I don't know when my fascination for Edward and Mrs Simpson started. Most of my interests in famous people stem from a viewing of a documentary or an article in a newspaper or even a docudrama. I know when my interest in Anne Frank, Anastasia Romanov, Amelia Earhart, The Mitford Sisters started but I cannot pinpoint the commencement of my interest in Wallis and David. Oooh, it's just come to me - how bizarre!! It started around 1977, the Queen's Jubilee Year, when we had a competition in school to produce a scrap book celebrating the Queen's life. I was only 7 so I had help from my mother - this was before the days of the internet. ( I used to love doing projects - scurrying around to three libraries and cutting up newspapers and magazines. I feel sorry for children now who will never have that pleasure - the internet has some bad points. Does that make me sound mad? ) I think that in one of Mum's women's magazines there was an article and it mentioned how the queen could have had a very different life if her uncle hadn't given up the throne. Gosh, I totally remember this now! Mum ended up telling me about the abdication and the queen's father coming to the throne.
In my teens I found it so romantic that a king would give up the throne for the woman he loved. Although I can't say that, having read a lot of books and watched every documentary going about them over the years, that I particularly liked them. However, they were just so interesting and their love for each other was so deep. Their life of excess was unbelievable. They are back in the news this week because Mohammed Al Fayed, who bought their home in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris, is sending a collection of Wallis' lingerie, handbags and luggage to auction. Her jewellery sale a number of years ago raised record breaking sums - although most of it was so vulgar and *bling*. Who can forget that leopard monstrosity?! But I must admit if I had a few extra £1000000s laying around I might buy one of her simply divine nightdresses. Wallis wrote "My husband gave up everything for me… I'm not a beautiful woman. I'm nothing to look at, so the only thing I can do is dress better than anyone else. If everyone looks at me when I enter a room, my husband can feel proud of me. That's my chief responsibility."
Hard life eh? I am really looking forward to the movie Madonna is producing based on Wallis. I wonder if Madge will make a bid for these?
Thanks for posting that video! I had never seen that one. I remember hearing about Edward and Mrs. Simpson when I was a kid. I thought it was romantic that he'd give up the throne for the woman he loved. However, now I don't see it as so romantic anymore! :( I think it such a blessing that his brother, Prince Albert became King George Vl at such a critical time in history. About a year ago, I was reading a book on Mrs. Simpson and one of the photos in the book was of her & Edward with Adolf Hitler. I had no idea there was connection but wow, what an eye-opener into the life of Mrs. Simpson!
ReplyDeleteI love the nighties!! Especially the pink & white one. I wonder how much they will go for?