The Windsors at War cover art

The Windsors at War

The Nazi Threat to the Crown

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The Windsors at War

By: Alexander Larman
Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
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About this listen

 'This riotous and engaging biography has it all'
GUARDIAN

'As much fun to read as a good political thriller'
WALL STREET JOURNAL

The book that inspired the major documentary Edward vs George: The Windsors at War

At the outbreak of war, the British monarchy was in turmoil. Edward VIII had abdicated, leaving his brother Bertie to take on a role he never expected: King George VI. Meanwhile, as Edward awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson, he took an increasing interest in Hitler's expansionist plans. How did this squabbling, dysfunctional family manage to unite in the face of the greatest conflict in their lifetimes? And what was the true extent of Edward's betrayal?

'Genuinely revealing, politically insightful, scrupulously researched . . . has the narrative pace of a champion thoroughbred'
Tina Brown, author of THE PALACE PAPERS©2023 Alexander Larman (P)2023 Orion Publishing Group Limited Europe Great Britain Military Politics & Activism Royalty War King

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All stars
Most relevant  
Well read and paced

A very interesting tales of the Duke e post abdication and during the war - filled in the gaps in my knowledge

A really interesting listen - congrats.

Duke of Windsor - behind the scenes

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The ex king can best be described as a soiled and ungrateful person who completely misunderstood the great disservice he did to this country and most of all his younger brother.
Thankfully, the younger brother carried out the onerous position with dignity until his untimely premature death in 1952.
The new Queen Elizabeth more than made up for her uncles discounts and reigned for seventh years without out error.
The was the direct legacy of Edward V111, he gave us our brilliant late Queen, but as is now playing out for all to see, a younger grandson is following in his forebears great uncles footsteps. Let us so pray he will run out of ammunition soon and faces into oblivion in the near future.
This audio is by far the best I've listened to, with the narration being perfect and the history very well researched.
Excellent.It

The ungrateful king

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As a story this has it all. Fans of Wallis & Edward look away now, they don't come out of this well. I was not that impressed by the narrator, but that is a very personal response to Ms Roberts reading style and voice and others might not have the same reaction. The dodgy financial and black market dealings that HRH went in for during and immediately after the war - he was an early and extreme tax dodger - don't feature. The incidents described in "The Marburg Files" episode of "The Crown" are gone into in detail and are, quite rightly, compared unfavourably to the behaviour of the legit Royal Family. His pre war connections with/to dodgy financiers and fascist industrialists are described in detail. Was he a traitor during WW2? My personal opinion is that he would have been an unrepentant one only he was predominantly concerned with hanging on to the money that he'd screwed out of his country and family. Oh, and not paying tax, rather like the Tories and their supporters in the UK of today. Had Hitler invaded the UK he would have joined in with alacrity justifying his behaviour to himself and a gullible public by saying he was doing so to save lives/the political future and independence of the UK. Not unlike Marshal Petain. The current professional Historian/Biographer thinking about the Duke's activities pre and during WW2 appears to be that the German documents that form The Marburg Files give an accurate picture of his attitudes/thinking and behaviour.

I found myself thinking about the behaviour of both the current Duke of York and the current Duke of Sussex. There's a lot to be said for HMQ's mantra "never complain, never explain." Mrs Patrick Campbell (Edwardian stage star) "It doesn't matter what you do, so long as you don't do it in the road and frighten the horses." As Mrs Keppel lunching in state at The Ritz (where else) shatteringly observed of the Abdication "Things were managed much better in my day." Being born a Prince ai'nt easy.

Interesting, but only if you're interested. The high class gossip end of history - not really up there with the Atom Spies. The most historically relevant part of the tale - that so many were so sincerely concerned about the damage to the soon to vanish Empire.

Fascinating Story

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