One of the most controversial women of her day, just how did the life of the Duchess of Windsor end?
The Crown season 3 episode 8, entitled Dangling Man, depicts the end of the life of the Duke of Windsor (Derek Jacobi), formerly King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne for the love American divorcee Wallis Simpson (Geraldine Chaplin).
The pair were more or less absent from Britain following the abdication, with their unpopularity with the Royals and their shocking relationship with Nazi Germany making them a controversial part of the history of the House of Windsor.
In the ninth episode, Imbroglio, we see Wallis Simpson bury her husband with the Royal Family, but she delivers some warnings to Prince Charles about true love and his own family.
However, how did the days of the Duchess of Windsor end and how did the much-criticised figure sum up her own life?
The lonely final days of the controversial Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor
The Windsors may have been more or less exiled from Great Britain following the abdication – barring some major public family events and medical emergencies – but they enjoyed the benefits of being part of café society and elite European partygoers.
When the Duke's health began to deteriorate, Wallis was by his side until he he finally passed away in 1972.
The Duchess of Windsor attended the funeral in the United Kingdom and stayed with her husband's family at Buckingham Palace throughout her visit.
It was after this point that the Duchess became something of a recluse, living on the estate of her late husband and an allowance from the Queen herself.
Most shocking royal scandals as Prince Andrew steps down – from toe sucking to nudity
Suffering from dementia and growing increasingly weak, Simpson suffered recurring falls and broke her hips twice.
As her health deteriorated, power of attorney was awarded to her lawyer, Suzanne Blum, who began selling the Duchess' possessions.
Since Blum's death, the lawyer has been criticised for being exploitative and manipulative, reveals writer Hugo Vickers in the Daily Mail.
"The Duchess was suffering from the early symptoms of Crohn's disease," adds Vickers of her health in the 1970s. "Determined to retain her girlish-figure, she did not eat properly and was known to survive on nips of vodka."
In the 1980s, the Duchess had lost the ability to speak and was mostly confined to her bed, visited often by medical personnel.
Wallis eventually passed away on April 24, 1986, at her home in Paris, at the age of 89.
The Crown: Did the Queen and Prince Charles visit Duke of Windsor on his deathbed?
The Duchess of Windsor was buried in Windsor Castle beside her husband, with the funeral being attended by the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Princess Anne and Wallis' sisters-in-law, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother did not attend the burial itself on orders from The Queen, believed to be due to her antagonistic relationship with the Duchess.
Much of Wallis' estate was given to charity, with other belongings being handed over to the French state.
The Duchess' vast jewellery collection was auctioned off, with Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, father of Diana, Princes of Wales' boyfriend Dodi, purchasing much of her non-financial estate before auctioning it off for charity in 1998, raising more than £14 million, according to the BBC.
The Crown season 4 release date, cast, plot, trailer, for Netflix royal drama
Highly criticised in her lifetime for the abdication crisis and a controversial figure ever since – not least for her and her husband's highly shocking connection with Nazi Germany in the run up to and during World War Two – Simpson will no doubt remain a person whose legacy will always be tarnished by her noted ambition and politics.
Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, is said to have surmised her life with the comment: "You have no idea how hard it is to live out a great romance."
The Crown season 3 is available now on Netflix.
What do you think of The Crown season 3? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Read Full Article
