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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
I really enjoyed this account of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in all their venal, soulless glory. The Duke (formerly Edward VIII) seems to have been positively Trumpian in his amoral self-regard, and the Duchess was vain, grand, and entitled. Both of them flirted with fascism, not least because they thought Hitler might conquer Britain and put them on the throne. In short, they were the worst, and you will search this book in vain for a single redeeming quality in either of them. It's not even clear how in love with each other they really were (especially the Duchess). But the book zips through all of this lightly enough that it is more mesmerizing than depressing
informative
slow-paced
Andrew Lownie’s Traitor King examines the life of the former Edward VIII did in the years following his abdication. As the title suggests (I mean it doesn’t have a question mark after Traitor King, so I think it’s fair to say that) what Lownie says he did was a lot of scheming and intrigue against the interests of his former Kingdom in the interests of himself and his wife both in terms of their position and their financial gain.
A lot has been written about the events leading up to the abdication, but not so much about what happened after – or at least not in as much detail as this. Lownie starts with the day of the abdication and moves on from there – assuming that the reader will know what has happened, which obviously I did because I’ve read a lot of stuff – fiction and non-fiction about this whole sitauation. Most of what I have read has suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (as they became) were as the blurb says “naïve dupes” of the Germans in the run up to and the early stages of the Second World War, but Lownie’s thesis is that they knew what they were doing and were active participants themselves. He draws together threads of stories that I’ve come across before – the closeness of Wallis to von Ribbentrop, the rather dubious Charlie Bedaux and the trip to visit Hitler among other things – and comes to the conclusion that this was part of a concerted effort by the couple to conspire against British interests to try and benefit themselves. Unfortunately for Edward – and fortunately for the UK – Edward was not that bright and his plans were spotted by the various arms of the British establishment that were keeping an eye on him (which range from his friends, to his secret service detail, to the embassy staff and more) and documented. This is the documentation that Lownie uses to make his case – and he’s got the footnotes to prove it! The book also touches on the more usual aspects of the Windsor’s married life – ie were they actually in love, was it worth it and did Wallis learn sex tricks in when posted with her first husband in China – and draws some conclusions about them that I won’t spoil here, but the main focus is on the macchinations.
And it’s a very enjoyable and interesting read. I am very interested in the history of the first half of the Twentieth Century and the abdication crisis is one of the key events of it for Britain, outside the two World Wars. I’ve read a lot on the subject and this added some new perspectives and interpretations of events that I have read a fair bit about before. It’s got an extensive set of references – whether it’s the author’s own research or references to other authors working in the field – and it’s also got a really good further reading list at the back, which has a fiction list featuring my beloved Gone with the Windsors, as well as the nonfiction stuff. Speaking of Laurie Graham’s novel, I don’t think you can read that and come away with it with a particularly high opinion of the couple, but it would seem from this that Graham understated the case when it came to their meanness and the way they treated their friends and their staff. Despite the couple’s efforts to establish their relationship as the romance of the century, public opinion at the time was mostly against them and reading about it in the history books it is hard to draw a lot of favourable conclusions about them – even before you come to the Nazi connection.
A lot has been written about the events leading up to the abdication, but not so much about what happened after – or at least not in as much detail as this. Lownie starts with the day of the abdication and moves on from there – assuming that the reader will know what has happened, which obviously I did because I’ve read a lot of stuff – fiction and non-fiction about this whole sitauation. Most of what I have read has suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (as they became) were as the blurb says “naïve dupes” of the Germans in the run up to and the early stages of the Second World War, but Lownie’s thesis is that they knew what they were doing and were active participants themselves. He draws together threads of stories that I’ve come across before – the closeness of Wallis to von Ribbentrop, the rather dubious Charlie Bedaux and the trip to visit Hitler among other things – and comes to the conclusion that this was part of a concerted effort by the couple to conspire against British interests to try and benefit themselves. Unfortunately for Edward – and fortunately for the UK – Edward was not that bright and his plans were spotted by the various arms of the British establishment that were keeping an eye on him (which range from his friends, to his secret service detail, to the embassy staff and more) and documented. This is the documentation that Lownie uses to make his case – and he’s got the footnotes to prove it! The book also touches on the more usual aspects of the Windsor’s married life – ie were they actually in love, was it worth it and did Wallis learn sex tricks in when posted with her first husband in China – and draws some conclusions about them that I won’t spoil here, but the main focus is on the macchinations.
And it’s a very enjoyable and interesting read. I am very interested in the history of the first half of the Twentieth Century and the abdication crisis is one of the key events of it for Britain, outside the two World Wars. I’ve read a lot on the subject and this added some new perspectives and interpretations of events that I have read a fair bit about before. It’s got an extensive set of references – whether it’s the author’s own research or references to other authors working in the field – and it’s also got a really good further reading list at the back, which has a fiction list featuring my beloved Gone with the Windsors, as well as the nonfiction stuff. Speaking of Laurie Graham’s novel, I don’t think you can read that and come away with it with a particularly high opinion of the couple, but it would seem from this that Graham understated the case when it came to their meanness and the way they treated their friends and their staff. Despite the couple’s efforts to establish their relationship as the romance of the century, public opinion at the time was mostly against them and reading about it in the history books it is hard to draw a lot of favourable conclusions about them – even before you come to the Nazi connection.
informative
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Edward VIII, King of England, abdicated his throne in order to marry the twice-divorced American woman that he loved - Wallis Simpson. Their story has been painted as a great romance, with the pair essentially exiled and Wallis denied the titles that her husband believe she deserved... but there is a darker side to this supposed royal fairytale.
Through interview excerpts, diary entries of the couple's friends, and other sources, Lownie's book explores several unnerving allegations and observances of the Duke and Duchess' lives post-exile: such as distressing associations with the Nazi Party, includinga plan to restore Edward to the British throne as a kind of "puppet" leader, and potential involvement in the cover-up of a murder in the Bahamas.
While I found this audiobook interesting, I wasn't too fond of Lownie as the reader - although choosing him was understandable, since he is the work's author. His graver tones make sense given the contents of the book, but being used to audiobooks read by actors, who alter their voice to convey different people/characters, his reading often came across as more of an academic lecture, and I sometimes struggled to spot when he moved between cited sources. This proved something of an issue given that a lot of this book is material quoted from diary entries, letters, etc, as other readers have noted... although I myself can understand why these featured so heavily. They are likely to contain thoughts and observations that were officially kept "off the record" by their authors, potentially to save face or avoid scandal, and could only be shared later through the protection of either the grave or the passage of time.
To conclude, this is a intriguingly sinister exposé, but is probably better read rather than heard.
Through interview excerpts, diary entries of the couple's friends, and other sources, Lownie's book explores several unnerving allegations and observances of the Duke and Duchess' lives post-exile: such as distressing associations with the Nazi Party, including
While I found this audiobook interesting, I wasn't too fond of Lownie as the reader - although choosing him was understandable, since he is the work's author. His graver tones make sense given the contents of the book, but being used to audiobooks read by actors, who alter their voice to convey different people/characters, his reading often came across as more of an academic lecture, and I sometimes struggled to spot when he moved between cited sources. This proved something of an issue given that a lot of this book is material quoted from diary entries, letters, etc, as other readers have noted... although I myself can understand why these featured so heavily. They are likely to contain thoughts and observations that were officially kept "off the record" by their authors, potentially to save face or avoid scandal, and could only be shared later through the protection of either the grave or the passage of time.
To conclude, this is a intriguingly sinister exposé, but is probably better read rather than heard.
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation
Nazism
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
What a remarkable read!
Andrew Lownie is a historian I really admire, having read his previous nonfiction exploration of The Mountbattens.
When I got a birthday voucher, my choice was a no-brainer, realising Andrew’s newest book looked at Edward and Wallis, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Thanks to Andrew’s meticulous research, using historical, government and verified sources and archives, you get a fully fleshed insight into the controversial pair.
I loved how Traitor King delves into the very moment of the abdication and beyond. I knew of Edward and Wallis’s Nazi and fascist sympathies but didn’t appreciate the tangled web of promises, secrets and betrayal they instigated and got involved in.
King George VI and Winston Churchill really had more to deal with (winning World War Two) than answering Edward’s incessant and childish demands in his letters.
Edward and Wallis were truly selfish, self absorbed people who demanded the standard of living that they had willingly given up when he abdicated the throne. Tales of their lavish lifestyle, questionable finances and vast luggage (just one example) will make your blood boil as the rest of the world was battling the Second World War on all fronts.
No wonder they were kept at a firm distance by the Royal Family, they were far too volatile and too much of a liability to be otherwise.
I enjoyed the chapters on the Windsors’ stay in the Bahamas and in France as I’ve never had a book which has shone a light on that period before. The chapters on the murder of Harry Oakes were intriguing, and showed the depths of deceit and dodgy dealings in the Duke’s inner circles.
Hats off to Andrew for making a lot of historical and political references and material accessible and engaging for the reader. I whizzed through my hardback copy which now has a signed bookplate from Andrew who kindly sent me it after seeing one of my tweets.
I’ll be recommending Traitor King to friends and family while I eagerly await Andrew’s next book…
Andrew Lownie is a historian I really admire, having read his previous nonfiction exploration of The Mountbattens.
When I got a birthday voucher, my choice was a no-brainer, realising Andrew’s newest book looked at Edward and Wallis, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Thanks to Andrew’s meticulous research, using historical, government and verified sources and archives, you get a fully fleshed insight into the controversial pair.
I loved how Traitor King delves into the very moment of the abdication and beyond. I knew of Edward and Wallis’s Nazi and fascist sympathies but didn’t appreciate the tangled web of promises, secrets and betrayal they instigated and got involved in.
King George VI and Winston Churchill really had more to deal with (winning World War Two) than answering Edward’s incessant and childish demands in his letters.
Edward and Wallis were truly selfish, self absorbed people who demanded the standard of living that they had willingly given up when he abdicated the throne. Tales of their lavish lifestyle, questionable finances and vast luggage (just one example) will make your blood boil as the rest of the world was battling the Second World War on all fronts.
No wonder they were kept at a firm distance by the Royal Family, they were far too volatile and too much of a liability to be otherwise.
I enjoyed the chapters on the Windsors’ stay in the Bahamas and in France as I’ve never had a book which has shone a light on that period before. The chapters on the murder of Harry Oakes were intriguing, and showed the depths of deceit and dodgy dealings in the Duke’s inner circles.
Hats off to Andrew for making a lot of historical and political references and material accessible and engaging for the reader. I whizzed through my hardback copy which now has a signed bookplate from Andrew who kindly sent me it after seeing one of my tweets.
I’ll be recommending Traitor King to friends and family while I eagerly await Andrew’s next book…
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced