A candid letter revealing the Royal Family’s bitter resentment towards Edward VIII following his controversial abdication has come to light.
The letter from Edward to aristocrat friend Lord Beaverbrook was penned in 1939, three years after he stepped down as King in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
The three-page missive reveals he was warned by the Royal Family stay away from England while his brother Albert established himself as the new King.
A letter from the exiled Edward VIII finally
lifts the lid on the bitter feelings within the Royal Family over his
marriage to American divorcee Wallis Simpson
Albert, who took the name King George VI, famously struggled to adapt to the unwanted role and suffered from a severe stammer which impeded his public speaking.
Edward, writing from exile in France in 1939, says he only went along with the warning to prevent enraging his mother, Queen Mary, and his sister-in-law Queen Elizabeth.
He also brands the Royal Family’s decision to strip Simpson, officially the Duchess of Windsor, of the title ‘Royal Highness’ an 'insult'.
Royal experts say the letter is a demonstration of the monarchy flexing its muscles over Edward and shows that the rift in the family lasted for a long time after the crisis.
The three-page missive reveals he was warned by
the Royal Family to stay away from England while his brother Albert
established himself as the new King
The letter, which Edwards stated was ‘highly confidential’, reads: 'Of course you know as well as I do, that it is for no other reason than for fear lest the attitude my mother and sister in law seem likely to adopt towards my wife may provoke controversy in England and adverse criticism in America, that I have been advised to postpone our projected visit to England this Spring, until after the King’s and Queen’s official journey to Canada and the United States.
'In accordance with the policy of playing my brother’s game, I have agreed to another postponement, but, believe me, for the last time.'
Edward reveals his exile from England was all but forced upon him and his new wife in the aftermath of the abdication scandal.
The letter continues: 'While the Duchess and I have received the greatest courtesy in all the countries, especially France, where we have resided since our marriage, I have not lived out of England for over two years by preference.
Albert, who took the name King George VI, struggled to adapt to the unwanted role of King and suffered from a severe stammer
'I have remained away out of deference to my brother in order to leave the field clear for him to establish himself on the throne, which it is admitted he has succeeded in doing.'
Dispelling newspaper claims that he had set conditions for his return, Edward writes: 'I have never made any such announcement nor would I ever set conditions upon my return to England.
'Regarding the two stipulations I am alleged to have made, I wish to say firstly, that while naturally the matter of witholding (sic) the title of Royal Highness from the Duchess is an insult which I as her husband and a member of the Royal Family have always resented far more than she has, we have too many other more important interests to worry over such a triviality.
'Secondly, whatever may be the behaviour of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth towards the Duchess, it would in no way affect any plans we might make for going to England.'
Resentment: Prince Edward wrote the letter to his aristocrat friend Lord Beaverbrook in 1939
Edward signs off the letter with a stark warning: 'I need not stress the highly confidential nature of this letter, or the grave danger of the information it contains ever being traced back to me.'
The letter, on headed notepaper, was part of Lord Beaverbrook’s archive which was sold following his death in 1964.
It is now being sold by an anonymous private collector from London and is expected to fetch £8,000.
Charlie Jacoby, a royal expert and author, said: 'This letter is a cracker.
'It was well known that Edward was advised to stay away from England following his abdication but to hear it from the man himself is fascinating.
'It is confirmation of the Royal muscle flexing that went on at a time when they needed to appear strong and in control.'
Richard Davie, of Nottingham-based International Autograph Auctions, said: 'Edward’s abdication was the biggest scandal to rock the Royal Family in years and it was not taken lightly by his mother Queen Mary or sister in law Queen Elizabeth.
'Edward was the first British monarch to voluntarily abdicate and it sparked a constitutional crisis, forcing a reluctant Prince Albert, Elizabeth’s husband, to take the throne.
'It was widely rumoured that Elizabeth never forgave her brother-in-law, and neither she nor Edward’s mother were keen on Wallis Simpson.
Edward reveals his exile from England was all
but forced upon him and his new wife Wallis Simpson in the aftermath of
the abdication scandal
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with their
daughters Princesses Elizabeth (second left) and Margaret (right)
photographed in 1936
'This confidential letter proves the rift between the Royal Family lasted well beyond the abdication.
'It was written on headed notepaper three years after the abdication from the couple’s home in Paris.
'The historical significance of this letter is huge.'
The auction, held on the International Autograph Auctions website, will take place tomorrow.
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