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Duke of Edward Windsor

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Letters from a Prince: Edward, Prince of Wales, to Mrs. Freda Dudley Ward Paperback – October 1, 1999

by Rupert Godfrey (Editor)

4.3 25 ratings

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While the correspondence between the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson has been preserved and published, it had been thought that many of the Prince of Wales' letters to his earlier mistress, Mrs. Freda Dudley Ward, had been destroyed by her sometime before her death. But in November 1996, while holidaying abroad, Rupert Godfrey by chance came across 262 letters dating from 1918 to 1921, over 100 photographs, and assorted cards and memorabilia. They covered the last year of World War I and the Prince's official tours of Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, when he was in his early twenties. The letters are published in this book.

Print length

544 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Little, Brown Book Group
Publication date

October 1, 1999
ISBN-10

0751525901
ISBN-13

978-0751525908
See all details

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Book Group (October 1, 1999)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0751525901
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0751525908
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces

Best Sellers Rank: #4,473,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,483 in Literary Letters
- #5,238 in Royalty Biographies
- #8,204 in England History

Customer Reviews:
4.3 25 ratings

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4.3 out of 5

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J. James

A great piece of history....

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2017

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Amazing how self-indulgent the Prince of Wales was with women, especially the married ones whom had to behave. It's a telling book and a powerful piece of history. All Anglophiles and historians will love the contents that reveal a very immature, boyish, rebellious and entitled boy Prince who was a 40 yr old man. King George V sadly was right "If I'm gone, he will ruin himself in a year's time..." Great read. The reader (especially females) will be disturbed by Edward's declarations of undying "love" to Freda in simpy passion that meant relatively nothing to him. It did become agitating to read of his antics as if he were vascillating between reporting to his "mummy" and telling a lover how much she was missed. Poor Freda had to have a heart of steel to endure such drama!

5 people found this helpful

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Plato Closeted

A Unique Look into the British Royals of Early 20th Century

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2014

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Herein lies the opened heart of David, King Edward VIII, who is most famous for abdicating the English throne for Wallis what's her name. He comes off as VERY sweet, quite confused and very tangled up in the life fate threw at him vis a vis being born a member of Royalty. I couldn't help but feel sympathy, even knowing that down the line he encamped with the Nazis. It just goes to show that members of royalty are not members of the Brian Trust and that it was a horror of an idea to allow men and women to rule because of their blood lines. I bought the book because I wanted to learn more about David's younger brother, John, who had mental problems and was shut away and virtually disowned. I got not as much as I had hoped for but what is there in spades is the emotional life of this unique man.

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Late Night Reader

Of interest to a minority only.

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2016

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This compilation of letters from Prince Edward - later and briefly King Edward VIII - to his longterm mistress Freda Dudley Ward,
would appeal only to those curious to know more about what made "David" (the Prince) tick. It seems he was totally besotted
by the lovely but married Freda and he knew he could never marry her. It reveals him in a rather embarrassing way as a "silly boy"
instead of a regal soon-to-be king waiting to ascend the throne of England. He became King but was never crowned, renouncing the
throne, leaving England, marrying the twice divorced Wallis Simpson, and dropping Freda in a cold and callous way. She phoned
him one night (after he met Mrs. Simpson) to be told by the Palace switchboard operator that she has instructions not to put
Freda 's calls through to the Prince now or in the future. This, after they had been a twosome for over a decade! She had been
replaced by her friend (?) Mrs. Simpson. The rest if history. The letters get a bit repetitious, so the book is not a page=turned
except to the academic aiming to get further insights into the man who might have been King. My interest came from having known
Freda's younger daughter, Angela - otherwise I would not have bought the book.

3 people found this helpful

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Christine A. Rudy

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2017

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I am sure this will be great read have not got to it yet I find him fascinating

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DJB

Sad. Good thing that he did not become King

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2015

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What a whiner the P of W was! Many of his thoughts and complaints were almost exactly the same that he wrote to Mrs. Simpson while he was wooing her. Sad. Good thing that he did not become King.

3 people found this helpful

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Blue 63

Shows Prince of Wales for What He Was

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2014

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This was an interesting bookm - interesting particularly to Australians because of the caustic comments made by the Prince upon his hosts in Australia. He described the Western Australian women as "too sordid for words" - a very ungrateful observation from someone who was feted by the Western Australian public.

The letters to his mistress Freda Dudley Ward show the Prince of Wales for the person he was: always complaining about his lot in life. They were a precursor to his ultimate abdication - and cringing to read some of them.

One person found this helpful

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Denise Jones

2022-2023 Prince of Whales, King in Waiting

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2023

Because I’ve followed Princess Diana, since the early 80’s and read Prince Harry’s recent book. I believe; that this rented video, is exactly, what I suspected, since King Charles’ (shortly after) marriage to Princess Diana! It’s an attempt to keep the truth hidden, of British Royalty, since King Charles became the Prince of Whales. Long live, recently pasted, Queen Elizabeth, you were the true meaning of a Queen!

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Top reviews from other countries

RitaMB

Edward Prince of Wales.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2017

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The book arrived very promptly, well wrapped and in excellent condition for the price. What an eye opener! I always felt that Edward, Prince of Wales would never have made a good king, and now I'm 100% certain. Two-faced, lying, scheming, cheating, unstable, and I won't mention the 'lady' friend in Paris who shot her husband and also tried to blackmail the Prince by using his letters to her - well, you couldn't make it up! An excellent read. Thank you.

Waterloo

Edward the Buffoon

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2018

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These letters are useful ammuniation for republicans. Edward was a whining buffoon, unfit to be a doorkeeper, let alone a head of state. A slimey little racist too.

Peter

Great value

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great value. Prompt dispatch

Mary

Fascinating.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2015

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Fascinating correspndence of this childlike Prince of Wales and his mistress/mother.