Governor of the Bahamas

Whether you like them or not, you have to admit that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor had style. During the Second World War, Winston Churchill installed the Duke of Windsor as the Governor of the Bahamas to keep him quiet so to speak.  So in 1940, Wallis and Edward sailed to Nassau.   Apparently Government House was in nearly derelict so the Windsors rented private homes until it was rebuilt.  Most of these photos were taken in 1941 by photographer David E. Scherman and give you a glimpse into their Bahamian life.  I'm not sure Stefan and I will look quite as chic on our sojourn to Nassau (I wonder if Stefan owns a pink jacket) but I hope to visit Government House among other historic sites while we are on the island. The Windsors also spent time in Miami just as we are planning to do after the cruise.  Too bad I don't also have a fabulous collection of Goyard luggage like Wallis.  Those were the days.

 

The view from Government House

Crown emblem in place of a lisence plate on Nassau.

The Duke of Duchess of Windsor in Miami, 1941

The Duchess of Windsor in Florida 1955

The Windsor Style

A reader asked me to post about my favorite books.  I have so many favorites that it would be hard to choose just a few but one that I find fascinating is The Windsor Style by Suzy Menkes.  Whether you like them or not, you have to admit that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor had amazing personal style that extended from their wardrobes to their homes.  The stories about their dinner parties make you realize that no one lives as elegantly today except perhaps Mr. Valentino and some European royalty.  It was a different time when table linens were embroidered to match each separate set of china.  This is a look at their last home at 4 route du Champ d'Entraînement in the Bois de Boulogne.  The Windsors took over the house from General de Gaulle in 1953 and it was decorated with the help of Stephane Boudin.  After the death of the Duchess much of their French furniture was donated to Versailles and Mohammad al-Fayad bought and restored the house which had seen better days. 

The entrance hall.

Sydney Johnson and the pugs.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in front of a Louis XV commode topped with Meissen pugs.

 A portrait of the Duke's mother, Queen Mary, by Sir William Llewellyn.

The library includes a portrait of the Duchess by Gerald Brockhurst from 1939.

The silver and blue salon with Louis XVI furnishings.

Cole Porter will play the piano when he came to visit.

A photo shoot in the room from 1980's .

A photo shoot in the dining room from the 1980's.

A recent look at the dining room.

The dining room would hold three tables for eight during dinner parties.

The sitting room that separated the Duke and Duchess' bedrooms.

The bedroom of the Duchess.

A more recent look at the bedroom.

The bathroom of the Duchess includes a portrait by Cecil Beaton over the tub.

The desk of the Duke of Windsor.

Photos from The Windsor Style, The Peak of Chic, Architect Design, A Lovely Being