EVENTFUL LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22596, 8 December 1936, Page 9

EVENTFUL LIFE

GUEST AT BALMORAL CALLED "TOBY" BY KING HUSBAND'S TWO MARRIAGES Ever since her father, Teackle Wallis War field, died when she was less than three years old, Mrs. Ernest Simpson, the American whose friendship with King Edward is stated to be responsible for the grave constitutional position which has arisen in England, has had a most eventful life. When Mr. Warfield died his widow made no attempt to seek the bounty of his brother, S. Da vies Warfield, president of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, but moved to Baltimore., and from 1900 to 1908 supported herself and her child by taking boarders. In 1908 she married Mr. John Freeman Rasin, of Baltimore, and the girl, now known as Miss Wallis Warfield, took her place in the social life of the town. In 1914 she "came out" and in 1916 her engagement to Lieutenant E. Winfield Spencer, who, as Lieutenant-Com-

mander Spencer, -was recently divorced by his second wife, was announced. It was about this time that Miss Warfield was assured a small income of her own by a trust fund of 15,000 dollars left her by Davies Warfield. After her divorce from Lieutenant Spencer in 1925, the same year as Ernest Simpson divorced his wife, a life-

long friend of Mrs. Spencer, she moved about in the ordinary Baltimore sociaJ circles until, in 1928, she went to London and renewed her acquaintance with Mr. Simpson. They were married on July 21 of the same year. The first Mrs. Simpson is now working at an employment agency in New York. Recently she was reported to be concerned about the education of her daughter. It was then stated that she wanted Mr. Simpson i;o make provision for their daughter's education. When speaking of the present Mrs. Simpson she said her husband had "walked out on her" while she was in hospital in Paris. , Rumours about Mrs. Simpson's friendship with the King began three years ago when he was still Prince of Wales. As a brilliant American hostess whose reception.'! were attracting much attention in London, it was natural that Lady Furness, sister of Gloria Vanderbilt, should introduce her into the social group of which the Prince of Wales Was the centre, and of which Lady Furness herself was one of the most prominent members. In 1934, when the Prince-enjoyed a holiday in Switzerland, Mrs. Simpson was seen dancing with him many times and on the way to Biarritz he was also observed to help her with her baggage at the station in Paris, although the Prince's companions did not apparently know her identity, nor that she was already acquainted with him. Cruise to Adriatic It was not until ihe King's recent holiday cruise to the Adriatic in the yacht Nahlin, however, that Mrs. Simpson began to attract more attention than anybody else in Royal social circles. Then it became obvious that the King found considerable pleasure in her company, and that she enjoyed the privilege of calling him by his Christian name and that he called her "Toby." In addition to accompanying him on his pleasure excursions and on many of his official visits, Mrs. Simpson also played a prominent part in arranging for the ear treatment that the King had to undergo in Vienna. Reports were also circulated that Mrs. Simpson went shopping with the King and that ho gave her a number of presents. On one occasion she kept him waiting some time while she had her hair "set." Guest at IBalmoral On the return of the King's party to England, Mrs. Simpsofl was one of the few persons to be invited to a number of formal dinners given to various celebrities. When 'she went as a guest of the King -to Balmoral Castle at the end of September the King caused the Court Circular to appear in such a manner that the first paragraph announced the arrival of Mrs. Simpson and the seccJnd said that the Duke and Duchess of York had opened the Royal Infirmary at Aberdeen. Mrs. Simpson occupied as a guest room the large bedroom formerly used by King George and Queen Mary. Interest in Mrs. Simpson's movements was heightened when it became known that she contemplated divorcing her husband. Her residence at No. 15 Cumberland Terrace was closely watched and she was attended by a detective inspector who had also acted as bodyguard to the King. The car which Mrs. Simpson usually drove was a large black limousine identical with the one often used by\ the King, although with a different registration number. Immediately after her divorce, at which she gave evidence, Mrs. Simpson was reported to have ordered one of the largest and most costly wardrobes turned out by any fashion house in Paris this season. Evidence at Divorce At the Ipswich _ Assizes, where the divorce was obtained, Mrs. Simpson testified that she was having her husband observed for infidelity at Easter time, some weeks before she attended the dinner given by the King to Colonel and Mrs. Charles Lindbergh, when her husband accompanied her. Reports of the divorce proceedings do not state whether Mrs. Simpson applied for or was granted anv alimony, although it is known that .Mr. Simpson's annual income is about £IB,OOO.