Letter shows King Edward VIII as a romantic
Source: Agencies |
March 26, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A LETTER penned by the future King Edward VIII to his mistress depicts him as a starry-eyed, incurable romantic, years before his sensational decision to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson cost him the British throne.
The hand-written letter to married socialite Freda Dudley Ward shows him to be head over heels in love 17 years before his devotion to Simpson plunged the monarchy into crisis.
His decision to abdicate catapulted his stammering brother ''Bertie,'' the future King George VI, on to the throne as portrayed in the Oscar-winning film "The King's Speech."
In 1919, the 25-year-old unmarried Prince of Wales tells his secret lover "beloved little Fredie Wedie" she was all he ever wanted.
"This is only just a teeny weeny little scrawl to catch the last post sweetheart and to tell you how fearfully madly I'm loving you this afternoon angel and looking forward to 4.30 tomorrow," he wrote. "Although I only said all this about 12 hours ago I can't help saying it all again this afternoon - only I mean it even more sweetheart!!"
Mother-of-two Ward was Edward's first mistress. Their relationship lasted for five years after they met by chance at a party in 1918. She remained a close confidante of Edward's until 1934 when his relationship with Simpson, an American, began.
"Just can't get over all your sweetness to your devoted little boy and he is so so happy this afternoon darling and just not caring for anybody or anything altho he's fearfully busy," reads the letter, to be sold at auction in London on April 2.
It continues: " - then I don't have time to realise how much I miss HER and how consequently sad and depressed I am tho hopelessly happy 'deep down'!!"
He signed the letter "Your very very devoted adoring little David" - the name his family used for him.
When the king eventually met Simpson, he abruptly severed all ties with Ward.
In a call to Buckingham Palace in 1934, she was told by an operator: "I have orders not to put you through."
Ward died in 1983 at the age of 88 and never spoke of her affair with the monarch.
The hand-written letter to married socialite Freda Dudley Ward shows him to be head over heels in love 17 years before his devotion to Simpson plunged the monarchy into crisis.
His decision to abdicate catapulted his stammering brother ''Bertie,'' the future King George VI, on to the throne as portrayed in the Oscar-winning film "The King's Speech."
In 1919, the 25-year-old unmarried Prince of Wales tells his secret lover "beloved little Fredie Wedie" she was all he ever wanted.
"This is only just a teeny weeny little scrawl to catch the last post sweetheart and to tell you how fearfully madly I'm loving you this afternoon angel and looking forward to 4.30 tomorrow," he wrote. "Although I only said all this about 12 hours ago I can't help saying it all again this afternoon - only I mean it even more sweetheart!!"
Mother-of-two Ward was Edward's first mistress. Their relationship lasted for five years after they met by chance at a party in 1918. She remained a close confidante of Edward's until 1934 when his relationship with Simpson, an American, began.
"Just can't get over all your sweetness to your devoted little boy and he is so so happy this afternoon darling and just not caring for anybody or anything altho he's fearfully busy," reads the letter, to be sold at auction in London on April 2.
It continues: " - then I don't have time to realise how much I miss HER and how consequently sad and depressed I am tho hopelessly happy 'deep down'!!"
He signed the letter "Your very very devoted adoring little David" - the name his family used for him.
When the king eventually met Simpson, he abruptly severed all ties with Ward.
In a call to Buckingham Palace in 1934, she was told by an operator: "I have orders not to put you through."
Ward died in 1983 at the age of 88 and never spoke of her affair with the monarch.
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