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Once a King

The revelatory unpublished memoir of Edward VIII: a fascinating insight into the King, the Royal Family and pre-WW2 England

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Once a King

By: Jane Marguerite Tippett
Narrated by: Esther Wane, Gregory Cox
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Summary

 'ASTONISHING' THE DAILY MAIL
'STRIKING' THE SUNDAY TIMES
'RADICAL' TATLER

Described by The Telegraph as 'Edward's truth', Once a King is the never-before-seen and unfiltered story of King Edward VIII, the original royal renegade, who abdicated his throne and left the royal family to pursue his own destiny.

Fifteen years after having abdicated the throne to marry the woman he loved - Wallis Simpson - King Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, published his memoirs. But whilst preparing the manuscript for his published and mostly ghostwritten book - which, unlike Prince Harry's autobiography Spare, largely avoided controversy - the Duke also produced a private manuscript for posterity. This was written in his own words and with an uninhibited frankness.

Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII reproduces this uncrowned King's previously unseen writing, including much that he could or would not write for publication in 1951. Jane Marguerite Tippett weaves together Edward's writing alongside newly uncovered interviews with the Duke and Duchess, diary entries from ghostwriter Charles Murphy and other sources. Together this forms an extraordinary new portrait of one of the most famous characters in modern royal history and his recollections and innermost feelings, particularly around the abdication of 1936.©2023 Jane Marguerite Tippett Europe Great Britain Politicians Politics & Activism Royalty Memoir Divorce
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In the modern day where media interest in the Monarchy exceeds that of the general public it was interesting to read this detailed account of Edward’s reign. He would have made a great King but he was denied the privacy of a personal life and happiness and in the light of unfolding events of the last century and of today I am left with the feeling that the current model for the Royal family of devoted service for life needs a radical rethink.

The Lost King

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Really well read though occasionally the accents were annoying. Wallis' made her sound rather dumb.

Very Interesting, lots have been written about Edward VIII but I've not heard his story in his own words before.

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The independence of thought and reflection as distinct from any number of works which add fuel to sensational bias was refreshing. On one issue in particular, it reminds us that certain TV series are largely fictional and involve much dramatic licence.

Fair and balanced

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Very interesting and gives a different insiight to King Edward and the politicians at that time.

Really good listen.

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I found the overly contained narration by Esther Wane very irritating. Edward himself was a self-centred, lazy and disloyal person by nature and demonstrated constant poor judgement, entitlement and unpleasantness throughout life. Undoubtedly, he did the country a favour by abdicating. Sadly, too many of his flaws show up in his great-great nephew today.

Nothing redeemabale about this King

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