June 3, 2010

June is for weddings

On this day in 1937, Edward, Duke of Windsor, married his long-time mistress, Wallis Simpson, carrying on a tradition of questionable morals that has been part of England's royal family since William the Conqueror.
This highly romanticized story of sacrificing for the sake of his true love always struck me as a bit contrived. 50 years earlier, and he would have dutifully married some whey-faced second-cousin, begotten an heir, and kept Wallis as his "bit of fluff" on the side.
But no, Edward was king for all of 11 months when he decided that if he couldn't marry the American divorcee, he didn't want the crown. King. Wallis. Leader of British Empire. Horsey socialite. Hmmm.
Do you think that when they had fights he used to throw it in her face? "I gave up a f*cking kingdom for you, damn it!"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I say that to my wife all the time....lol!

LSH