The Windsor Affair - Historical Fiction Review

Goodreads: The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description: Feuding Windsor brothers and their wives—some things, it seems, never change. The Men: Edward David Windsor, heir to the British throne, and Albert, known as Bertie, his younger brother, “the spare.” The Women: Edward’s wife Wallis, an American divorcée, and Bertie's wife Elizabeth, descended from Scottish nobility. The Feud: a rivalry that will last all their lives, make headlines, and still fuel gossip pages nearly a century later.

The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and incited the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen-to-be, and Wallis Simpson, aka “That Woman," who fell into a calculated love affair with Prince Edward. Told from the perspective of both women, the novel propels readers into the fabulous world of the debonair Prince of Wales, café society of the 1930s, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors.

The first novel dedicated to the infamous rivalry between these two world-famous women, The Windsor Affair brings us all the gossip and intrigue between the two very different—yet perhaps more similar than they would admit—wives of royals. As Queen, Elizabeth would become the symbol of British pluck and courage during World War II and remain a British institution for the rest of her long life. Wallis would be forever forced to enact the World’s Greatest Love Story even after it sours, as she goes from being admired to vilified and, ultimately, pitied.

Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, funerals, births, and deaths, these two women maintain a bitter, biting, sharp-tongued feud—until age and the long arm of history bring about a kind of understanding. For the last communication between these bitter rivals was a simple, surprising “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Genre: Fiction - Historical

Why I Picked This Book: I've had good luck with this author and this is such a sliding door moment in history that it absolutely fascinates me.  

My Impression: I really enjoy Melanie Benjamin's writing and her ability to make characters in historical fiction come alive.  This was an interesting story with multiple POVs - sometimes Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, future Queen Consort and then Queen Mother, Wallis Simpson, otherwise known as "That Woman", and occasionally context provided by Queen Mary, Queen Consort and both women's Mother-in-law.   It would have been easy for Benjamin to lean into traditional views and portray one woman as the Saint and the other as the Devil but she doesn't at all.  

Wallis is a challenging and complicated person and while I never liked her there were times I couldn't help but admire her and feel sorry for her.  She is dealt a poor hand in life but has a driving ambition to survive and for security.  While I don't think many people would agree with how she did it and I doubt in real life she made many friends, she does survive though it is questionable if she ever truly felt secure.  Elizabeth is a product of the society she was raised in.  She understands duty and image and is well aware of her charms and the different methods of persuasion.  While I didn't particularly care for her, I couldn't help but admire her loyalty and her protectiveness of her family - especially her husband.  Both women are tough as nails but in completely different ways and it was fascinating to see their story revealed.  

The book centers around a sliding door moment in history with David's abdication but showing all events leading up to it and then the fallout.  It's interesting and a little terrifying to think just what would have happened in World War II if David had remained King as even before abdication he was pretty vocal about his Nazi sympathies.  

While not the fastest read this is a well done and compelling read about complex characters during an incredibly complicated time in history.  If this is a period of time that interests you it is well worth reading - as is any book by this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely!  I've really enjoyed everything I've read by this author and am looking forward to reading more.  

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy historical fiction this is definitely worth the read!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *