"I am so anxious for you not to abdicate and I think the fact that you do is going to put me in the wrong light to the entire world because they will say that I could have prevented it."
~ Wallis Warfield Simpson 
Some have described it as one of the greatest love stories, since the man in question was the reigning king of England, who chose to give up his throne for the woman he loved. The king was Edward VIII and he would forfeit all claim to the throne for American divorcée, Wallis Simpson, later to be known as the Duchess of Windsor. Many others would be less generous in describing their relationship since it caused quite the scandal at the time, creating a constitutional crisis for England and forcing Edward's younger brother Albert to take over the throne. Albert would become King George VI, father of the current Queen Elizabeth II.
Whatever one thinks of Wallis, she lives on as reflected in various films of the past
Gillian Anderson (Any Human Heart)
Eve Best (The King's Speech)photo: Laurie Sparham/The Weinstein Company
Emma Clifford (Upstairs, Downstairs)
Andrea Riseborough (W. E.)photo: Charles Ruby/WENN.com
Wallis and Edward (aka Her Royal Affair) (2005)Joely Richardson and Stephen Campbell Moore
Bertie and Elizabeth (2002)Charles Edwards and Amber Sealey
The Woman He Loved (1988)Tom Wilkinson (Mr. Simpson) Jane Seymour & Anthony Andrews (as the Windsors)
Edward and Mrs. Simpson (1978)Cynthia Harris and Edward Fox
[Edward Fox portrayed King Edward and his own brother James Fox
portrays Edward's father King George V in W. E.]
The Woman I Love (1972)Faye Dunaway and Richard Chamberlain
Abbie Cornish and Andrea Riseborough? on set of W.E.photo: Brian Flannery/FlynetPictures.com
"The Duchess of Windsor's shoes and evening bags are beautiful items which were given to the late David Campbell, who was the Duke of Windsor's valet in the 1950's, and who passed them on to his young niece to 'play dressing up with.' ''She has treasured them for all these years and has now decided she should let someone else have the pleasure of owning them.'' 
Daily Mail: Bewitched by Mrs Simpson
"As Madonna makes a film about her life and her jewellery goes up for auction, Tony Rennell explains our enduring fascination with the woman who almost brought down the monarchy"
Daily Mail: Madonna is accused of rewriting history in Abdication movie
when you show up to a party and someone else is wearing the same dress?
The Duchess of Windsor talking to Aileen Plunket at a party in Paris in June 1966.(Photo by Lichfield/Getty Images).
I have to say that my favorite portrayal of the Duchess has to be Edward & Mrs. Simpson. I thought that Edward Fox and Cynthia Harris captured them perfectly. I would love it if someone did a film about her relationship with Jimmy Donahue.
ReplyDeleteFaye Dunaway portrayed her in "The Woman I Love", a 1972 TV movie opposite Richard Chamberlain.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
ReplyDeletesomeone just might do that film yet if they see it will sell!
shakatany,
thanks! added it!
Abbie Cornish should not have taken this role, in a film that glorifies a Nazi collaborator, Wallis Simpson. Spend your movie-going money, folks, on The King's Speech instead. Madonna's W.E. will sink without trace. As it should.
ReplyDelete