The Duchess by Wendy Holden

In The Duchess by Wendy Holden, the author gives a sympathetic telling of Wallis Simpson’s life before she met the Prince of Wales up to the time of his abdication of the throne. In alternating chapters, Holden leads the reader through the pomp and circumstance of his lying-in state through his funeral. While many books give us the story of their life together, this novel bookends their life with the before the marriage and after the death of the former King.

A pitiful picture of Mrs. Simpson is fleshed out with stories of abuse and depravity at the hands of her first husband, Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. Because of the “scars” of that marriage, she never consummates her second marriage, which is to Ernest Simpson, who eventually takes a lover as his wife begins her affair with the Prince of Wales.

Furthermore, readers are revealed the nearly poor Simpsons trying to keep up with the aristocrats who finally befriend them after the prince shows favor for Wallis. In this telling, Wallis is never after the prince for herself but just taking care of him until he finds a suitable wife. She believes they can never marry as she would be twice divorced.

This story of Wallis Simpson is quite different from those that portray her as a woman with an agenda to marry a king despite her tawdry background. Even in this telling, Simpson never quite understands the negative attitude the royals, other than the Prince of Wales, display toward her.

Readers who have enjoyed such programs as the award-winning The Crown will no doubt be interested in this different telling of the life of Wallis Simpson.

Wendy Holden is a British writer who is now working on a book about the early life of Diana, Princess of Wales.