What Was Edward VIII And Wallis Simpson’s Relationship Like? Did They Love Each Other?

As the woman who caused a king of England to abdicate, Wallis Simpson is a rather touchy topic for royal family fans. There are those who believe that she was a woman who tried to scheme her way to the very top, while there are others who believe that the public’s negative perception of the Duchess of Winsor was a result of decades-long character assassination.

But regardless of whether she was a schemer or not, one thing that has piqued fans’ interest is the kind of relationship that she and Edward VIII had. To put it bluntly, fans can’t help but wonder if the Duke and Duchess of Windsor really loved each other.

On Edward VIII’s side, most fans are convinced that the former king really loved his wife. After all, he was willing to give up the throne just to be able to marry her.

Not only did Edward VIII lose the throne, but he was even shunned by his own family. “It seemed inconceivable to those who had made sacrifices during the war that you, as their king, refused a lesser sacrifice,” Queen Mary wrote of his son, according to Andrew Morton in his book “Wallis In Love: The Untold Life Of The Duchess Of Windsor, The Woman Who Changed The Monarchy.”

The same question was posted on Quora, and user Brent McKee’s response to the question is worth noting. “Their public writings and probably their private writings … reinforced the idea of the ‘love story of the century,’” he said. However, he added that the former king’s feelings for his wife were a lot more complicated than what people would normally associate with “love.”

“It is abundantly clear that Edward VIII was besotted by Wallis,” McKee also said. “I chose this word deliberately. While most people think of the word ‘sot’ as meaning a drunk or alcoholic, the classic definition of the word is ‘a stupid person or a fool.’ Wallis certainly turned Edward into a stupid person or a fool. He indulged her whims.”

On Wallis’ part, most people are not that convinced that she genuinely cared for Edward VIII. “Wallis on the other hand … she likely did, but there are rumours she cheated on him several times, so maybe,” Rhys Matthews wrote on Quora. He was at first inclined to believe that she did feel something for him but that it’s just hard to reconcile that with her rumored affair.

Herman Rogers, whom she met while traveling in China, was her rumored lover. Morton believes that it was Rogers, not the former king, who was the love of her life.

However, there are a few who believe that the image of Wallis as a calculating schemer who was out to get the throne is simply incorrect. “I was watching ‘The Crown’ and I realized the portrayal of Wallis Simpson was actually incorrect,” explained Anna Pasternak, author of “The Real Wallis Simpson.”

“In ‘The Crown,’ they take the common view that Wallis was this ambitious schemer who was a very tough woman and stole a beloved king from his throne. But it was vastly incorrect,” she added.

And she did not want to get close to the throne by marrying Edward VIII either. “People do not understand that she really tried to stop this, she tried to get away from him,” Pasternak explained.

“But [Edward] put so much pressure on her … He threatened suicide if she left him. He threatened that no matter where she went in the world, he would follow her. He was almost deranged when it came to his obsession or need with her,” Pasternak continued.

The sad part, according to the author, is that she had to endure relentless character assassination. “She was the recipient of the most horrendous attacks through letters,” Pasternak said.

“She was seen as hard and calculating. It really was character assassination … [yet], she never spoke out. She had this incredible dignity. She had to contain all of this against a backlash that Meghan Markle knows today,” the author continued.

Of course this does not say whether or not she felt deeply for the former king. But regardless, it still speaks volumes of what her real character is like. If what Pasternak wrote is true, then it seems that Simpson is the type of wife who will stand by her man no matter what.