Behind Closed Doors: The Tragic, Untold Story of the Duchess of Windsor

by Hugo Vickers

An illuminating and moving portrait of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, in her later years after the Duke’s death. *Soon to be a feature film starring Isabella Rosselini and Joan Collins* Acclaimed biograper Hugo Vickers holds an encyclopedic knowledge of the Royal Family, but his his fascination with the Duchess of Windsor runs deeper, going back to his own youth. Long misunderstood, the Duchess of Windsor and her story has both fascinated and polarized. While there have been many books the doomed couple, Behind Closed Doors brings a new perspective to Wallis specifically by focusing on the later years of exile. While Vickers has his own theories about the Abdication itself—and he makes it very clear that Wallis did not lure the King from the throne—the drama of this narrative comes from the criminal exploitation of an old sick woman after the death of her husband. Readers will be shocked by the ruthless French lawyer known as Suzanne Blum and come to understand how the Duchess's precarious position once she was widowed only added to her plight. Her once-glamorous life quickly spiralled into one of desperation and fear. Using previously unpublished papers and other personal testaments, Hugo Vickers paints a resonant portrait of a complex and tragic icon and reveals the truth behind her final years.

480 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2026

About the author

Hugo Vickers is a writer and broadcaster, who has written biographies of many twentieth century figures, including the Queen Mother, Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough, Cecil Beaton, Vivien Leigh, a study of Greta Garbo, Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece, and his book, The Private World of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor was illustrated with pictures from their own collection. Mr Vickers’s book, The Kiss: The Story of an Obsession won the 1996 Stern Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction.

Reviews

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss and Pegasus Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have read a crapton about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Like, an obscene amount. And by now, the story is familiar. Wallis Simpson was a married woman who wound up entangled with the Prince of Wales. Since she was a divorcee’, and her affair with the future Edward VIII broke up her second marriage, it was generally believed that the British government and its people would not accept Wallis as queen. Edward, called David by intimates, could not imagine life without Wallis, so he abdicated his throne for “the woman I loved.” Then, they lived happily ever after. Or so the fairy tale goes.

Very little has been written about the Duchess of Windsor, as Wallis was styled upon marriage, after the death of the Duke. Most books simply say that she was pretty much an invalid after the death of her husband and lived life as a recluse. Behind Closed Doors was first published more than a decade ago, and has been updated for a new edition. It explores the Duchess of Windsor’s from the last days of the duke’s life to the last days and lasting impact of the Duchess.

Behind Closed Doors is told in three parts: the first half of the book is about the Duke of Windsor’s decline and death, followed by a detailed description of the goings on of the Duchess and her household. I did not like how the author inserted himself into the story, which served no purpose other than to prove he hung around in these circles (but never met the Duke and Duchess). Wallis was already having memory troubles before the Duke died, and after it only got worse. The couple had a few lawyers in several countries, and the French lawyer, Maitre Suzanne Blum, slowly squeezed them out.

Not only did Bluhm squeeze the lawyers out, she also began to deny the Duchess’ friends’ visitation. This was said to be done for her benefit, because she would sometimes get agitated, as dementia patients do. Some of the staff at the time started seeing items disappear from the house; one was actually in charge of selling some of the things. With the Duchess oblivious to all that was going on, Vickers maintains that Maitre Blum cheated her employer.

The next half of the book describes what happened to the Duke and Duchess’ estate including several well-publicized auctions (I have the book for one of the auctions.) Then, the story goes back to the beginning of Wallis and Edward’s relationship, which seems like it wouldn’t make sense, but it did.

Overall, an interesting book, but it took me quite a while to get through. That tells me one thing: it was overwritten. At times, it was downright tedious, so I skimmed parts. I do appreciate that there’s a book out there that talks about Wallis’ life after the Duke’s death. There’s some great information in Behind Closed Doors, but it gets lost at times with too much information.

[Cindy Knoke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does this author refer to Sydney Johnson, The Duke of Windsor's honorable Black valet as "the Bahamian boy?" Why does he refer to Black housekeepers as "coloured maids," and why does he refer to Bay Street Merchants as "coloured men?" He refers to the former Rt. Rev. Spence Burton, Bishop of Nassau, as being well known among "coloured people." He utilized the term 'coloured men' more than once and he used all these racially insensitive terms without quotation marks or footnotes. Are these examples of the author's own elitism and racial insensitivity? As a reader, use of these terms detracted from the book. The author also denies that the Duke of Windsor ever purposely/knowingly collaborated with Nazi anti-British plans which is historically inaccurate.