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Before Wallis: Edward VIII's Other Women
Wallis Simpson is known as the woman who stole the king’s heart and rocked the monarchy – but she was not Edward VIII’s first or only love. This book is about the women he adored before Wallis dominated his life. There was Rosemary Leveson-Gower, the girl he wanted to marry and who would have been the perfect match for a future king; and the Prince’s long-term mistress, Freda Dudley Ward, who exerted a pull almost equal to Wallis over her lover, but abided by the rules of the game and never expected to marry him. Then there was Thelma Furness, his twice-married American lover, who enjoyed a domestic life with him, but realised it could not last forever and demanded nothing more than to be his mistress – and fatefully introduced him to Wallis. In each love affair, Edward behaved like a cross between a little boy lost and a spoilt child craving affection, resorting to emotional blackmail to keep his lovers with him. Each of the three women in this book could have changed the course of history. By examining their lives and impact on the heir to the throne, we question whether he ever really wanted to be king.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 16, 2024
The lady or the tiger?
I'm old enough to remember the Duke of Windsor in life and I suspect I'm not alone in having always considered him a pathetic, almost ridiculous figure. He and his wife were semi-celebrities to American socialites with no hope of ever rubbing elbows with the REAL royals. The picture-heavy magazines popular at the time (Life and Look) were always happy to run photos of the couple.
Still, they were B-listers. They lived on his allowance from his family and moved from one resort to another. He golfed and she wore designer clothes and expensive jewelry. I was not aware of their history as fans of Adolf Hitler, but that certainly wouldn't have endeared them to the WWII generation.
This surprisingly meaty book tells the story of the Duke when he was Edward, Prince of Wales, and the royal family's first rock star. His parents (King George V and Queen Mary) were conscientious and hard-working, but both were stiff as boards. They were respected by the public, but not loved. Their oldest son seem to embody the future of his country and the royal family. He was handsome, athletic, and down-to-earth. Everywhere he went, he was greeted by adoring crowds. He was a superstar.
In addition to his likable personality, there were concrete reasons for commoners to take the Prince to their hearts. In contrast to the older royals, he was openly concerned about poverty, slums, dangerous working conditions, and lack of educational opportunity. Both he and his father believed deeply in the value of the monarcy and both were concerned with the threat posed by popular political movements which advocated the end of monarchies.
Their concerns were legitimate. The slaughter of the Russian Imperial family by the Bolsheviks shocked the world, but King George V and his family were personally involved. Due to Queen Victoria's policy of marrying her daughters to European royalty, the king was cousin to both Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra.
Sadly, King George was a distant father and this issue divided them even further. The king believed that the monarchy would be saved by conservative governments dealing harshly with anti-royalists. His son believed that the monarchy would be saved by government programs to alleviate the suffering that made working people turn to revolutionary leaders. In the end, the son was correct, but his opinions destroyed any chance of reconcilliation with his father.
Edward was never a man's man, but always depended on women for comfort and companionship. His first love was Rosemary Levenson-Gower, the daughter of the Duke of Sutherland. Edward met the charming aristocrat when she was serving as a nurse during WWI and was impressed both by her lively personality and her modern ideas of responsibility toward the less fortunate. Ironically, King George had recently announced that his children would be allowed to marry English subjects if they wished. The previous custom of marrying young Royals to foreign royals was no longer appealing after WWI set European nations against each other in a long, bitter war.
Although Rosemary seemed like the perfect future queen, the King and Queen refused permission, because some of her relatives were political leftists. It was an unreasonable decision and one that had disastrous results. Edward never again fell in love with a single, eligible woman.
Freda Dudley Ward was Edward's friend and mistress for an amazing sixteen years. She was well-connected and married to a rising young politician. She was also the loving mother of two young daughters. She shared Edward's desire to modernize the monarchy and make it more responsive to the needs of its subjects. But the reigning monarch is also the head of the Church of England, which forbade remarriage of divorced people. Freda was not a possible wife for the future king, even if she had been willing to risk losing custody of her children by divorcing her husband.
The author believes that Edward's life took a turn for the worse when he took Thelma, Lady Furness as his mistress. An American beauty and aunt to Gloria Vanderbilt, she had no interest in politics. During the years when he was with her, he began to neglect his royal responsibilites and concentrate more on his frantic social life. On the other hand, he may have simply been following his own inclinations. Maybe he dropped his former lovers in favor of an American with no loyalty to the monarchy who would not urge him to do his duty as heir to the throne.
Clearly, Wallis Warfield Simpson was NOT his first love, as they both claimed in their memoirs. He was taken with the twice-married American woman, mostly (it seemed to by-standers) because she was domineering and treated him badly. By that stage of his life, he had come to loathe royal life and was desperate to avoid it as much as possible.
The death of King George brought matters to a head. Edward became king automatically and a coronation was planned. In spite of his popularity, there was great resistance to an unmarried monarch. Would he find a suitable bride at long last? Would he rule as a single man, with the crown passing eventually to his younger brother and then to Princess Elizabeth of York? Or was he willing to be king at all?
And if a monarch no longer wants to be king, how does he get out of it? One way is to insist on marrying a woman so unsuitable that the royal family and the goverment will never agree to the marriage. Someone once said that commoners would never accept Wallis because she was divorced, while aristocrats would never accept her because she was American. Wallis may have believed that she could be queen, but no one else did.
Edward was famous for his ability to delude himself, but surely even he could not have believed that he could marry Wallis and remain king. Was he so much in love with her that nothing else mattered (as he always claimed) or was she an excuse for leaving a job he never wanted?
There are two ways to write about history. There's the dry history book method of listing events and dates. There's the far more interesting way of explaining history through the lives of people who lived and affected it. This book takes the second course and that makes it wonderful reading. The irony is that Wallis Simpson may have been the least intelligent, least interesting woman Edward was ever in love with, but she arrived at a crisis point in his life.
The lives of his previous loves (before, during, and after their involvement with Edward) tell the story of their country at a time when two wars and numerous politcal, social, and economic upheavals changed a nation dramatically. Victoria ruled with stern morality. Now a divorced king married to a divorced queen consort is acceptable to the majority and to the Church of England.
I was surprised to find this book so readable and so informative. It didn't raise my opinion of the Duke of Windsor, but it made his seemingly unthinkable decisions much more understandable. He was NOT a victim (except of his own selfishness and weakness) but he may have had the potential to make meaningful contributions if he had lived in a different time.
I'm old enough to remember the Duke of Windsor in life and I suspect I'm not alone in having always considered him a pathetic, almost ridiculous figure. He and his wife were semi-celebrities to American socialites with no hope of ever rubbing elbows with the REAL royals. The picture-heavy magazines popular at the time (Life and Look) were always happy to run photos of the couple.
Still, they were B-listers. They lived on his allowance from his family and moved from one resort to another. He golfed and she wore designer clothes and expensive jewelry. I was not aware of their history as fans of Adolf Hitler, but that certainly wouldn't have endeared them to the WWII generation.
This surprisingly meaty book tells the story of the Duke when he was Edward, Prince of Wales, and the royal family's first rock star. His parents (King George V and Queen Mary) were conscientious and hard-working, but both were stiff as boards. They were respected by the public, but not loved. Their oldest son seem to embody the future of his country and the royal family. He was handsome, athletic, and down-to-earth. Everywhere he went, he was greeted by adoring crowds. He was a superstar.
In addition to his likable personality, there were concrete reasons for commoners to take the Prince to their hearts. In contrast to the older royals, he was openly concerned about poverty, slums, dangerous working conditions, and lack of educational opportunity. Both he and his father believed deeply in the value of the monarcy and both were concerned with the threat posed by popular political movements which advocated the end of monarchies.
Their concerns were legitimate. The slaughter of the Russian Imperial family by the Bolsheviks shocked the world, but King George V and his family were personally involved. Due to Queen Victoria's policy of marrying her daughters to European royalty, the king was cousin to both Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra.
Sadly, King George was a distant father and this issue divided them even further. The king believed that the monarchy would be saved by conservative governments dealing harshly with anti-royalists. His son believed that the monarchy would be saved by government programs to alleviate the suffering that made working people turn to revolutionary leaders. In the end, the son was correct, but his opinions destroyed any chance of reconcilliation with his father.
Edward was never a man's man, but always depended on women for comfort and companionship. His first love was Rosemary Levenson-Gower, the daughter of the Duke of Sutherland. Edward met the charming aristocrat when she was serving as a nurse during WWI and was impressed both by her lively personality and her modern ideas of responsibility toward the less fortunate. Ironically, King George had recently announced that his children would be allowed to marry English subjects if they wished. The previous custom of marrying young Royals to foreign royals was no longer appealing after WWI set European nations against each other in a long, bitter war.
Although Rosemary seemed like the perfect future queen, the King and Queen refused permission, because some of her relatives were political leftists. It was an unreasonable decision and one that had disastrous results. Edward never again fell in love with a single, eligible woman.
Freda Dudley Ward was Edward's friend and mistress for an amazing sixteen years. She was well-connected and married to a rising young politician. She was also the loving mother of two young daughters. She shared Edward's desire to modernize the monarchy and make it more responsive to the needs of its subjects. But the reigning monarch is also the head of the Church of England, which forbade remarriage of divorced people. Freda was not a possible wife for the future king, even if she had been willing to risk losing custody of her children by divorcing her husband.
The author believes that Edward's life took a turn for the worse when he took Thelma, Lady Furness as his mistress. An American beauty and aunt to Gloria Vanderbilt, she had no interest in politics. During the years when he was with her, he began to neglect his royal responsibilites and concentrate more on his frantic social life. On the other hand, he may have simply been following his own inclinations. Maybe he dropped his former lovers in favor of an American with no loyalty to the monarchy who would not urge him to do his duty as heir to the throne.
Clearly, Wallis Warfield Simpson was NOT his first love, as they both claimed in their memoirs. He was taken with the twice-married American woman, mostly (it seemed to by-standers) because she was domineering and treated him badly. By that stage of his life, he had come to loathe royal life and was desperate to avoid it as much as possible.
The death of King George brought matters to a head. Edward became king automatically and a coronation was planned. In spite of his popularity, there was great resistance to an unmarried monarch. Would he find a suitable bride at long last? Would he rule as a single man, with the crown passing eventually to his younger brother and then to Princess Elizabeth of York? Or was he willing to be king at all?
And if a monarch no longer wants to be king, how does he get out of it? One way is to insist on marrying a woman so unsuitable that the royal family and the goverment will never agree to the marriage. Someone once said that commoners would never accept Wallis because she was divorced, while aristocrats would never accept her because she was American. Wallis may have believed that she could be queen, but no one else did.
Edward was famous for his ability to delude himself, but surely even he could not have believed that he could marry Wallis and remain king. Was he so much in love with her that nothing else mattered (as he always claimed) or was she an excuse for leaving a job he never wanted?
There are two ways to write about history. There's the dry history book method of listing events and dates. There's the far more interesting way of explaining history through the lives of people who lived and affected it. This book takes the second course and that makes it wonderful reading. The irony is that Wallis Simpson may have been the least intelligent, least interesting woman Edward was ever in love with, but she arrived at a crisis point in his life.
The lives of his previous loves (before, during, and after their involvement with Edward) tell the story of their country at a time when two wars and numerous politcal, social, and economic upheavals changed a nation dramatically. Victoria ruled with stern morality. Now a divorced king married to a divorced queen consort is acceptable to the majority and to the Church of England.
I was surprised to find this book so readable and so informative. It didn't raise my opinion of the Duke of Windsor, but it made his seemingly unthinkable decisions much more understandable. He was NOT a victim (except of his own selfishness and weakness) but he may have had the potential to make meaningful contributions if he had lived in a different time.
November 2, 2020
This was a very detailed book! I learned a lot about royalty, not just the King and Queen family royalty. Very comprehensive book of Edwards many lovers as well as his lovers lovers. The reason I did not give this 5 stars is because it felt to me like it ended suddenly. I also would have liked to have known more about Wallis Simpson. In all fairness this book was about his other women, but in that vein the author clearly expected the reader to know all about Wallis and Edward. Very little about Wallis is known within this book and being that I as the reader know very little about their relationship, it would have been nice to at least have had some more information about Wallis and the Prince's relationship.
November 15, 2018
Disappoint read about the 3 women in the life of Edward before he met Wallis. One was a young woman who served as a nurse during world war 1 and would have made an excellent queen while the other 2 women were both married. Sadly I felt we learned very little about any of them.
April 23, 2020
A well-written account of the lives of three women who were associated with Edward VIII, prior to his relationship to Wallis Simpson which led to his abdication in 1936.
I read read a fair amount about the abdication and thought I knew a reasonable amount, but have to admit that I had barely registered the names of his previous girlfriends.
In the early years of the 20th Century, during WWI and the 1920s, Edward was the world's most eligible bachelor.
His first, and only, serious relationship with a single woman was with Rosemary Leveson-Gower, the daughter of the Duke of Sutherland. They know each other as children, but became close when Rosemary worked as a nurse during WW1. Edward proposed to her but his father George V thought she was "unsuitable" due to her eccentric mother. He never seriously dated a single woman again, so George V may well have come to regret that decision.
The book then continue with the account of Edward's two long term mistresses, Freda Dudley Ward, who was a stable loving influence on his life for years, but could never have married him due to the fact that she was already married. Then there was Thelma Furness, an American who had married into the British aristocracy, who will always be remembered as the woman who introduced her lover Edward to her friend Wallis Simpson.
The second part follows the abdication, and is the account of what happened to each of them after Edward was no longer in their lives.
I found it a fascinating read, and I learnt things about Edward and the abdication that I hadn't know previously.
I read read a fair amount about the abdication and thought I knew a reasonable amount, but have to admit that I had barely registered the names of his previous girlfriends.
In the early years of the 20th Century, during WWI and the 1920s, Edward was the world's most eligible bachelor.
His first, and only, serious relationship with a single woman was with Rosemary Leveson-Gower, the daughter of the Duke of Sutherland. They know each other as children, but became close when Rosemary worked as a nurse during WW1. Edward proposed to her but his father George V thought she was "unsuitable" due to her eccentric mother. He never seriously dated a single woman again, so George V may well have come to regret that decision.
The book then continue with the account of Edward's two long term mistresses, Freda Dudley Ward, who was a stable loving influence on his life for years, but could never have married him due to the fact that she was already married. Then there was Thelma Furness, an American who had married into the British aristocracy, who will always be remembered as the woman who introduced her lover Edward to her friend Wallis Simpson.
The second part follows the abdication, and is the account of what happened to each of them after Edward was no longer in their lives.
I found it a fascinating read, and I learnt things about Edward and the abdication that I hadn't know previously.
October 16, 2020
This was not an especially well-written book, but it was interesting in a number of ways. I was unaware of Rosemary, daughter of the Duke of Sutherland, who was Edward's first important love. They met during the Great War and she was unmarried and quite suitable, and he asked her to marry him and she finally accepted. But his parents, the King and Queen, did not give permission. Possibly they had not quite given up on the idea at that point of his marrying a foreign royal princess as had been done for generations. In retrospect, one has to wonder about the course of the 20th century had they accepted this choice! The other strength of this book is that it focuses on the lives of the women (Rosemary, Freda Dudley Ward, and Thelma Furness) outside their relationship with Edward and gives a good account of the rest of their lives. Rosemary and Freda were particularly impressive and bright women who worked tirelessly for charities and the good of others. Edward did well to have chosen to love them and probably would have been the better man (and King) had he married either one.
February 12, 2022
Truth is truly stranger than fiction, especially when it concerns Edward. This is a study of a few of the romances that Edward had, as a young man who just happened to be heir to the British crown. Although the focus is on three of these women, and we learn the what’s and when’s of the affairs, we still don’t really know the why’s. I am left with more questions than answers. Maybe that’s a good result - the author has triggered more interest in her subject matter - but I have the sense that this covers the facts and doesn’t offer any insights or analysis of the characters involved. Add this to your reading list, and be prepared to look for more.
January 3, 2022
We all know what happened after Edward, Prince of Wales, met Wallis Simpson. But what about the women that Edward was involved with before Wallis, and what might have been if Edward had chosen one of them? This book gives us a much better understanding of Lady Rosemary Sutherland-Levenson-Gower, Freda Dudley Ward, and Thelma Furness.
One of my own areas of interest is the social work of the daughter and daughters-in-law of King George V and Queen Mary. Princess Mary volunteered as a nurse during WWI, organized a Christmas gift for all the soldiers serving in the war, and served as patron to the Girls Guide. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon helped care for wounded soldiers at her childhood home, Glamis Castle, before going on to marry the future King George VI. Lady Alice Montagu Douglass Scott promised to dedicate her life to public service after a near drowning at age 14, and got the opportunity when she married Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, a Romanov descendant, requested that Russian seamstresses be employed to work on her wedding dress and continued to serve the crown after the death of her husband, the Duke of Kent. Even Wallis worked for the Red Cross and promoted infant welfare during Edward's stint as Governor-General of the Bahamas.
Lady Rosemary would have fit in splendidly with this esteemed group. She assisted with her mother's charity work from a young age and was working as a nurse in a field hospital when she first became involved with the Prince of Wales. The fact that she was the daughter of a Scottish aristocrat, like Elizabeth and Alice, would have been an interesting coincidence! (Princess Marina referred to her sisters-in-law, who husbands outranked hers, as "those common Scottish girls.")
Unfortunately, the king vetoed Rosemary as a choice of bride for Edward because of her relations. Her mother was about to divorce her second husband, and her aunt had demanded money or else she would publish love letters written to her by Edward VI. Rosemary would go on to marry a viscount and continue her life of public service until her untimely death in 1930. Edward never again linked to an eligible single woman, as Freda, Thelma, and Wallis were all married women.
Freda also embraced public service, starting The Feathers Association to help the poor and hungry during the Great Depression. During her relationship with the prince, she provided a sounding board for his ideas and provided stability and encouragement. If she had been single, she would have made an excellent consort.
I'm racking my brain trying to think of something positive to say about Thelma Furness, but the only good thing she really did was to introduce Edward to a wittier woman than her, Wallis. But it's interesting to note that during her relationship with Edward, Thelma got on well the Duke and Duchess of Kent and often socialized with them. The same could not be said of her successor.
This was a fascinating biography of three women set up in two parts to show the before and after of their relationships with the Prince of Wales. I also found it to be a quick read.
One of my own areas of interest is the social work of the daughter and daughters-in-law of King George V and Queen Mary. Princess Mary volunteered as a nurse during WWI, organized a Christmas gift for all the soldiers serving in the war, and served as patron to the Girls Guide. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon helped care for wounded soldiers at her childhood home, Glamis Castle, before going on to marry the future King George VI. Lady Alice Montagu Douglass Scott promised to dedicate her life to public service after a near drowning at age 14, and got the opportunity when she married Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, a Romanov descendant, requested that Russian seamstresses be employed to work on her wedding dress and continued to serve the crown after the death of her husband, the Duke of Kent. Even Wallis worked for the Red Cross and promoted infant welfare during Edward's stint as Governor-General of the Bahamas.
Lady Rosemary would have fit in splendidly with this esteemed group. She assisted with her mother's charity work from a young age and was working as a nurse in a field hospital when she first became involved with the Prince of Wales. The fact that she was the daughter of a Scottish aristocrat, like Elizabeth and Alice, would have been an interesting coincidence! (Princess Marina referred to her sisters-in-law, who husbands outranked hers, as "those common Scottish girls.")
Unfortunately, the king vetoed Rosemary as a choice of bride for Edward because of her relations. Her mother was about to divorce her second husband, and her aunt had demanded money or else she would publish love letters written to her by Edward VI. Rosemary would go on to marry a viscount and continue her life of public service until her untimely death in 1930. Edward never again linked to an eligible single woman, as Freda, Thelma, and Wallis were all married women.
Freda also embraced public service, starting The Feathers Association to help the poor and hungry during the Great Depression. During her relationship with the prince, she provided a sounding board for his ideas and provided stability and encouragement. If she had been single, she would have made an excellent consort.
I'm racking my brain trying to think of something positive to say about Thelma Furness, but the only good thing she really did was to introduce Edward to a wittier woman than her, Wallis. But it's interesting to note that during her relationship with Edward, Thelma got on well the Duke and Duchess of Kent and often socialized with them. The same could not be said of her successor.
This was a fascinating biography of three women set up in two parts to show the before and after of their relationships with the Prince of Wales. I also found it to be a quick read.
June 9, 2019
Interesting book
I always have loved the royal and history and this covers both. To imagine growing up during these years is a pass in time. Prince Edward had everything and still was not happy. The women he loved he couldn't have. It is sad on one hand and yet he seems like a spoiled man who never truly grew up. He married a woman who may or may not have loved him but the women he did love he couldn't mary. If he had been allowed to marry his first love I can only imagine how the royal would be now. But his father once said that he hoped "Lillebet" would rule. And as Queen Elizabeth, she does. Thankfully because the thought of him ruling the UK is a sad tragic thought. As much as these women loved him, they were really the lucky ones at the end. Good, interesting book for anyone who likes/loved the royal family.
I always have loved the royal and history and this covers both. To imagine growing up during these years is a pass in time. Prince Edward had everything and still was not happy. The women he loved he couldn't have. It is sad on one hand and yet he seems like a spoiled man who never truly grew up. He married a woman who may or may not have loved him but the women he did love he couldn't mary. If he had been allowed to marry his first love I can only imagine how the royal would be now. But his father once said that he hoped "Lillebet" would rule. And as Queen Elizabeth, she does. Thankfully because the thought of him ruling the UK is a sad tragic thought. As much as these women loved him, they were really the lucky ones at the end. Good, interesting book for anyone who likes/loved the royal family.
August 4, 2020
There was a great deal of information about Freda Dudley Ward, who seemed to be thought of as his 'best' mistress. Also Rosemary Leveson-Gower, who was not a mistress but rather the only single woman he was interested in, was covered in detail also. The effort to be fair and unbiased didn't quite make it. The comments remind of the things people say about the Duchess of Sussex. All of a sudden their golden prince is a hapless innocent with no personal power. Both Edward and Harry are completely devoid of any offensive thought or act. They are the victims of the slightly naughty and certainly unsavory American women who led them astray. It's such cowardly and dishonest drivel in both cases. I've read books on this topic which were more guilty of this but, it's definitely present here.
October 3, 2020
Interesting Information
I always enjoy reading about the British royal family and this book was no exception. Focusing on three of King Edward's (briefly before he defected the throne to marry Wallis Simpson) true loves, it tells their stories before, during and after their relationships with him. Lots of juicy tidbits including diary entries and personal letters written to the women. Much original source material. Edward was a bit of a baby/child/man and obviously needed some stern mommy figure to take him in hand and be strict with him. Ooo. The author seemed to be quite disapproving of Thelma Morgan but made the case repeatedly that the other two would have made great queens. Add this to your collection.
I always enjoy reading about the British royal family and this book was no exception. Focusing on three of King Edward's (briefly before he defected the throne to marry Wallis Simpson) true loves, it tells their stories before, during and after their relationships with him. Lots of juicy tidbits including diary entries and personal letters written to the women. Much original source material. Edward was a bit of a baby/child/man and obviously needed some stern mommy figure to take him in hand and be strict with him. Ooo. The author seemed to be quite disapproving of Thelma Morgan but made the case repeatedly that the other two would have made great queens. Add this to your collection.
March 20, 2021
Eminently readable, this is the story of the three women who were long-term mistresses of the Duke of Windsor prior to his marriage to Wallis Simpson and his abdication from the thrown of England. All three were commoners, one was an American, two might have been the saving of Edward VIII. Rachel Trethewey concentrates on each woman, building detailed pictures of what attracted Edward to each, how they contributed to his character for good or bad, and how incredibly bad he was at breaking up with each of them. The author has caught the attitudes and the mores of post-WWI England with both candor and subtlety.
May 27, 2025
The author cannot be criticised for failing to gather information from contemporary accounts. Her research is attested by the long bibliography.
Unfortunately, facts of themselves do not necessarily tell a comprehensive story. The three women she investigates therefore remain as muted two-dimensional figures.
This is a shame as Edward's previous women-friends were clearly part of his development and left him susceptible to the temptations placed in his path by Wallis Simpson. This second part of his story has been written to death, but the first part deserves much more than this book supplies.
To add to the disappointment of the book, its prose is 'clunky' and unimaginative.
Unfortunately, facts of themselves do not necessarily tell a comprehensive story. The three women she investigates therefore remain as muted two-dimensional figures.
This is a shame as Edward's previous women-friends were clearly part of his development and left him susceptible to the temptations placed in his path by Wallis Simpson. This second part of his story has been written to death, but the first part deserves much more than this book supplies.
To add to the disappointment of the book, its prose is 'clunky' and unimaginative.
October 24, 2020
Prince of Wales
This book details the Prince of Wales' relationship with other women before he met Wallis Simpson. It also describes how Thelma Furness was the one to introduce Wallis Simpson to the Prince of Wales. This was a fascinating book. I had never known about these other women and really enjoyed reading about them. Highly recommend this book.
This book details the Prince of Wales' relationship with other women before he met Wallis Simpson. It also describes how Thelma Furness was the one to introduce Wallis Simpson to the Prince of Wales. This was a fascinating book. I had never known about these other women and really enjoyed reading about them. Highly recommend this book.
January 18, 2024
This is a fun, informative and light read. It truly focuses on three women in Edward VIII's life before Wallis, even describing what happened to each of them after he married . Autobiographies, biographies, and primary sources from newspapers and letters are effectively used to bring the time period alive.
April 21, 2019
Part serious-minded biographical study, part gleeful gossip-fest, this book ends with 37 pages of footnotes and a five-page bibliography in support for its bid as a work of scholarship ... methinks the lady doth protest too much ...
January 13, 2020
A good read and so informative. I had no idea Wallis was one of so many. Especially appreciated the format: following all the ladies and their romances with Edward, then telling what their lives were like after.
March 9, 2020
The truth of the king who abdicated.
Stories of the women behind the history, each life is fascinating. How differently history might have been written had a marriage of love taken place instead of accepting mistresses as the right of the kinf.
Stories of the women behind the history, each life is fascinating. How differently history might have been written had a marriage of love taken place instead of accepting mistresses as the right of the kinf.
September 20, 2020
Passable
Runs out of first hand stories. Old stories reported in previously read books. Photos interesting though. Make own opinion! Interesting. A look see at a different time, way of life.
Runs out of first hand stories. Old stories reported in previously read books. Photos interesting though. Make own opinion! Interesting. A look see at a different time, way of life.
October 27, 2020
I did think I would like this book that well as I have only been interested in Wallis. But I found the ladies quite interesting and it gives you a good look into what the Duke was like in his private life.
November 21, 2020
Currently at page 69. Discovering the real reasons and justified facts that were not reported, as to the real reasons the Duke Windsor was lead in path he went. It goes deeper than the women themselves. On completion, I’ll explain in detail.
July 5, 2019
Great Expose!
Loved reading the history and the way the elite classes lived. Not many morals going on within this wealthy, mostly idle class...
Loved reading the history and the way the elite classes lived. Not many morals going on within this wealthy, mostly idle class...
May 31, 2020
It's fine. Nothing special.
October 11, 2020
Good book, a little long winded though. It reaffirms why I wouldn’t ever want to be royalty, not that that is likely to happen.
June 30, 2021
Excellent
This book was intriguing and extremely enjoyable. It was so well-written that it was easy to keep up with all of the people who played a role in history.
This book was intriguing and extremely enjoyable. It was so well-written that it was easy to keep up with all of the people who played a role in history.
December 9, 2021
A great book but it could have included more women or been the first of several books. Well worth the read though. It wets your appetite to delve further into his character and love life.
December 25, 2022
Such an interesting book
April 16, 2024
What a tale of debauchery!
April 8, 2025
This wasn't really a story. It felt more like a listing of women and events and not really enjoyable. I tried to get into it but alas no.
May 25, 2025
Just the period of history I'm interested in. Sadly written like a list or timeline. Nearly made it through but essentially a great topic made dull.
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