The British monarchy is not any stranger to scandal and controversy. Stuffed with less-than-favorable characters, there’s, maybe, one who was the least favorable in England throughout a time: Wallis Simpson. A twice-divorced American socialite, Simpson is credited for inflicting the previous King Edward VIII to abdicate the throne after lower than a 12 months to marry her. (The Church of England forbade any king from marrying a divorced girl whose former husband was nonetheless alive—and Simpson had two of them.) The couple, nevertheless, married on June 3, 1937 (this week marks 85 years), on the Ch^ateau de Candé, and stayed that manner till the Duke of Windsor’s loss of life in 1972.
“Wallis Simpson is likely one of the most well-known, and notorious, ladies in trendy historical past, and her jewellery assortment was second to none!” Invoice Rau, the proprietor of M.S. Rau in New Orleans, tells JCK. “Her jewellery turned simply as a lot part of her public persona as her private life and marriage to Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor. All through their marriage, the couple marked particular events with items, and distinctive gems had been all the time on order.”
The Duchess of Windsor’s brooch in gold with pure pearls, emeralds, and pink tourmaline (additionally proven at high); $388,500; M.S. Rau
Among the many items was a brooch (proven above) from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, created by a neighborhood artisan. “The Duke even helped design a number of items for the Duchess, collaborating with jewelers, together with Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels,” says Rau. “This brooch is an ideal instance of that. The Duchess was all the time on the chopping fringe of trend tendencies, so she altered and redesigned jewellery items to swimsuit her trendy tastes. For this distinctive brooch, she commissioned Cartier so as to add an emerald and tourmaline mounting on the apex of this brooch’s design, additional enhancing its visible influence and status.”
The Duke of Windsor’s cufflinks in 15k yellow gold, $88,500; M.S. Rau
With an apparent appreciation for jewellery via his items to his spouse, the duke was additionally thought of a tastemaker when it got here to his personal items. The gold cufflinks above, showcasing hand-painted portraits of Queen Alexandra and King Edward VII, are the right instance of his sartorial sense.
Regardless of the trials, tribulations, and public opinions surrounding the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, their romance lives on via the glowing, jeweled legacies they’ve left behind.
(Images courtesy of M.S. Rau)
Comply with me on Instagram: @anniedavidson
Comply with JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Comply with JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Comply with JCK on Fb: @jckmagazine
