Duke of Windsor - Traitor

He was a traitor through and through. That's why he was sent over to the West Indies during the war. They couldn't trust him so sent him somewhere that he could do no harm from.

I have read quite a lot about the Duke of Windsor. He had a dreadful childhood and once an adult only had relationships with married women. Yes, he was sympathetic to the Nazis, but so were a lot of aristocrats at the time. Wallis thought she was in for a short term affair but to her horror was obliged to marry the Duke. He was besotted but she probably had a series of affairs throughout their marriage. It was a good thing he did abdicate. Who knows how the war would have gone with him as King. It is interesting that he barely returned to England after his abdication. The odd funeral and rare visits to see his mother, Queen Mary.

A lot of that mob are rotten to the core. He was just another one.

Haven’t seen the documentary but it was certainly a wasted selfish life. No charity work, hedonistic and the main thought of most days, clothes and cocktail parties.
Massive financial support from us, the British public and he made off with fistfuls of royal jewels.

Totally agree nanna8

This photo says it all.

Elizabeth, Margaret, their mother and Uncle David

No, but I’ll watch it on catch up.
I did always understand that he and Wallis were Nazi sympathisers, so it’ll be interesting to learn more.

Just as well he fell for an American divorcee and so felt obliged to abdicate.

I suspect that there is even more that is hidden.

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

We take our own trip into the dark and deep depths of the Daily Mail’s racism and xenophobia through the last century.
Fanatical about fascism

Let us begin in 1930 when Adolf Hitler made considerable gains in the German elections. Mein Kampf had already been written, making clear Hitler’s ideas on the racial supremacy of the supposed ‘Aryan’ race. And yet, for the Daily Mail, Hitler, his party and their success represented the “birth of Germany as a nation”.

Fast forward a few years to January 1934, when they ran with the headline “Hurrah for the Blackshirts” with an article celebrating Oswald Mosley and the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Mosley was highly influenced by Benito Mussolini, so much so that members of the BUF were given the nickname of ‘Blackshirts’ as their uniform was modelled on that worn by those belonging to the National Fascist Party in Italy. Lord Rothermere, owner of the Daily Mail and author of the article, praised Mosley and the Blackshirts seeing them as the correct party to “take over responsibility for [British] national affairs”.

Lest we forget.

The Duke of Windsor scandal is especially bad as a royal duke should feel responsible for his nations's welfare, more so than any Tom Dick or Harry.

Elizabeth Bowes - Lyon , Queen Elizabeth II , and George V could not be accused of lack of responsibility for the nation's welfare. All of them strong people who when necessary could put personal desires aside for their duty to serve others.

Fleurpepper

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

I don’t think anyone on GN was a Nazi sympathiser. What a strange post.

Fleurpepper

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

I think Gransnet supporters would have had to be in a time warp to be Nazi supporters even my parents were not really old enough to know what it all really meant.

Fleurpepper

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

Wow, accusing GN readers of being Nazi sympathisers!!!!!

Where is your evidence please?

I think she meant that people who read the Daily Mail support an organ that supported Nazism?

hollysteers

Haven’t seen the documentary but it was certainly a wasted selfish life. No charity work, hedonistic and the main thought of most days, clothes and cocktail parties.
Massive financial support from us, the British public and he made off with fistfuls of royal jewels.

All the Royals don't work they just attend and more times than not they are flying around in jets or helicopters for their own interests and pastimes spending public money and a huge environmental impact. Giving Evidence found that Royals have very little impact on Charities. Charities should not seek royal patronage.

Monarchy serves politicians and Royals not the people.

It's just one person but my late SiLs aunt wrote to Hitler in the 30s to congratulate him on how he was restoring Germany! I can't imagine that an old lady living in suburban London was the only person in the UK who felt that way. - She soon changed her mind but the family teased her about it for the rest of her life.

Franbern - what was the name of the programme? I am having difficulty in finding it on catch-up?

Fleurpepper, How dare you??? DO NOT put me in the category of being a Nazi sympathiser!!!!!

The photo shows Elizabeth Duchess of York making, and encouraging her children to make, the Nazi salute. At least she didn't betray the nation with her fascist sympathies unlike Uncle David. But then she knew her family was at risk because it was known that Hitler preferred David to King George and would have put him on the throne as a puppet king. That would have left the king, princesses and her in serious danger as you can't have two kings. If King George was killed then Elizabeth would have become a figurehead. Kill her and there was Margaret so it would have made sense for all of them to be killed. It would have been a rerun of the Princes in the Tower but this time it would have been Princesses in the Tower.

Blossoming

Fleurpepper

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

I don’t think anyone on GN was a Nazi sympathiser. What a strange post.

Yes, poor post. The Press they support, still now.

Yammy

Fleurpepper

Many in the UK were nazi sympathisers, including some of the favourite GN readers supporters.

I think Gransnet supporters would have had to be in a time warp to be Nazi supporters even my parents were not really old enough to know what it all really meant.

My parents were born in 1912 and 1915- they certainly remembered those days- and how sections of the Press supported Hitler in the 30s.

Grayling

Franbern - what was the name of the programme? I am having difficulty in finding it on catch-up?

It was Edward V111: Britain’s Traitor King, on Channel 4.

It was a repeat, I remember watching it before.

This is an interesting and worthwhile thread and I’ll definitely look out for that programme but as usual it’s encouraged a few of the anti royal crowd to make irrelevant comments.

My parents lived through the abdication and they didn't have a good word to say about him. They always said he was a traitor, and thanked their lucky stars that he did abdicate.