The Night That Edward Confronted Wallis Over Her Gay Lover

Started by cinrit, September 21, 2014, 12:11:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

cinrit

QuoteThe dramatic moment when a devastated Duke of Windsor accused his wife of adultery has been revealed in the previously unseen papers of his former private secretary.  In a scene that undermines the myth that the marriage was 'the greatest love affair in the world', the former Edward VIII tearfully told Wallis Simpson, the divorcee for whom he gave up the throne in 1936, to break off her relationship with a wealthy playboy.

The private notebooks of Anne Seagrim, which she kept secretly during her service with the royal couple, offer further evidence that after 13 years of marriage, the Duchess had became bored with her husband, leading to an affair with a young American 19 years her junior, Jimmy Donahue, who until then had been a promiscuous homosexual.

In an undated eyewitness account detailing the moment the ex-king became aware of the affair, Miss Seagrim  wrote: 'The day that he came back from the [New York] Racquets Club where someone had told him "in his own interests" that the Duchess had  been out every night till dawn with the same young man –  he went to his room and lay  on his bed. She came in and, gaily unknowing, went into  [his room].

'I heard him choking back  the tears in his voice, telling her what he had heard. I heard him say what he had no doubt rehearsed over and over again – "It's not because you are the Duchess of Windsor, it's because you are my wife. Any man would mind his wife  doing this."

More: The night that Edward confronted Wallis over her gay lover: After 60 years, secret notes reveal truth about playboy pal | Daily Mail Online

Cindy
Always be yourself.  Unless you can be a unicorn.  Then always be a unicorn.

Curryong

Sounds like she had several affairs over the years. And he (Edward) gave everything up for that!

cinrit

Before I learned more about them, I thought their whole relationship/marriage was romantic.  But even then, I thought how awful it must be for both of them (but especially for her), knowing that no matter what, they were stuck with each other for the rest of their lives. 

I have a vague memory of letters that came to light a year or two ago, from Wallis to her second husband, intimating that she was still in love with him.  Maybe someone else remembers more about them?

Cindy
Always be yourself.  Unless you can be a unicorn.  Then always be a unicorn.

Curryong

Yes, 'That Woman: A Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor' by Anne Sebba, used a lot of the letters between Wallis and Ernest Simpson, her second husband.

While she was involved with the Prince of Wales in 1936 she invited one of her oldest friends Mary Raffrey over to England, in the hope that she would take Ernest's mind off things (as Edward was getting very serious about marriage. When Mary and Ernest fell in love Wallis then turned round and used their love affair as the reason to get a divorce (even though she would have been quite content to stay married to Ernest Simpson.)

I haven't read the book. Wallis was such a piece of work I've never been able to stand her.

cinrit

Always be yourself.  Unless you can be a unicorn.  Then always be a unicorn.

sandy

I read something different in other books. The Duke of Windsor tossed out Donahue when Jimmy Donahue started getting abusive towards Wallis. 

Curryong

Donahue was certainly a rather unstable character who enjoyed a drink or three.

sandy

I read that Donahue was at the Windsors home and got physically abusive with Wallis and Edward evicted him from the house. That was that. Donahue was a Woolworth heir and cousin to Barbara Hutton.

lilibet80

Jimmy and Wallis got into some sort of argument (probably drunken) and Jimmy kicked Wallis in the leg.  The Duke told him to leave immediately and not come back.  After going to his room he came back and told the Duke 
that his valet and the Duke's butler had gone out to see a movie, so he could not pack and dress.  The Duke fully understood the situation since neither man was capable of functioning without a valet so he let Jimmy stay until his valet came back.

amabel

Yes Lilliebet that is the story I read.. God what an unpleasant bunch.  I don't want to re read books bout them!

Eri

I don't buy any of the stories about The Duchess she has been cast as "the bad guy" a looooooooong time ago and that is all they are gonna describe her as  :wink: ...

sandy

The Jimmy Donahue story is true. The Windsors had some issues in the marriage ca. the 1950s. Wallis would put down her husband in public. He was busy writing his autobiography when the problems were taking place. Jimmy Donahue was always weird but for one reason or another Wallis was infatuated with him.