It’s hard for us to imagine now, but during a certain era, people thought of Wallis Simpson as the woman who nearly brought down the British monarchy single-handedly. Had Edward VIII not fallen for this scandalous American divorcée, the world would surely be a different place.
It came to be known as one of the great romances of the 20th century, but it’s impossible to pinpoint when exactly things turned romantic for Edward and Wallis, who ran in the same social circles during Edward’s wild youth. One thing is sure—Wallis made an unforgettable mark on the Prince. Edward recalled in his memoirs that when they met, she roasted him for always using the same line whenever he met an American woman.
He would ask them: “Do you miss central heating?”—real scintillating stuff. Wallis cheekily replied that she’d hoped for something more original. This simple rebuke ensured that the Prince would remember their meeting.
