself had a smaller head count, the Queen, Prince Philip, the Queen Mother, Princess Anne, the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Wallis’ devoted nurses.
It was a private affair, with the hearse taking private roads to the chapel.
She was buried alongside her husband. Wallis Simpson was together again with Edward, in Windsor.
What do you think of this story? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial.
