News of the impending nuptials of Charles and Camilla pales next to the scandalous announcement in 1936 that England’s King Edward VIII would abdicate to marry soon-to-be-divorced American WALLIS WARFIELD SIMPSON, TIME’s 1936 Woman of the Year.
She was born in one of those typical Southern families who all more or less descend from William the Conqueror … She resolved early to make men her career, and in 40 years reached the top–or almost. No man she careered is known to have ever said a word not in her praise. Apart from her first husband Commander Earl Winfield Spencer, U.S.N., and her second (present) husband Ernest Aldrich Simpson, a London shipbroker, probably her best friend, next to the Duke of Windsor, remains the Argentine Ambassador in Washington, Felipe Espil … “My, my!” sighed Ambassador Espil to swank U.S. friends last summer, “who would ever have dreamed that our little Wallis would ever be where she is now!” –TIME, Jan. 4, 1937
TIME’s complete archives can be found at timearchive.com
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com