World War II: The Appeasers--Duke of Windsor (1894-1972)
Figure 1.-- The NAZIs upon Hitler's orders, in contrast to the British Royal Family, treated the Duke and Duchess like modern-day rock stars. It was a 2-week trip (October 1937). Hitler planned it as a kind of mock-state visit. They encountered huge, cheering crowds. Many greeted the the Duke with the NAZI salute and the Duke often returned it. The Duchess was honord with the royal curtsies and bows that she had been denied every where else. And the Duke and Duchess were granted an audience with Hitler himself. This was in part because neither criticized the Führer in any way. All of this was closely followed by the British media, filmed and appearing in movie newsreels-basically the TV news of the day. All to the horror of the British Government. Photographs are little pieces of history. Notice the impression on the faces here. No text could more defitively capture their view of Hitler.
A great deal is known about Edward and Hitler and none of it reflects very well on either the Duke or his wife, Mrs. Simpson. It needs to be sressed that there is no sign he approved of what Hitler ultimately did, but even before the War, there was plenty of information for a resonable person to be disgusted with Hitler and the NAZIs. We know that David (his family name) before the death of his father to have been very critical of Britain. He seems to have had no understanding of Britain;'s momentous place in history. His disatifaction seems to have been primarily the restruictions placed on him private life rather than political or historivcal issues. He particularly resented the disapproval of his father because of his licentious life style, namely affairs with married women and his refusal to settle down and marry even bnthough he was in his 30s. With the onset of the Deprression, he was impressed with Hitler and his seeming ability to restore German national life. We see no disapproval of the end of democracy, murder of opponets, supression of Jews, and ending the rule of law. Even most arch appeasers were disturbed by some or all of these aspects of the NAZI regime--not David. Now we do not know why. Perhaps he was draw toward Fascism ideologically. Or perhaps he was just poorly informed and did not bother to inform hinself about current affairs, prefering the ladies, fashion, and smart dinner parties to reading and substantive discussions. Neither of course are very attractive characteristics in a future monarch. Then of course in short sucession his father died, he became Edeard VIII, and the Gobernment refused to allow him to marry the American divorcee Mrs. Simpson on constitutional grounds (1936). Edward abdicated and went into exile in France. The Royal family essentially abandoned him and refused virtually any contact with Mrs. Simpson or royal status for her. This enfuriated the now Duke of Windsor. His brother's wife, Queen Elizabeth (the mother not the daughter) can only be described as vengeful. Hitler was watching all of this and believed that war could be avoided and an alliance with Britain was possible with the Duke on the throne. David for his part said after the War that his primary goal was to avoid another War which of course was the motivation of most of the appeasers. The Duke showed his lack of appreciation for Hitler's caracter when he sent the Führer a telegram, urging him to 'do his best for peace.' (September 1939). [Bouverie, p. 2.] One historian goes as far as to accuse of treason, claiming he passed information on the French defenses to a German spy, Charles Eugene Bedaux. [Allen] The evidence, however, is hardly conclusive for such an allrgation. Historians continue, however, to debate the episode. The general consensus is that Edward was a dilatante and terribly ignorant as well as self absorbed, but not a outright traitor. The recently released poyal papers provide a great deal of insught into the Windsor's behavior.
Prince of Wales
A great deal is known about Edward and Hitler and none of it reflects very well on either the Duke or his wife, Mrs. Simpson. It needs to be sressed that there is no sign he approved of what Hitler ultimately did, but even before the War, there was plenty of information for a resonable person to be disgusted with Hitler and the NAZIs. We know that David (his family name) before the death of his father to have been very critical of Britain. He seems to have had no understanding of Britain;'s momentous place in history. His disatifaction seems to have been primarily the restruictions placed on him private life rather than political or historivcal issues. He particularly resented the disapproval of his father because of his licentious life style, namely affairs with married women and his refusal to settle down and marry even bnthough he was in his 30s. With the onset of the Deprression, he was impressed with Hitler and his seeming ability to restore German national life. We see no disapproval of the end of democracy, murder of opponets, supression of Jews, and ending the rule of law. Even most arch appeasers were disturbed by some or all of these aspects of the NAZI regime--not David. Now we do not know why. Perhaps he was draw toward Fascism ideologically. Or perhaps he was just poorly informed and did not bother to inform hinself about current affairs, prefering the ladies, fashion, and smart dinner parties to reading and substantive discussions. Neither of course are very attractive characteristics in a future monarch.
Edward VIII and the Abdication Crisis (1936)
Then of course in short sucession his father died, he became Edward VIII, but the Government refused to allow him to marry the American divorcee Mrs. Simpson on constitutional grounds (1936). Interestingly, Churchill championed Edward which would complicate relatiions with the Royal Family for a while. King George did not favor Churchill to replace Prime-minister Chamberlain. There was a great furor in Briatain and the media for a time. Ultimately Edward abdicated giving his fanous radio address about 'the woman I love'. He then went into ecxile in France as the Duke of Windsor and married Mrs. Simpson. The Royal Family (meaning Queen Elizabeth) refused tom attend and discouraged any one in British asiciety from attending. For decades we saw the Queen Min as this lovely elderly woman with huge hats. In reality she had a ssteely back bone.
Duke of Windsor
The Royal family essentially abandoned the Duke and refused virtually any contact with Mrs. Simpson or royal status for her. This enfuriated the now Duke who had passionately craved to make her queen. David and Albert (now King George VI) had been very close as boys and young men. His brother's wife, Queen Elizabeth. however, can only be describedas as vengeful. Hitler was watching all of this. One of his goals was to avioid war wuth Britainb and turn the ciuntry inti=oman ally--albeit an ibdeient ally. He believed that war could be avoided and an alliance with Britain was possible with the Duke on the throne. The Duke for his part said after the War that his primary goal was always to avoid another War which of course was the motivation of most of the appeasers. And it is not entirely true . As was the case for most of his life he put his personal feelings over his duties as a member of the Royal Family. He was inbittered by his treatment and apparently missed the adualtion and attention he had recrived as Prince of Wales and for a short time king. He thus accepted a personal invitation from Hitler to visit Germany. His primary motivation was to be treated as a person of substance again along with his wife. This just what the NAZIs did.
His private secretary after the War descrbes why the Duke accepted the invitation. He wanted to show off his new wife. She had not been granted the title of 'Her Royal Highness' upon the couple’s wedding. And who had been shunned in royal and wider social circles. The NAZIs upon Hitler's orders in contrast treated like modern-day rock stars. It was a 2-week trip (October 1937). Hitler planned it as a kind of mock-state visit. They encountered huge, cheering crowds. Many greeted the the Duke with the NAZI salute and the Duke often returned it. The Duchess was honord with the royal curtsies and bows that she had been denied every where else. And the Duke and Duchess were granted an audience with Hitler himself. This was in part because neither criticized the Führer in any way. All of this was closely followed by the British media, filmed and appearing in movie newsreels-basically the TV news of the day. All to the horror of the British Government.
Fascism
While Mosley was on the political fringe, he had social contacts at the highest level of British society. Interestingly, Moley along with Churchill and the Communists supported Edward in the Abdication Crisis (1936). Prime-Minister Baldwin was not only influenced by Edward's hedonistic life style and Mrs. Simpson's divorced status, there were reports of Edward's Fascist orientation which were not unfounded. Edward and Mosley had political discussions which were minitired by the Special Branch. And Edward refused to criticize NAZI violence pr Mosley's BUF violence before abdiucating. His and Wallis' gusing visit wih Hitler raised eyebrows (1937). And his behavior after the fall of France does make one wonder (June 1940). It even bothered Prime-Minister Churchill who had been one of his strongest supporters.
World War II
Even with thev Gerna invasion pf Poland, the Duke showed his contunuing lack of appreciation for Hitler's character when he sent the Führer a telegram. He urged him to 'do his best for peace.' (September 1939). [Bouverie, p. 2.] When the Nazis broke through Frenchb lines and hreadedv towardv Paris (June 1940), the Windsors did not return to Britain, vur fled Paris and escaped through Spain to Portugal. There they remained for some time. German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop ordered NAZI agents in Poerugal to meet with the Windsors. German sources claom that the Windsors were critical of both the British Royal Family and Winston Churchill’s Government. Hitler was eager to get his hands on the Duke and at the time looked like Britain would be another of his conquests and the Duke would be a fine puppet ruler. We do not know to what extent such thoughts entered the Duke's mind. The mere fact that he was meeting and listening to German agents suggests that he had not dismissed the idea. We do know that he remained in Portugal even after the Government orderedd him home. He seems to have believed that the Germans had won the War and the only hope for Britain was to make a deal with Germany. This was not an uncommon opinion at the time among many British leaders--although not the British people. Chururchil his old friend and now prime-mimister was apauled. Churchill threatened the Duke with court-martial if he did not return to British soil immediately. [Bloch, p. 93.] He finally did return in the midst of the Battle of Britain (August 1940). The Government bundeled him safely off to the Bahanas as governor--as far away from the Britain and the War as possible. The Duke and Duchess considered the appointment as beneath their dignity. He called the Bahamas a 'third-class British colony'. Soon after reaching the Bahamas he met with President Roosevelt who came aboard the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (December 1940). The President was on a tour of British Caribbean islands, officially inspecting British bases for possible American use. The Duke reportedly described Hitler as a 'great man'. He urged the President to help negotaite a peace between Britain and Germany--a sharp contrast to the policy of the British Governnent and the President's own policies. Of course at the time because of the Isolationists was not oprnly advocating entering the War. This shows among other matters hoe poorly informed the Duke was. There is no transcript of the discussionm but we know that the president ordered the FBI to keep the Duke under surveliance. Prime Minister Churchill a few months later was dismayed when the Duke seemed to questiont Britain’s ability to achieve victory over Hitler’s Germany in an all to frank interview with Fukton Ousler, editor of Liberty Magazine (published March 1941). The Duke denied the allegations.
Historical Debate
One historian goes as far as to accuse of treason, claiming he passed information on the French defenses to a German spy, Charles Eugene Bedaux. [Allen] The evidence, however, is hardly conclusive for such an allrgation. Historians continue, however, to debate the episode. The general consensus is that Edward was a dilatante and terribly ignorant as well as self absorbed, but not a outright traitor. The recently released poyal papers provide a great deal of insught into the Windsor's behavior.
Sources
Allen, Martin. Hidden Agenda: How the Duke of Windsor Betrayed the Allies (M. Evans, 2002). 312p.
Bloch, Michael (1982). The Duke of Windsor's War (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1982).
Bouverie, Tim. Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War (Bodley Head: London, 2019), 497p.
