Before there was Meghan Markle, there was Wallis Simpson
Don't let your husband prevent you from finding the love of your life.
I hear you!
I skipped last week because I had either the flu or covid. However, this week, you will be getting twice as much from me.
As for my response to Esther Crawford being fired, I would like to say: I do not regret anything that I typed. She will be able to leverage more job opportunities, VC funding, and opportunities from the fame that she has gotten from this.
Accused of being a harlot, a whore, a nazi, and a gold digger. What can we learn from the life of the woman who made King Edward VIII gave up his crown?
1. She was powerful, charismatic, and ingenious
Born as Bessie Wallis Warfield on June 19, 1896, Wallis’ father died when she was just 5 months old. After losing her father relatively early in life, Wallis’ life became utterly dependent on the benevolence of her uncle Sol.
When she turned 16, Wallis convinced him to send her to the prestigious Oldfields School, a private day school for girls in Glencoe, Maryland. She and another girl named Alice became skilled dressmakers. That way, she was always wearing the latest in fashion. She got a reputation for smoking, sneaking out, and having boyfriends.
She always knew that she was never the prettiest. However, where she could stand out was always being impeccably dressed. Zendaya also employed a similar tactic to remain culturally relevant. That way, she was able to mingle with the right girls in her school.
2. She knew her position, and it was at the top
Due to her father’s early death, she experienced financial difficulties and social insecurity. Her classmate Oldfield described that she always wanted a social standing way beyond what she currently had.
She only entertained men who would grant her such a life and created parties that would be the talk of London high society. She was the ultimate hostess (If you want me to write about this, comment below).
She was lively, well-educated, and well-red. This is a recipe for a riveting conversationalist. While part of London's high society, Wallis was determined to meet King Edward. Not for simply romantic purposes, but to advance her station.
King Edward had a reputation for being someone that enjoyed parties, and he was going to end up at hers. From the first moment they met, she made a strong impression on him.
3. Men only serve a purpose. Once that stopped, she left.
Just like Cleopatra, men served a purpose in Wallis Simpson’s life: stability.
Her first marriage to Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. was simply a marriage of convenience. Women at that time had very few prospects. By getting married, she should escape the financial situation in her family. She soon realized that he was an alcoholic. After 5 years, she wanted a divorcee. However, it was shameful for a woman of her status to do.
So, she fled to Shanghai for what she would describe as her Lotus year. During this year, she perfected the social skills she would depend upon for the rest of her life: using sometimes distant contacts to go where she wanted and to obtain access to the most fashionable parties.
During this year, she was rumored to have relations with very distinguished men.
When she came back to London, she met her second husband, Ernest Simpson, who was a British shipping executive. He was married at the time, but that didn’t seem to bother her. He ended up leaving his wife and young daughter for her.
Bonus tip: Wallis’ technique was to do her recon work on the men that she intended to meet. That way, she came of strikingly charismatic. She could hold illuminating conversations about topics that the men cared about.
She was able to make those men feel like they were the center of the world during the conversations.
That is textbook seduction.
4. Don’t let your husband prevent you from finding the love of your life
Her affair with King Edward started while she was married to her second husband. They initially started off as friends, but their relationship became romantic when Mr. Simpson was away on her trip.
Moral of the story: Don’t relinquish love when it presents itself to you, just because you are married.
A man would never do the same.
5. If you are going to be hated by the world, only do it for a man who is willing to give up the world for you.
King Edward gave up his royal position and communication with his family to be with this woman. Did he really want his royal duties? Probably not. Wallis became a good excuse to run away from them.
However, he never seemed to stop loving this woman. He always demanded that she be treated like a royal, even though she was never given such a title. In his final letters to her, he describes his love for her. She was an older, twice-divorced woman who could have been easily relegated to the position of mistress. However, he wanted more for them.
Only be willing to fuck up your life, for a man willing to do the same (and after he has already done so).
Some more writing:
Yes, please write about how she became the ultimate hostess!