Personal possessions of Wallis Simpson are to be auctioned off in Lichfield.
Earrings, belts and stationery found in the late Duchess of Windsor’s estate after she died in 1986 go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 19th July.
A twice-divorced American, her romance with King Edward VII caused a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication in 1936 less than a year after becoming king.
Going under the hammer are a pair of Bergere gold-plated clip on earrings, in a red and gilt case with an interlinked WE – for Wallis and Edward – below a coronet, five fabric and suede belts in a variety of styles and colours, and a parcel of unused stationery.
The latter comprises a blank invitation card with matching envelope, pre-printed with ‘The Duchess of Windsor requests the pleasure of the company of…’ and letterheaded paper embossed with the duchess’ coat of arms.
The items were bought by a Staffordshire collector in the late 1990s having originally been auctioned off following her death.
Sarah Williams, senior valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said:
“It was so interesting to have my hands on these items which were personal possessions of one of the mid-20th Century’s most recognisable figures.
“The stationery which bears the address where Wallis Simpson died tells its own story of a life of grandeur even in those latter days.
“The duchess wore fairly plain A-line dresses a lot of the time and would jazz the ensemble up with a decorative belt.
“The collection as a whole may not fetch much more than £200 but in terms of living history these are fascinating items which hopefully well go on to delight other collectors of royal memorabilia.”
Sarah Williams
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor lived a celebrity high society life between Europe and America.
Following the duke’s death from throat cancer in 1972, Wallis became increasingly frail and lived out her final years as a recluse, supported her husband’s estate and an allowance from the Queen.
Bedridden towards the end, she received no visitors apart from medical care and died aged 89 on April 24th 1986 in Paris.